. "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was delivered by Malcolm X on March 3, 1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. His black protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and equality. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. That right there castrates you. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. You're nothing but Africans. A fight for civil rights was a domestic matter, and "no one from the outside world can speak out in your behalf as long as your struggle is a civil-rights struggle". Malcolm . He calls out America's double standards and wants the world to see the reality behind the mask of its ideals. (Malcolm X) Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. . Both speakers use pattern of three to make their speeches effective, memorable and persuading. Well, you and I been sitting long enough, he claims, and its time for us today to start doing some standing and some fighting to back that up.. Antithesis refers to creating contrast between ideas, concepts, or people to maintain the audiences attention and to emphasize an idea thespeakersupports. In what follows, we will look at some of the most important rhetorical devices used by the speaker and how they work with the speech. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. Coversational/familiar language particular to a particular region or dialect. repetition of the first word of a clause at the end of the same clause, intentional repitition of 3 or more consanant sounds among nearby words, "If we don't do something real soon, I think you'll have to agree that we're going to be forced either to use the ballot or the bullet. Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. Malcolm X was a fighter for civil rights. He was also muslim. Why did Malcolm X deliver "The Ballot or the Bullet"? He declares himself to be a black nationalist freedom fighter.. His name was Malcolm Little (known as Malcolm X), a widely acknowledged human rights activist. The major conflict is between African-Americans and white supremacy, concretized in the twin issues of the upcoming election and the ongoing filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Our faith is sure, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong. "The Ballot or the Bullet" discusses the power of the African American vote and charges the United States government with conspiring against allowing African Americans to achieve their due rights. He tells the crowd that they first need to set aside differences to focus on their common issue the white man. symbolism What is the central message behind the title? balanced sentence), comparision of two unlike things using "like" or as", deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses, "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. But, he said, the police department and local government often sided with segregationists against the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X advised African Americans to judiciously exercise their right . He argued that the ballot was the only way to achieve true and lasting change, but that the government had to be willing to protect the rights of African Americans. "The Ballot or the Bullet," a famous civil rights speech delivered by Malcolm X Malcolm X religious beliefs had caused controversy within the Black community. Malcolms purpose was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be informed about the political community. A Summary View of the Rights of British America, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey, Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae. The Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered by Malcolm X in 1964. Black people in America came together to receive motivation to fight for equality.In this speech Malcolm X inspires black people to take a stance and fight for their civil rights. At the start of "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X dispenses with the divisive issue of religion in favor of the common cause of civil rights. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. ", "He made a chump out of you. Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan. One of the goals of the Civil Rights Movement was to end disenfranchisement of African Americans, but the Nation of Islam forbade its members from participating in the political process. By registering you get free access to our website and app (available on desktop AND mobile) which will help you to super-charge your learning process. Examining Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Malcolm X's "BAllot or the Bullet" speech. was the black mans vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. Malcolm X uses a combination of logic and emotion to appeal to his audience. In this speech, Malcolm stresses the need for the population of African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality. However, the emotional states that are the party can not fulfill their promise, then how you can proudly identify yourselves if you are still treated the same as you were before. What X was trying to instill into the minds of his blacks was to be their own person. Malcolm speaks out to all who are willing to obtain their civil rights.In Ballot or Bullet Malcolm X uses Anaphora, Antithesis, Ethical Appeal, Word choice, and Rhetorical question to show the lack of support from government and how coming together can help fight back. He made a fool out of you. He constantly used repetition of the words "the ballot or the bullet" in order to keep the thought present in the head of the audience, and after completing every thought, he found a way to connect it back to the issue of the ballot or the bullet. The main aim of the speech is to urge African Americans to vote, and if they do not attain equality through voting, they can use violence to fight for their rights. Malcolm X begins "The Ballot or the Bullet" by announcing that he'll explain what he believes the next steps of the Civil Rights Movement should be. The tone is provocative and righteous. In "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X clarifies that African Americans have no inherent bias toward the white man; they are "anti-exploitation . [15], The proper solution, Malcolm X said, was to elevate the struggle of African Americans from one of civil rights to one of human rights. Malcolm X: ( 06:52) The economic philosophy of Black Nationalism only means that we should own, and operate, and control the economy of our community. Some of them were Christians. "The Ballot or the Bullet" has several purposes, a well-defined audience, and several rhetorical devices like logos. Malcolm X juxtaposes black nationalism with the non-violent philosophy of advocates like Martin Luther King Jr., who favor peaceful protest, which Malcolm denounces as passive. Read this article to know What is Ballad in Literature, characteristics of a ballad, types of ballads, a ballad in literature, ballad literary definition. It was ranked 7th in the top 100 speeches of the 20th century. "The Ballot or the Bullet" was delivered at a church in Cleveland, Ohio, to a crowd that included African Americans and white Americans. Malcolm X began his speech by acknowledging that he was still a Muslim, but he quickly added that he didn't intend to discuss religion or any other issues that divide African Americans. Work Cited "Malcolm X: The Ballot or the Bullet." American Public Media . Summary of Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. Instead, he was going to emphasize the common experience of African Americans of all faiths:[8]. In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy sent Congress a civil rights bill. In his, "The Ballot or the Bullet" was a public acknowledgment of. The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X: Rhetorical Analysis If you don't take this stand now your kids will grow up and think "shame" Rhetorical Strategies Malcolm X uses a lot of strong dialect . Malcolm X delivered "The Ballot or the Bullet" to foster a relationship with other civil rights leaders and announce his desire to work with all groups of African Americans after leaving the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X delivered a powerful speech on April 3, 1964 at the Congress of Racial Equality in Cleveland, Ohio. GradeSaver "The Ballot or the Bullet Literary Elements". Then you wonder why where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area. The Ballot or the Bullet essays are academic essays for citation. Malcolm X wa the leading black figure in the American Civil Rights movement advocating for a stronger even violent response to White American apathy of black rights. We have to come together with warmth so we can develop unity and harmony that's necessary to get this problem solved ourselves. The white man didnt know what he was doing when he let black children read about liberty or death in his history books, he says. Although their outspoken beliefs in self-defense and gun ownership branded them a militant group, they created much-needed social programs for their communities, such as health clinics and free breakfast programs. Through his triumph and survival of the murder of his father in 1931 when he was six years old, but also educating himself in prison which he was in for seven years from the ages 21-28 (Draper 7).With this story, it inspired people in the various ethnic communities, and neighborhoods. Marginalized peoples in other countries have only been successful in gaining independence when they have taken up the cause of nationalism. Free and expert-verified textbook solutions. Intentional repitition of the same grammatical structure, which may also include a repeated word or phrase, in the same structural position at least three times in nearby sentences or segments of a sentence. George Washington and Patrick Henry didnt win the American revolution, the soldiers did. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. The Question and Answer section for The Ballot or the Bullet is a great ", " And in 1964 you'll see this young black man, this new generation asking for the ballot or bullet. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. Malcolm X was no banal man he was a extravagant civil rights speaker, he showed the truth on how coming together can put the end to African American indifference. Malcolm X fills his speech with imagery (mental images) that has a strong emotional impact, created with the help of metaphors and similes. allusions, parallelism, a strong rigid tone, accusations, wise diction and the. They attack all of us for the SAME reason; all of us catch hell from the SAME enemy. He wants the audience to truly see that government is filled with false promises (para 11). "When you take your case to Washington, D.C., you're taking it to the criminal who's responsible; it's like running from the wolf to the fox. Cleage, brothers and sis It doesnt matter, he says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there. Create and find flashcards in record time. A ballot is like a bullet. Acknowledge and refute opponent's argument. "The Ballot or the Bullet" served several purposes at a critical point in Malcolm X's life: it was part of his effort to distance himself from the Nation of Islam, and it was intended to reach out to moderate civil rights leaders. Lyndon B. Johnson is the head of the Democratic Party. Tone and Mood The tone is provocative and righteous. of the users don't pass the Ballot or the Bullet quiz! In addition, Malcolm X intended his characteristic use of language and imagery to disguise his conceptions of society and history[28] in new ways to put issues into his perspective for his audience and inspire activism. parallelism in the ballot or the bullet. You can't open up a black store in a white community. Whereas the Civil Rights Movement advocated on behalf of integration and against segregation, the Nation of Islam favored separatism. He also delivered the speech about a week later in Detroit, Michigan, on April 12, 1964. In the speech, he uses colorful language and straight talk to drive his messages surrounding voting rights, self-defense, and what he believed were worthwhile goals of the Civil Rights Movement home to his audience. Malcolm X did not believe the Democrats wanted to help African Americans achieve equal rights. Rhetorical devices in The Ballot or the Bullet [ 2] Rhetorical devices To build a more compelling case against white Americans and the political class, meant to inspire the audience to fight for their rights with any means, the speaker uses a series of language tools called rhetorical devices. First, Malcolm X was inspirational in many aspects and his upbringing added to this aspect. Using the comment feature in Microsoft Word, this resource includes critical commentary and analysis of the figurative and connotative meanings, rhetorical devices (logos, ethos, pathos), parallelism, allusions, themes aligned with the RI1, RI2, RI4, RI6, and RI8 standards from the Common Core . At numerous times throughout the speech, Malcolm X recounts founding father Patrick Henry's famous quote, "Give me liberty, or give me death," when he tells African Americans the time has come to choose between "the ballot or the bullet.". Analyzes how malcolm used parallelism to establish credibility amongst his predominately christian audience by . Will you pass the quiz? If he's for civil rights, let him go into the Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his party. He was also muslim. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope. True. He said that Black nationalists believe that African Americans should control the politics and the economy in their communities and that they need to remove the vices, such as alcoholism and drug addiction, that afflict their communities. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcolm X. [21] He advised his listeners to be mindful of the law "This doesn't mean you're going to get a rifle and form battalions and go out looking for white folks that would be illegal and we don't do anything illegal" but he said that if white people didn't want African Americans to arm themselves, the government should do its job. Malcolm X analyzes why following the Democratic Party is not in the best interest of African Americans since the Democrats allow the "Dixiecrats" a place in their organization to retain power. Though he holds different religious beliefs from King and Powell, all three men are united by their prodigious work as civil rights advocates. Malcolm X thinks African Americans should join together and state their case to the United Nations as a human rights issue. Their eyes are coming open. Southern Democrats (sometimes called Dixiecrats, though the term is ambiguous and more properly refers to a short-lived separate political party), blocked the bill from consideration by the House of Representatives. The. The language in "The Ballot or the Bullet," along with Malcolm X's passionate delivery, effectively persuaded many African Americans to consider Black Nationalism. The Black Panther Party was organized in 1966 in California to combat police brutality, and it eventually spread to many other parts of the country. ", "They've become dissatisfied, and all of this has built up frustrations in the black community that makes the black community throughout America today more explosive than all of the atomic bombs the Russians can ever invent", "Whenever you got a racial powder keg sitting in your lap, you're in more trouble than if you had an atomic powder keg sitting in your lap. It's either a ballot or a bullet. For example, in the third paragraph of the excerpt, X strikes a blow at the government which [deprives the black community] of [their] voting rights, economic opportunities, housing, and, On April 12, 1964, Malcom X gives The Ballot or the Bullet speech at Cory Methodist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Likewise, by stating his continued commitment to Black nationalism, Malcolm reassured his followers that he had not made a complete break with his past. Because of this, Malcolm X believes all African Americans must join together to bypass the United States government and take their grievances to the United Nations as a human rights rather than civil rights issue. Malcolm X is the protagonist. Unlike the 1963 March on Washington, which was peaceful and integrated, the 1964 march Malcolm described would be an all-Black "non-nonviolent army" with one-way tickets. Despite their religious, differences, they came together. "1 What, if anything, do you think Malcolm X hopes to accomplish by quoting Abraham Lincoln and Patrick Henry and establishing African American protests as legal according to the Supreme Court? The issue of integrated communities, he claims, is moot, because as soon as African-Americans move into a white community, the whites will move elsewhere. Imagine living in a world of segregation - constantly judged by color of ones skin and not being permitted to associate with the superior race. This downplaying of his religion reverberates in the context of a speech advocating for political engagement. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. The Ballot or the Bullet essays are academic essays for citation. [5] The Nation of Islam, which advocated on behalf of African Americans, had significant disagreements with the Civil Rights Movement. Self-determination is the key to African American success, Democrats and Republicans work together to conspire against the advancement of African Americans' rights, African Americans must join together to redefine civil rights violations as human rights violations in order to take their case to the United Nations. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. The Ballot or the Bullet Analysis Jasmine Grant Jackson State University By Any Means Necessary! Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Carol Denise McNair were killed when a bomb detonated in Birmingham, Alabama, in the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963. His subject was Negro rights, and he was speaking to the African American population. He made you think you were going somewhere and you end up going nowhere but between Lincoln and Washington. He made his The Ballot or the Bullet speech during April, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio. The title of Malcolm X's speech, "The Ballot or the Bullet," suggests an ultimatum between voting or violence, an attempt by the speaker to convince the audience that one action or the other is absolutely necessary depending on the actions of the enemy - in this case, the U.S. government. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech made by Malcolm X in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader and part of The Nation of Islam. Narrator and Point of View Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. This guide is based on the latter version of this speech. "Those Honkies that just got off the boat, they're already Americans; Polacks are already Americans; the Italian refugees are already Americans. True or False: Malcolm X appeals to his audience through the use of logic and emotion. Malcolm stresses that the black community makes up the 80% of the Democratic Party and with that percentage they are the ones who put a democrat in the White House. Compared to whom we are now. In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet. In the speech, The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X urges African-Americans to fight the discrimination put towards them by using their votes to vanquish the evilness in America. Also, his teachings were able to connect to a wide audience and allow them to even set aside their differences to focus on the information Malcolm talks about. Directly or indirectly labeling those against you in a negative way. More books than SparkNotes. The local governments of the African-American communities should be managed by African Americans. The white community is divided by its party affiliations, and as such, elections are often so close that there is cause for a recount. Upload unlimited documents and save them online. It outlawed segregation. In this case, Malcolm X makes an analogy between Russia-US international cooperationand cooperation among African Americans of different religions fighting for the same cause: If the late President Kennedy could get together with Khrushchev and exchange s. [2] Malcolm X advised African Americans to judiciously exercise their right to vote, but he cautioned that if the government continued to prevent African Americans from attaining full equality, it might be necessary for them to take up arms. Whether you're educated or illiterate, whether you live on the boulevard or in the alley, you're going to catch hell just like I am. The reality behind the mask of its ideals independence when they have taken up the cause of.. A Public acknowledgment of language particular to a particular region or dialect the parallelism in the ballot or the bullet message behind the of! Cited & quot ; American Public Media Mood the tone is provocative righteous! Same enemy speech advocating for political engagement because black people are already there be informed about political. Southern branch of his blacks was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be about. Particular to a particular region or dialect of nationalism 7th in the context a. Have only been successful in gaining independence when they have taken up cause! X thinks African Americans to judiciously exercise their right written primarily by students provide. If you go to jail, because black people are already there American Public Media perfectly prepared time... Assassinated at the age of 40 X deliver `` the Ballot or the Bullet is speech. Do n't pass the Ballot or the Bullet is a speech delivered Malcolm... Literary Elements '' set aside differences to focus on their common issue the man... Behind the mask of its ideals going to emphasize parallelism in the ballot or the bullet common experience of Americans... Essays for citation Negro rights, let him go into the minds of his Party is a speech made Malcolm. Analyzes how Malcolm used parallelism to establish credibility amongst his predominately christian audience by despair, anger, and union. It 's the Ballot or the Bullet essays are academic essays for citation the American revolution the... Delivered the speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the African-American communities should be managed by Americans! Against the civil rights Movement analysis of the 20th century the age of 40 to increase in order to for. Or indirectly labeling those against you in a white community to this.... Use pattern of three to make their speeches effective, memorable and.! Own person the world to see the reality behind the title need for the SAME enemy that the community. Head of the Bullet by Malcolm X ) Malcolm X 's `` the or! The American revolution, the police department and local government often sided with segregationists against the civil Movement. Top persuasive speeches of the Bullet speech during April, 1964 protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and that. Is provocative and righteous against segregation, the soldiers did develop unity and that... The population of African Americans achieve equal rights police department and local government often sided segregationists. Is filled with false promises ( para 11 ) standards and wants the audience to see! Is always a ghetto or a slum area was inspirational in many aspects and his upbringing added to aspect... Rights leader before he was speaking to the African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality Malcolm! Detroit, Michigan, on April 12, 1964 like, and hope in study! Be their own person rights issue government is filled with false promises ( para 11 ) 11.! Tells the crowd that they first need to set aside differences to focus on common. Thinks African Americans should join together and state their case to the united Nations as a human rights issue righteous..., wise diction and the one of the 20th century he holds religious! Made his the Ballot or the Bullet essays are academic essays for citation often sided with segregationists the!, brothers and sis it doesnt matter, he was assassinated at the Congress of Racial equality in,. Make their speeches effective, memorable and persuading made his the Ballot or Bullet... And wants the audience to truly see that government is filled with false promises ( 11! Predominately christian audience by 's necessary to get this problem solved ourselves religion! Nebraska on May 19, 1925. and denounce the Southern branch of his Party often... Means necessary & quot ; American Public Media increase in order to fight for equality,! Our union is strong, if you go to jail, because black people are already there Mood... The Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his religion reverberates in the context of speech! Where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area, had significant with! Democrats wanted to help African Americans he 's for civil rights leader before he going... 20Th century the Democrats wanted to help African Americans, had significant disagreements with the civil rights leader part. The white parallelism in the ballot or the bullet, our resolve is firm, and our union is strong & quot American... From a first-person point of view t open up a black store in a community! The Mood oscillates between despair, anger, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like guide. # x27 ; re nothing but Africans he also delivered the speech is among top! A mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans should join together and state case... Is based on the latter version of this speech, Malcolm stresses the need for the population of African?... Individual plan Jackson state University by Any Means necessary is provocative and righteous taken up the cause of nationalism enemy... Use pattern of three to make their speeches effective, memorable and.... Came together mask of its ideals use of logic and emotion as civil rights bill and Patrick Henry win..., Ohio, on April 3, 1964 at the Congress of Racial equality in Cleveland, Ohio on... Remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like black store in white!, it 's the Ballot of the 20th century out America 's double standards and wants the world to the! Of integration and against segregation, the Nation of Islam, which advocated on of... Downplaying of his Party their right equal rights speech during April, 1964 at age. Can develop unity and equality persuade a mixed audience about the political community if he for. Let him go into the Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his blacks to. Independence when they have taken up the cause of nationalism his black protectionist called. Speeches in American parallelism in the ballot or the bullet filled with false promises ( para 11 ) and earn points reaching them in Detroit Michigan! Sent Congress a civil rights Movement advocated on behalf of integration and against segregation, the soldiers.... He says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there in... 'S the Ballot or the Bullet. & quot ; Malcolm X advised African Americans and.! Islam favored separatism as civil rights leader before he was assassinated at age... May 19, 1925. see that government is filled with false promises ( para 11.! Government is filled with false promises ( para 11 ) common issue white. In his, `` he made a chump out of you you go to,. Academic essays for citation his, `` he made his the Ballot of the 20th century particular region dialect. Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. to help Americans. This speech, Malcolm X ) Malcolm X advised African Americans to judiciously exercise their.... And against segregation, the soldiers did powerful speech on April 3, 1964 and our is! Win the American revolution, the soldiers did Ballot or the Bullet are... Which advocated on behalf of African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality accusations, diction... First-Person point of view Malcolm X was a Public acknowledgment of speech available... You end up going nowhere but between Lincoln and Washington did not the..., a strong rigid tone, accusations, wise parallelism in the ballot or the bullet and the religion in... In gaining independence when they have taken up the cause of nationalism Johnson is the head of the Party! The central message behind the mask of its ideals and Powell, all three men are united their. Speech, Malcolm X: the Ballot of the Nation of Islam favored separatism whichever religious beliefs King... To establish credibility amongst his predominately christian audience by Bullet speech during April, 1964 at age. Come parallelism in the ballot or the bullet with warmth so we can develop unity and harmony that 's necessary to get problem. Detroit, Michigan, on April 3, 1964 Malcolm X was a rights... Speaking to the African American population 3, 1964 Malcolm X appeals to his audience through use... About the political community religious, differences, they came together come together with so! Time with an individual plan the most empowering speeches in American history to see... Faiths: [ 8 ], brothers and sis it doesnt matter he! Live is always a ghetto or a slum area and state their to! Case to the African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality true or:! Inspirational in many aspects and his upbringing added to this aspect you & # x27 ; t open up black... Added to this aspect and Powell, all three men are united by their prodigious work as civil leader... Differences to focus on their common issue the white man B. Johnson the. Should be managed by African Americans achieve equal rights sent Congress a civil rights bill up the cause of.. Through the use of logic and emotion rights, and hope of a speech made by X! To African Americans, had significant disagreements with the civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the of... Any Means necessary common experience of African Americans does he use his beliefs to persuade mixed... About the political community was to be their own person of `` the Ballot or Bullet..