“The Ballot or the Bullet” a Summary of Malcolm X’s Speech

The Call for Empowerment: “The Ballot or the Bullet” Summary

Throughout the nation’s history, there has always been a rift between races. White males have always felt superior to African Americans and, therefore, have been enslaving them. This was one of the lowest points in history, but the country and its leaders have done a good job to diminish inequality and build upon the nation’s civil rights issues. As of today, there are no outstanding civil rights leaders, but at the height of the civil rights era, the world saw two different leaders who both worked toward the same dream.

These two men are better known as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Standing on either side of the spectrum, King Jr. was a calm, passive speaker, while Malcolm was bolder and more strong-willed. On April 12, 1964, Malcolm X delivered an empowering speech titled “The Ballot or the Bullet.”

Malcolm X’s Appeal to Individuality and Equality

His aim was to convince African Americans to exercise their right to vote and do so in an appealing way. Malcolm’s whole argument was that “the black man should control the politics and politicians in his own community.” In other words, a black man should not condemned to listen to a hierarchy, but to think and speak for themselves. Black men and women have been oppressed in America since they came to the country, and X was trying to get the message across that they have the same level of power, and skin color does not make someone more important or powerful. To have his message understood, Malcolm used multiple forms of appeals and persuasion to get his point across.

One very efficient and effective form of speaking is repetition. Throughout the entire speech, he repeats the words “I am not…” It is to catch the attention of every black and woman in the audience. They are always being told what they are not, and Malcolm continually says, “I am not,” it gives a sense of freedom. The audience is to declare what they are or not, not a random white man who thinks they have more power. He also repeats slang terms like “hunkie” and “blue-eyed thing” to show that it is time for the black community to fight back and stop taking racial slurs. Repetition is a way to convey information in a very smart way. When giving a long speech, important quotes can get lost, so in repeating specific phrases, it will be easy to associate the speech with the keywords and phrases that kept getting mentioned.

Ethos and Credibility: Establishing a Trustworthy Voice

His first appeal is ethos. Ethos, or one’s reputation, can make or break an argument. Malcolm opens his speech by commenting on his religion, saying, “I am still a Muslim.” The reason for this is that a month prior, he was involved in an organization known as the Nation of Islam(NOI) but split from them because they did not allow the members to practice their political freedom, which is what he was fighting for. He is showing that although he is religious, it does not control him as a person, which shows his intentions are purely political. In doing this, he opens his viewer’s eyes to two very important things. It shows that he is not interested in being a radical, like the group he was a part of, and that he wants fairness and equality spread amongst all the citizens of America. Through these actions, he has solidified his credibility to his listeners that he is serious about the work he is doing and truly wants to make a change.

Logos and the Universality of Struggle

Along with ethos, Malcolm also incorporates logos into his speech as well. There are a few times that Malcolm uses this approach, and once again, it starts with religion. With such a large body of listeners and viewers, there is going to also be a larger variety of religions. X chose to put all differences aside and work toward a common goal or unity and, most importantly, civil rights. He emphasized that when he said, “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.” He understands nothing could save an African American during that time period. The idea of logos also appears in his speech when he brings up an interesting point on African-American voting rights. 

References:

1. “Malcolm X Delivers ‘The Ballot or the Bullet’ Speech.” BlackPast.org, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/speeches-african-american-history/1964-malcolm-x-the-ballot-or-the-bullet/.

2. “Ethos, Pathos, Logos: 3 Pillars of Public Speaking.” Soapboxie, soapboxie.com/misc/ethos-pathos-logos-3-pillars-of-public-speaking.

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