Likewise, by stating his continued commitment to Black nationalism, Malcolm reassured his followers that he had not made a complete break with his past. wordsthat inspire deeply negative or deeply positive reactions. [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 Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech that Malcolm X first delivered at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. In this first section of the speech, Malcolm relies on appealing to the pride of the African-American community, particularly through language centering on the emasculation of black peoples and the necessity of relying on brute force over peaceful protest. In this speech, Malcolm stresses the need for the population of African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality. In the speech, which was delivered on two occasions the first being April 3, 1964, at the Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio[1] and the second being on April 12th 1964 at the King Solomon Baptist Church, in Detroit, Michigan. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. . You're nothing but Africans. Malcolm X believed African Americans should avoid listening to politicians' false promises. It means that when white people are evenly divided, and Black people have a bloc of votes of their own, it is left up to them to determine who's going to sit in the White House and who's going to be in the dog house. Understand this, it's dangerous. 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. Malcolm X, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. Why did "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienate white Americans? Malcolm X then orders President Johnson to push through the civil rights legislation that had been floundering in Congress to avoid the dire consequences that would occur if African Americans continued to be denied them. The social philosophy of black nationalism advocates for reform of the community and reconstruction of it so it is more welcoming:[18]. [6], Malcolm also chose not to discuss the religious differences that divide Muslims and Christians, a common theme of his speeches when he was the spokesman for the Nation of Islam. 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. "I'm not here tonight to discuss my religion. Malcolm X maintained his use of repetition as "communications of the passion that is satisfied by a single statement, but that beats through the pulses",[27] and this can be exemplified by his consistent use of the phrase "the ballot or the bullet". [5] The Nation of Islam, which advocated on behalf of African Americans, had significant disagreements with the Civil Rights Movement. Irony and sarcasm are often used in the speech to conveycriticism and making the audience realize they are victims of a biased system. He tells the crowd that they first need to set aside differences to focus on their common issue the white man. If he waits too long he will be responsible for letting a condition develop in this country which will create a climate that will bring seeds up out of the ground with vegetation on the end of them looking like something these people never dreamed of. Instead, he said, the Democrats blamed the Dixiecrats, who were "nothing but Democrat[s] in disguise". The bill was passed by the House on February 10, 1964, and sent to the Senate for consideration. 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.. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. 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. The political philosophy is self-government. 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 . Throughout the speech, Malcolm X uses various rhetorical questions that either help him structure his ideasor are meant to suggest that something is obvious (and the audience has to accept it). Have all your study materials in one place. As a member of PrimeStudyGuides.com, you get access to all of the content. After you go (threw, through) that intersection, take the next left tum. 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. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. 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. Freedom or civil rebellion How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? Underline the word in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence. This is meant to send a warning to the American government, cautioning them that African Americans are willin. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is delivered in an urgent and angry tone. in "the Ballot or the Bullet" with Malcom X. what made the speaker qualified to give this speech. Malcolm described how potent a weapon the ballot could be, if it was exercised with care:[12]. "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 Ballot or the Bullet) Definition Parallelism (Repitition) 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. Will you pass the quiz? Deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis. 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. But, he said, the police department and local government often sided with segregationists against the Civil Rights Movement. Sit-ins are disempowering because they perpetuate the image of the African-American community as cowardly and weak. 5- Parallelism: Wrapping Up. The tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet" is both urgent and angry. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Civil Rights Activist, Malcolm X, in his speech "The Ballot or The Bullet" addressed the issue that the black community needs to take action about how the government treats them unfairly. Anything can sit. 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 Ballot or the Bullet" opens by addressing the differences in religious beliefs that divide the African-American community. Earlier in the year, Malcolm X, once an outspoken follower of Elijah Muhammed, declared his separation from the Nation of Islam and realigned himself with the civil rights movement. We [Muslim Mosque, Inc.] become involved with anybody, any where, any time and in any manner that's designed to eliminate the evils, the political, economic and social evils that are afflicting the people of our community. This guide is based on the latter version of this speech. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! He came back to America with renewed purpose and a new perspective that redefined racism as an American rather than a black versus white problem. ", indicating your audience may suffer harm/negative consequence if they dont agree with you, "The year when all of the political white crooks will" (The Ballet or the Bullet), "All these Negro leaders have the audacity to go and have some coffee in the White House with a Texan, a Southern cracker" (The Ballot or the Bullet). Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot or the Bullet" is intended to encourage African Americans to take the Civil Rights Movement forward and become even more determined in actively fighting for their rights. Malcolm X uses a combination of logic and emotion to appeal to his audience. Meanwhile, the American dream of equal opportunity is not one that applies to African-Americans. Whenever you are going after something that is yours, you are within your legal rights to lay claim to it. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. They attack all of us for the SAME reason; all of us catch hell from the SAME enemy. That ballot will be cast for a man of the community, who has the good of the community at heart. Create and find flashcards in record time. 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. 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. As one can probably tell from the title, Malcolm X is attempting to convince African American citizens to actively exercise their right to vote. For example, the speaker uses the metaphor of a boat to suggest that all African Americans (regardless of religion) are victims of discrimination and oppression: We're. The white politicians would come into black neighborhoods and push, press, and force it upon blacks to put them in office. Not affiliated with Harvard College. The mood oscillates between despair, anger, and hope. This speech is in the public domain. The uses emotional appeals are featured in paragraphs 11-14. Why does Malcolm X say he and other African Americans are not really Americans? This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. In a speech on May 18, 1858, Abraham Lincoln said, "To give victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only are necessary. Then you wonder why where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area. Malcolm asserts that he and other African Americans are not Americans because they are fighting for the rights that other Americans already have. You can't open up a black store in a white community. 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. We ourselves have to lift the level of our community to a higher level, make our own society beautiful so that we will be satisfied in our own circles and won't be running around here try to knock our way into a social circle where we're not wanted. "They don't have to pass civil rights legislation to make a Polack an American," said Malcolm X "The Ballot or the Bullet," a speech he made on April 3, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio. It's either a ballot or a bullet. Malcolm X uses this device extensively in his speech, as it helps him illustrate points related to the Civil Rights Movement and the need to fight by any means necessary to promote Afric. Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen. That they feed on the problems that the black communities are having in order to gain votes. The Ballot or the Bullet study guide contains a biography of Malcolm X, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. [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. 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 chose this speech to express cause and effect within the black community because he wants his audience to see that they are being taken advantage of. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. His name was Malcolm Little (known as Malcolm X), a widely acknowledged human rights activist. Dixicrats: a southern segregationist faction of the Democratic Party. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. 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. [17], Malcolm said that the philosophy of Black nationalism was being taught in the major civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, CORE, and SNCC. What is the tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. Malcolm speaks from a personal perspective. Directly or indirectly labeling those against you in a negative way. Correct the word in italics. You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. In his, "The Ballot or the Bullet" was a public acknowledgment of. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. April 8, 2021; energy difference between n=1 and n=2 in joules. From slavery to discrimination, African-Americans experienced this horror in daily life since the beginning of their existence. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? The Nation of Islam, as led by Elijah Muhammed, forbade its members from participating in political processes. In the speech The Ballot or the Bullet Malcolm X utilizes antithesis, allusion, and metaphors in order to convince his audience to take a stand against segregation whether peacefully, if possible, and if not, by force. JCBEdPRO. If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet. But, as a human being, he is also easily influenced by what others said about him. 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. Let the world know the hypocrisy that's practiced over here. Though he holds different religious beliefs from King and Powell, all three men are united by their prodigious work as civil rights advocates. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. We have to see each other with new eyes. "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. Imagine living in a world of segregation - constantly judged by color of ones skin and not being permitted to associate with the superior race. He likens his status as a Muslim to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s as a Christian, knowing that in the past, his own religious affiliation has been a point of contention; he and Dr. King may have different ways of worshipping, but they are both known as civil rights leaders. In doing so, the African-American community loses money and becomes poorer while the community the dollar was given to gains money and becomes richer. "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. "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. intentional repetition of 3 or more vowel sounds among nearby words. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. The tone is provocative and righteous. In frequenting stores not owned by an African-American, the money is given to another community. symbolism What is the central message behind the title? The Ballot or the bullet Malcolm X Cory Methodist Church Cleveland, Ohio April 3, 1964 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 Garret Feucht COM 250 - Prof. Heins 10/29/15 (Daniels, 2014) The Ballot or the Bullet is the title of one of the many speeches given by human rights activist Malcolm X. Separate to the "big" ballot, we are running ballots in the Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and other areas. 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