[25], One biographer notes that Malcolm was one of the first African-American leaders to note the existence and growing influence of Black nationalism among young civil rights activists.[26]. Relying on peaceful protests such as sit-ins castrates the black man, says Malcolm. [12], Black nationalism was characterized by its political, social, and economic philosophies. 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. 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. 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. The white supremacist system is the antagonist. In its advocacy of voting, "The Ballot or the Bullet" presented ideas opposite to those of the Nation of Islam, which forbade its members from participating in the political process. Malcolm described how potent a weapon the ballot could be, if it was exercised with care:[12]. The young generation don't want to hear anything about the odds are against us. 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. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your reach, keep your ballot in your pocket. It took decades for the men involved to be prosecuted as FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, prevented their prosecution in 1968. Malcolm X emphasizes Black Nationalism as a way to help African Americans gain political, economic, and social control over their communities. Two thousand people including some of his enemies turned out to hear him speak in Cleveland, Ohio. $4.00. Everything that came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an American. As a result, they began to lose hope that non-violent intervention was a reasonable goal. . George Washington and Patrick Henry didnt win the American revolution, the soldiers did. Dixicrats: a southern segregationist faction of the Democratic Party. Malcolm X states that achieving a resolution for the African American cause would be more likely if it was taken to the United Nations. Malcolm provides an economic summary of black nationalism: African-Americans should buy from African-American owned and operated businesses so as to feed the prosperity of their own communities and lift the levelto a higher levelso that we will be satisfied in our own circles and wont be running around here to knock our way into a social circle where were not wanted. This economic attitude is in keeping with the larger social and political attitudes of separatism that marked black nationalism, which claimed that integration would only result in further oppression of black peoples and advocated, as the name suggests, for entirely separate and self-governed communities. If the word is correct, write C./ Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the title of a public speech by human rights activist Malcolm X. Anything can sit. Malcolm X says he and other African Americans are not really Americans because they have to fight for the same rights others are given by birth. [16], Malcolm said that changing the fight for African-American equality to a human rights issue changed it from a domestic problem to an international matter that could be heard by the United Nations. 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. Cleage, brothers and sis I'm not here to try and change your religion. Coversational/familiar language particular to a particular region or dialect. Freedom or civil rebellion "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was delivered by Malcolm X on March 3, 1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Everything south of the Canadian border is the South, he jokes. 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. He gave this speech on April third in order to talk about both the election and how African-American people should proceed in order to benefit from the election. Zip. After Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson threw his support behind the civil rights bill. Malcolm X highlights the frustrating struggle of African Americans' fight to be able to vote by mentioning John F. Kennedy's desire to force Cuba to have democratic elections. 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. Why does Malcolm X say he and other African Americans are not really Americans? Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. 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. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is the title of a public speech by human rights activist Malcolm X.In the speech, which was delivered on two occasions the first being April 3, 1964, at the Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio and the second being on April 12th 1964 at the King Solomon Baptist Church, in Detroit, Michigan. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. [20] He reiterated his position that if the government is "unwilling or unable to defend the lives and the property of Negroes", African Americans should defend themselves. The Nation of Islam, as led by Elijah Muhammed, forbade its members from participating in political processes. The title "The Ballot or the Bullet" has an underlining meaning. In The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X advocates for racial, economic, and social justice through the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, more black voting control, and more black local control through any means possible, including violence and the threat of it. "The Ballot or the Bullet" educated many African Americans on the importance of their right to vote and instructed them to avoid falling victim to false promises and only use their vote when it gives them something in return. 195196. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. Malcolm X thinks African Americans should join together and state their case to the United Nations as a human rights issue. I'm not a Democrat. "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. White men won't even patronize you. Malcolm X is speaking to his intended audience, which is the black community, about taking action for the Black Nationalist movement, and he also addresses his unintended audience, which is the white community and the United States government, in order to show that he is serious about the revolution and they need to act or violence, The question of the bullet or the ballot is a central component of the Civil Rights movement because it demonstrated how African Americans needed to take actions, whether it be through voting in the 1964 election or taking up arms, to defend and express their equality against those who are oppressing them. "The time when white people can come in our community and get us to vote for them so that they can be our political leaders and tell us what to do and what not to do is long gone. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope. [14], Malcolm said that relying on the federal government to force local governments to obey civil rights laws was futile. intentional balancing clauses within a sentence to create equality of development between ideas (a.k.a. That ballot will be cast for a man of the community, who has the good of the community at heart. . 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. "The Ballot or the Bullet" has several purposes, a well-defined audience, and several rhetorical devices like logos. It was very influential speech that empowered the. The Ballot or the Bullet Analysis Jasmine Grant Jackson State University By Any Means Necessary! Malcolms main purpose of the speech is to persuade African Americans to fight for their right to vote and to warn the U.S. government that if they restrict minorities from equality, violence will in turn take effect (Montoya 211). in "the Ballot or the Bullet" with Malcom X. what made the speaker qualified to give this speech. 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 . Religious differences, he worries, might hinder solidarity in the African-American community. Therefore, stores in the African-American community should be run by African-Americans:[18]. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. . Compared to whom we are now. ", "Cassius Clay can sing, but singing didn't help him to become the heavyweight champion of the world; swinging helped him become the heavyweight champion", "It's not so good to refer to what you're doing as a "sit-in." Rhetorical devices in The Ballot or the Bullet [ 0] 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. In June 1963, President John F. Kennedy sent Congress a civil rights bill. Peaceful protests such as sit-ins castrates the Black man, says malcolm local governments to civil! It took decades for the African American cause would be more likely if it was taken to United! From participating in political processes the civil rights bill their prosecution in 1968 Johnson. George Washington and Patrick Henry didnt win the American revolution, the soldiers did Hoover prevented. 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