Rhetorical Analysis Of 'The Ballot Or The Bullet'

On April 3, 1964 Malcolm X delivered one of the most empowering speeches in American history. Two thousand people including some of his enemies turned out to hear him speak in Cleveland, Ohio. X was a black civil rights activist who played a huge role in the black community during the mid 20th century. His speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” was about black nationalism during the current election year. At the time, blacks did not have much say in who they wanted to elect. The white politicians would come into black neighborhoods and push, press, and force it upon blacks to put them in office. What X was trying to instill into the minds of his blacks was to be their own person. He wanted them to vote for who they felt was the right choice to benefit blacks. “The

Liberty or death was a phrase that was used by a young patriot by name of Patrick Henry during the revolutionary war. “The Ballot or The Bullet” by X was a challenge to blacks to practice black nationalism. He wants black people to practice their constitutional right to vote. It makes his audience more enthusiastic about X’s subject matter. In the speech “The Ballot or the Bullet”, by X, uses pathos as an appeal and explores black nationalism as a rhetorical strategy to bring recognition to racial inequality, voting rights, and civil rights.In his speech, X explores racial inequality covered as it pertains to black nationalism. Racial inequality is a major contributor in the fight for black nationalism in America. X says,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. We're all in the same boat and we all are going to catch the same hell from the same man. He just happens to be a white man. All of us have suffered here, in this country, political oppression at the hands of the white man, economic exploitation at the hands of the white man, and social degradation at the hands of the