"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. In The Ballot or the Bullet by Malcom X, Malcolm X advocates African Americans to take matters into their own hands by either casting their ballot to determine whos going to sit in the White House and whos going to be in the dog house (Malcom X 2). 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". 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. If the word is correct, write C./ Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. If gaming the political system doesnt work, he recommends African-Americans turn to outright revolution. Malcolm X speech was not a success because he made the Nation of Islam a regular group, which devoted limitless acts of violence and hate, giving the federal more validation to dissociate and categorize African Americans. As such, African-Americans must endeavor to educate themselves on which politicians will best serve the aims of the civil rights movement. Malcolm X frequently uses provocative language to incite anger in his audience, as is evident in his accusation that the white man has made a fool out of you. Here, he is utilizing the rhetorical device of pathos, or appealing to the audiences emotions, to his advantage. has failed and failed and failed the works of freedom. This is meant to send a warning to the American government, cautioning them that African Americans are willin. 195196. was the black mans vote that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. 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. Their eyes are coming open. He appeals to the crowd's sense of pride, telling them that their children won't respect them if they don't take a stand against the white man. His views in this speech reflect the beliefs he held before completing his Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. What do we care about odds? 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. 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. Everything you need for your studies in one place. [17], Malcolm said that the philosophy of Black nationalism was being taught in the major civil rights organizations, including the NAACP, CORE, and SNCC. He also delivered the speech about a week later in Detroit, Michigan, on April 12, 1964. Insulting his listener is meant to stoke the listeners sense of anger and injustice, and therefore to provoke him into more direct action against white supremacy than the peaceful protests advocated for by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are able to do. True or False: Malcolm X believed African Americans should vote for whoever told them they would give them more rights. 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. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet. Due to the lack of government the dichotomy between african americans and the white men was still a major problem ; as African americans needed to put and end to the separation and earn civil rights. (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. Selecciona la palabra que no est relacionada. They don't attack me because I'm a Muslim; they attack me 'CAUSE I'M BLACK. [6], When he left the Nation of Islam, Malcolm declared his willingness to cooperate with the Civil Rights Movement. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had outlawed segregation:[14]. Malcolm X fills his speech with imagery (mental images) that has a strong emotional impact, created with the help of metaphors and similes. The Ballot or the Bullet, Part 2 Summary and Analysis. Although he supported black equality, he attacked the problem unlike others such as Martin Luther King Jr. did. It outlawed segregation. 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. Malcolm uses emotions because he wants the audience to feel the events in America especially when it comes the time to vote. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. 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. Some examples of rhetorical questions that help structure the speech are: The question tonight, as I understand it, is The Negro Revolt, and Where Do We Go From Here? or What Nex. I'm not here to try and change your religion. Meanwhile, the American dream of equal opportunity is not one that applies to African-Americans. His speech The Ballot or the Bullet, was about black nationalism during the current election year. After Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson threw his support behind the civil rights bill. Littles speech has a significant lack of logic; although, it is a clever move to predominantly use emotional appeal due to his motive - to incite anger in America and to showcase the government's faults. What is the tone of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? Being a black nationalist, Malcolm X says, does not require you to give up any of your personal organizational affiliations. "that's what we are -- Africans who are in America. In 1964 there was going to be a presidential election. You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. 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. These tools make The Ballot or the Bullet more memorable and help the speaker maintain his audiences attention. Underline the word in parentheses that correctly completes the sentence. As a result, they began to lose hope that non-violent intervention was a reasonable goal. 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. It was ranked 7th in the top 100 American speeches of the 20th century by 137 leading scholars of American public address. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. anti-degradation . Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. 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. repetition of the same word or phrase at the end of successive clauses, "It's got to be the ballot or the bullet. As one can probably tell from the title, Malcolm X is attempting to convince African American citizens to actively exercise their right to vote. The text shown above is just an extract. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? Malcolm X addressed the issue of "rifles and shotguns", a controversy that had dogged him since his March 8 announcement that he had left the Nation of Islam. A chump can sit. This government has failed the Negro". Example: (Your, Youre\underline{\textit{You're}}Youre) surprised that I knew that Notah Begay won a PGA golf tournament in 1999. "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. 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. [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. The speech was strong and inspiring, and because it was combined with his confident and sturdy speaking, he came off as a respectable and intelligent leader who knows what he wants, Malcolm X evokes emotion with the use of objectification, by specifying particular instances of exploitation, degradation, and oppression that the black community has faced. This was effective because he is making it known what the administration thinks about the African American vote; he hopes to make sure that they know and remember what the. Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was a powerful call to action for African Americans to take a more militant approach to the civil rights movement. If he's for civil rights, let him go into the Senate next week and denounce the Southern branch of his party. Malcolm X uses rhetorical techniques to persuade his audience to push for equality between races. Antithesis refers to creating contrast between ideas, concepts, or people to maintain the audiences attention and to emphasize an idea thespeakersupports. The media misconstrued Malcolm X's calls for self-defense as calls for violence. He states that African Americans continue to struggle because the Democrats and Republicans work together to deny African Americans their rights. . 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. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. The economic philosophy of black nationalism promotes African-American control of the economy of the African-American community. the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. Malcolm X invokes one American dream while condemning another. He was also muslim. Narrator and Point of View Malcolm X narrates the speech from a first-person point of view. Lyndon B. Johnson is the head of the Democratic Party. He points out that if the government can't bring whoever killed "four little girls while they were praying" to justice, then it is either unwilling to help them or entirely incapable. 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. 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". In frequenting stores not owned by an African-American, the money is given to another community. In 1964, it's the ballot or the bullet. "The Ballot or the Bullet" is delivered in an urgent and angry tone. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. Let the world know the hypocrisy that's practiced over here. 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. 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. Have all your study materials in one place. Create beautiful notes faster than ever before. Acknowledge and refute opponent's argument. A ballot is like a bullet. Let him know that it must be the ballot or the bullet.. 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. Malcolm X states that, since 1964 was an election year, it was the year for African Americans to stand up and show the United States government they would no longer wait for the rights they deserve. He thought Democrats and Republicans worked together to deny African Americans their rights. Your vote, your dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put administration in Washington D.C. His repetition of your followed by a negative adjective and vote made his parallel structure apparent he used your to throw shade on african americans and how they complain about our white presidents. Some were communists; some, Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a, Thats camouflage, thats trickery, thats, Click here to study/print these flashcards. This downplaying of his religion reverberates in the context of a speech advocating for political engagement. Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Emancipation from British Dependence Poem, Poems on Various Subjects Religious and Moral. "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans because the media misconstrued Malcolm X's message of self-defense as a call for violence. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. He made a fool out of you. False. Over 10 million students from across the world are already learning smarter. ", 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). He explains that he does not subscribe to either the Democratic or the Republican party, because he considers himself a victim of Americas so-called democracy. For African-Americans, there is no American dream, only an American nightmare. JCBEdPRO. He explains to the crowd that self-determination is the key to success. "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. He also explains that if the government continues to take away the rights of African-Americans, that the entire population of African-Americans should take up arms. This marks a meaningful divide between Malcolm Xs ethos and the ethos of the Nation of Islam. intentional repetition of 3 or more vowel sounds among nearby words. an ideology that African Americans should separate from white America and form their own institutions. "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech was delivered by Malcolm X on March 3, 1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. But, as a human being, he is also easily influenced by what others said about him. "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, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. A ballot is like a bullet. GradeSaver "The Ballot or the Bullet The Ballot or the Bullet, Part 1 Summary and Analysis". Publicly, his criticisms of the system fell on mostly deaf ears. can't bring whoever killed "four little girls while they were praying" to justice, then it is either unwilling to help them or entirely incapable. Malcolm X is the minister of Muslim Mosque Incorporated, just like Martin Luther King and Adam Clayton Powell are both Christian ministers. Why did Malcolm X deliver "The Ballot or the Bullet"? . 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. [3][4], On March 8, 1964, Malcolm X announced his separation from the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious organization for which he had been the spokesman for nearly a decade. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. The first 45 seconds of "The Ballot or the Bullet" as given April 12, 1964 in Detroit. Then you wonder why where you live is always a ghetto or a slum area. Malcolm asserts that African Americans have earned their rights because they've secured massive wealth for the United States by working for free as enslaved people. On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. And anyone who puts forth any effort to deprive you of that which is yours, is breaking the law, is a criminal. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. Instead, he was going to emphasize the common experience of African Americans of all faiths:[8]. 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. So too will the black community win by force, and not by peaceful protest. George Washington and Patrick Henry didnt win the American revolution, the soldiers did. [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. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. $4.00. 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. Due to the fear of severe punishment, blacks were scared to fight for equality; however, on April 3, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio, one brave soul finally did. Malcolm X, a Muslim, credits Elijah Muhammed, the leader of the Nation of Islam, with making him into the man he is today. An old man can sit. Summary of Malcolm X's "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. Words: 732 - Pages: 3 Premium Essay Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet . Likewise, by stating his continued commitment to Black nationalism, Malcolm reassured his followers that he had not made a complete break with his past. ", "He made a chump out of you. [5] The Nation of Islam, which advocated on behalf of African Americans, had significant disagreements with the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm X is the protagonist. The Ballot or the Bullet essays are academic essays for citation. Understand this, it's dangerous. What is Malcolm X's rhetorical strategy in The Ballot or the Bullet? 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