GradeSaver, Read the Study Guide for The Ballot or the Bullet, Malcolm X: His Voice in Poetry and Politics, A Question of Appeal: Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X and MLK, View Wikipedia Entries for The Ballot or the Bullet. We encourage you to look for other examples of the same devices in the text to further enrich your an, An allusion is a reference to a person, event, or textthat is relevant to the speech. 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. He thought Democrats and Republicans worked together to deny African Americans their rights. Ballot or the Bullet Ballot or the Bullet American Drama A Raisin in the Sun Aeschylus Amiri Baraka Antigone Arcadia Tom Stoppard August Wilson Cat on a Hot Tin Roof David Henry Hwang Dutchman Edward Albee Eugene O'Neill Euripides European Drama Fences August Wilson Goethe Faust Hedda Gabler Henrik Ibsen Jean Paul Sartre Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [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. In the speech, Malcolm X states, "It isn't that time is running out time has run out." Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. ", "And until we become politically mature we will always be mislead, lead astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn't have the good of our community at heart. 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. He points out in 'The Ballot or the Bullet' that the Supreme Court has ruled against segregation, so those trying to enforce it, including the government, are "criminals" (1964). 195196. He declares himself to be a black nationalist freedom fighter.. 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. Let it be the ballot or the bullet. 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. The text shown above is just an extract. The Question and Answer section for The Ballot or the Bullet is a great Malcolm X is the minister of Muslim Mosque Incorporated, just like Martin Luther King and Adam Clayton Powell are both Christian ministers. Everything south of the Canadian border is the South, he jokes. The first 45 seconds of "The Ballot or the Bullet" as given April 12, 1964 in Detroit. symbolism What is the central message behind the title? If the ballot doesn't work, Malcolm X says, then African-Americans will have to resort to the bullet. When a racial powder keg goes off, it doesn't care who it knocks out of the way. 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. Southern Democrats had promised to oppose the bill. Malcolm X delivered "The Ballot or the Bullet" shortly before leaving the United States to travel through North Africa and the Middle East. It was ranked 7th in the top 100 speeches of the 20th century. 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. . 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. 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. Malcolm X was a civil rights leader before he was assassinated at the age of 40. Malcolm X invokes one American dream while condemning another. We have to see each other as brothers and sisters. Have all your study materials in one place. After you go (threw, through) that intersection, take the next left tum. "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. What parts of African American society did Malcolm X want them to control? Besides, in Malcolm X biography, I learnt that, an extraordinary person has an extraordinary characteristics. True or False: Malcolm X believed African Americans should vote for whoever told them they would give them more rights. True. "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans because the media misconstrued Malcolm X's message of self-defense as a call for violence. We have to see each other with new eyes. According to Malcolm X, 1964 is the year of the ballot or the bullet not only because it is the year of what he considers a failed march on Washington, but because it is an election year, and because there is a new generation of African-Americans who are no longer willing to be subjugated. Did Malcolm X believe the Democrats wanted to help African Americans achieve equal rights? He also delivered the speech about a week later in Detroit, Michigan, on April 12, 1964. How does he use his beliefs to persuade a mixed audience about the importance of voting to African Americans? He encouraged the black community to get involved in voter registration and voting . Let the world know the hypocrisy that's practiced over here. 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. . He made his "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech during April, 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio. Deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis. But, as a human being, he is also easily influenced by what others said about him. 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. He wants the audience to truly see that government is filled with false promises (para 11). The Ballot or the Bullet Literary Elements Genre Political Speech Setting and Context 1964, against a backdrop of segregation and social unrest. His black protectionist outlook called separation instead of unity and equality. Let the world know how bloody his hands are. Malcolm X began his speech by analyzing his audience and declaring that it is time to decide whether to vote, With this discussion, he uses the appeal to pathos. If the word is correct, write C./ 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. 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. Gradesaver has a complete summary of "The Ballot of the Bullet" speech readily available in its study guide for this unit. It outlawed segregation. Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying. Malcolms purpose was to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be informed about the political community. Its 100% free. In "The Ballot or the Bullet," Malcolm X clarifies that African Americans have no inherent bias toward the white man; they are "anti-exploitation . Douglass received an invitation to speak at a Fourth of July celebration in his hometown, and the speech he gave called out the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom as a country while millions of its residents are enslaved. Although he advocated exercising the ballot, Malcolm X expressed skepticism that voting would bring about full equality for African Americans. Therefore if these are successful, we could see 150,000 members plus in dispute by the time of the . Malcolm X uses a combination of logic and emotion to appeal to his audience. [23], But, Malcolm said, there was still time to prevent this situation from developing:[23]. Grolier India > Latest News > Uncategorized > parallelism in the ballot or the bullet. "The Ballot or the Bullet" also marked a notable shift in Malcolm X's rhetoric, as he presented previously undiscussed ways of looking at the relationship between blacks and whites. 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. [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. Some were communists; some, Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a, Thats camouflage, thats trickery, thats, Click here to study/print these flashcards. He was also muslim. An old woman can sit. 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. This resource includes the annotated text of Malcolm X's famous "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech. False. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. 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. You can subscribe to whichever religious beliefs youd like, and remain a member of whichever civic organizations youd like. Will you pass the quiz? "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. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. 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. The bill proposed a ban on discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or national origin in jobs and public accommodations. Don't be throwing out any ballots. If the black community throws their support behind a single candidate, as they did behind Kennedy, that candidate will win. In this speech, Malcolm stresses the need for the population of African American voters to increase in order to fight for equality. Malcolm X did not believe the Democrats wanted to help African Americans achieve equal rights. I'm not here to try and change your religion. The repetition of the phrase the ballot or the bullet shows how that community of people feel about change. A ballot is like a bullet. They will get change one way or another. "The Ballot or The Bullet" was a speech by Malcolm X mostly about black nationalism delivered April 12, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. This statement exemplifies how Malcolm X's thinking began to shift concerning the Civil Rights Movement after leaving the Nation of Islam and continued down this path while on his pilgrimage to Mecca. [9] He said that President Johnson and the Democratic Party claimed to support the civil rights bill, and the Democrats controlled both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but they had not taken genuine action to pass the bill. 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. JCBEdPRO. Only members can read the full content. StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. Though he holds different religious beliefs from King and Powell, all three men are united by their prodigious work as civil rights advocates. In "The Ballot or the Bullet", Malcolm chose not to discuss religion but rather to stress the experiences common to African Americans of all backgrounds. What are the main points of "The Ballot or the Bullet"? On the other hand, "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienated white Americans. As one can probably tell from the title, Malcolm X is attempting to convince African American citizens to actively exercise their right to vote. 11. Antithesis refers to creating contrast between ideas, concepts, or people to maintain the audiences attention and to emphasize an idea thespeakersupports. "(I Have a Dream Speech). Words: 732 - Pages: 3 Premium Essay Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet . What does this mean? [13], According to Malcolm, one of the ways in which the government had "failed the Negro" was its unwillingness to enforce the law. the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. Although "The Ballot or the Bullet" advocates self-defense, it discusses non-violent ways of achieving equal rights for African Americans. THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED US and you walkin' around here singing "We Shall Overcome"- THE GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED US. ", "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. 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. These tools make The Ballot or the Bullet more memorable and help the speaker maintain his audiences attention. "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 Ballot or the Bullet" is a speech that Malcolm X first delivered at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 3, 1964. "The Ballot or the Bullet" asks African Americans to put aside their differences and work together to redefine their civil rights as human rights so they can plead their case to the United Nations. In April 1964, in the midst of a 54 day Senate filibuster of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, Malcolm X gave his famous speech, The Ballot or the Bullet. Freedom or civil rebellion in "the Ballot or the Bullet" with Malcom X. what made the speaker qualified to give this speech. Through repetition of inflammatory phrases and accusatory diction both which create appeals to anger, Malcolm X effectively persuades his audience during The Ballot Or The Bullet.. 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. The speech is among the top persuasive speeches of the 20th century. 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. ", "Patrick Henry was a patriot, and George Washington. Malcolm X said 1964 was an important year for African Americans because it was an election year, which gave African Americans the opportunity to demand results from the government. Second-class citizenship, such as is held by the African-American community, is tantamount to 20th-century slavery, says Malcolm. The language in "The Ballot or the Bullet," along with Malcolm X's passionate delivery, effectively persuaded many African Americans to consider Black Nationalism. Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. Instead, he was going to emphasize the common experience of African Americans of all faiths:[8]. 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. "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. Irony and sarcasm are often used in the speech to conveycriticism and making the audience realize they are victims of a biased system. He made a fool out of you. Malcolm X emphasizes Black Nationalism as a way to help African Americans gain political, economic, and social control over their communities. It was the third bombing in 11 days after Birmingham received a federal order to integrate its schools. [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. Malcolm X delivered a powerful speech on April 3, 1964 at the Congress of Racial Equality in Cleveland, Ohio. White men won't even patronize you. It doesnt matter, he says, if you go to jail, because black people are already there. given on July 5, 1852. We have to come together with warmth so we can develop unity and harmony that's necessary to get this problem solved ourselves. He emphasizes that the Negro vote is the key factor (para 12) that it is the only reason why they Democratic Party is a part of the government. 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. Why did "The Ballot or the Bullet" alienate white Americans? 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. (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. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! parallelism "And until we become politically mature we will always be mislead, lead astray, or deceived or maneuvered into supporting someone politically who doesn't have the good of our community at heart." epistrophe "They don't hang you because you're a Baptist; they hang you 'CAUSE YOU'RE BLACK. The audiences attention and to emphasize the idea that the black community needs to be informed about importance... 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