The Ballot Or The Bullet Essay - 1869 Words

â€Å"The Ballot or The Bullet† and â€Å"Letters from Birmingham Jail† are both refutes of social, economic, and civil injustice in America. The two letters are written by revolutionary activists of civil rights, Martin Luther King, and Malcom X, both written with in a year of one another. Malcom X, author of â€Å"The Ballot or The Bullet’ is known for being a support of the black nationalist, and dances on the line of encouraging violence in search for equality. Whereas, Martin Luther, author of Letters from Birmingham Jail† seeks justice through non-violent direct action. Although the tone and style of both letters are contrary to one another, the message is non-the less the same, a pathway to equality through social motivation sparked by a leader. Throughout the semester we have touched upon many instances for which the legal history of America effects the life of a black America, especially in â€Å"We Shall Overcome† Alexander Tsesis takes on the task of looking at civil rights through the â€Å"lens of legal history’. â€Å"The Ballot or The Bullet† displays the political message that the ‘ballot’ is freedom, and thus power through the freedom to vote. Malcom X hounds in on the political idea that the white man preys on the black man for votes, but then allows filibustering to happen in the Senate so nothing gets passed to promote equality for black Americans. Alexander writes frequently through the book how skewed politics become for blacks once their vote is legalized. That although, they canShow MoreRelatedThe Ballot Or The Bullet Essay2053 Words   |  9 PagesMalcolm X’s â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† was one of the most significant and powerful speeches delivered during the Civil Rights era. X, an advocate for civil rights, was also an influential leader who sought to end the complete and utter degradation of Black Americans. Conflicting with the peaceful and nonviolent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was another important leader at his time, X believed in using any means necessary, including violence, to accomplish his goals. Because of his controversialRead MoreThe Ballot Or The Bullet Speech1354 Words   |  6 PagesThe Ballot or the Bullet speech addressed by Malcolm X, a well-known black nationalist, sought to persuade those of color that the only way to overcome the civil-rights struggle was to give it a new explanation, being the ballot or the bullet. Throughout the speech he expresses his deep dismay in the black community’s ongoing conflict of political oppression, economic exploitation, and social humiliation. Through ethos, logos, and pathos Malcolm made his audience re-evaluate their existing visionRead MoreAnalysis Of The Ballot Or The Bullet1238 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"It’ll be ballots or it’ll be bullets. It’ll be liberty, or it will be death.† Malcolm X delivered â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet,† one of the most inspiring and empowering speeches to ever be spoken on American soil, on April 3, 1964. Two thousand people, including his friends as well as his enemies, came to watch the black civil rights activist speak about black nationalism during the election year. He stressed individual uplift, moral reform, and entrepreneurship. He used this speech as a call toRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of The Ballot Or The Bullet706 Words   |  3 PagesRhetorical Analysis: â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† by Malcolm X The 1960s were a tumultuous time in American history, where many Americans were rejecting the status quo, and advocating for the advancement of their rights. The feminist movement, Native Americans, Mexican Americans, and African Americans were all making noise and calling for change. Malcolm X, who at that point was mostly known through his work with the Nation of Islam, had had a falling out with the NOI, and after a pilgrimage to MeccaRead MoreThe Dream and the Ballot or the Bullet1038 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Dream and the Ballot or the Bullet In the 1950s and 1960s in America, the equality of man envisioned by the Declaration of Independence was far from a reality. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister delivered his famous speech â€Å"I Have a Dream† August 28th, 1963 in Washington DC. He is credited with mobilizing supporters of desegregation and prompted the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Malcolm X delivered his famous speech â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† on April 12th, 1964 in Detroit. Though many peopleRead MoreThe Ballot Or The Bullet By Malcolm X1352 Words   |  6 Pagesmovement brought about reform and change that made people of all races and ethnicities equal in society; however, some 60 to 70 years later, there is struggle for true equality for all races and ethnicities in America. In Malcolm X’s speech â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet,† Malcolm X believes that civil rights are human rights, and all African Americans are â€Å"justified in seeking civil rights, if it means equality of opportunity†(Malcolm X 362). When using Malcolm X’s definition of civil/human rights, it isRead MoreMalcolm X And The Ballot Or The Bullet1557 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1960’s, in America, was a time of cultural and racial divide. This sentiment is no more evident than in Malcolm X’s â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† speech. In this speech, Malcolm X demanded that his audience should take action against their government leaders. He proposed that there were only two options to resolve this issue, the ballot or the bullet. Malcolm X delivered this iconic speech on April 3rd, 1964 at Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio (Novak 35; Terrill 35). This meeting was sponsoredRead MoreThe Ballot Or The Bullet By Malcolm X1222 Words   |  5 PagesIn 1964 Malcolm X delivered a speech titled ‘The Ballot or the Bullet† aimed to reach the poor black people of America. Born May 19, 1925 one of nine children, to a Baptist preacher whose was hit by a street car, and whose death was said to have possibly been a murder by white people, Malcom X was raised by his mother until she was institutionalized. After being put in foster care, and having issues in school, Malcom dropped out of school and became a troubled teen. A drug dealer, street hustlerRead MoreEssay on Malcom Xs The Ballot of the Bullet1654 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1964, Malcolm X gave a speech entitled â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† which described how African Americans should fight for civil-rights in America. Malcolm X emphasizes the importance of voting as a solution to ending discrimination against African Americans. He addresses both the poor voting decisions and also the denial of legitimate voting rights to African Americans. Because elections had been so narrowly decided in recent elections, the Black vote is the deciding factor in elections. WhitesRead MoreThe Ballot Or The Bullet By Malcolm X1151 Words   |  5 PagesMuslim minister and a human rights activist, was executed by men from the Black Muslim Movement cult that he had recently left for good. An analysis of Malcolm X’s earlier debate with Bayard Rustin (1962) in comparison to his later speech â€Å"The Ballot or the Bullet† (1964) acknowledges his idol worship of Elijah Muhammad in the Black Muslim Movement and documents his transformation into an enlightened and open-minded Civil Rights Leader before his tragic assassination. The speeches allow us to follow