A Rhetorical Analysis Of Barack Obama

On March 7th, 2015, President Barack Obama stood in Selma, Alabama where he effectively portrayed the hardships and accomplishments faced by African-Americans. This was done through his authority as a direct inhibitor of the movement, unifying emotions meant to bring the crowd together to feel the power of the civil rights movement, first person accounts, and historical antidotes.

In order for a speech to successfully convey a point or topic to an audience, the appeal to the character of the speaker must be demonstrated through outstanding orating skills and the exclusion of easily misunderstood political context. As President of the United States of America, Obama holds the attention and governing power of the American people, allowing him

This separates him as a credible source since he is presented with the privilege of following alongside a famous figure of the movement. Not only does his presidential role prove his credibility, but so does his prestigious education. As a graduate of Harvard University (an Ivy League school) with a law degree, it is proven he is also incredibly intelligent and adept in his field. Additionally, focusing on his audience of the American public, Obama avoids complex phrases and terms that are not common knowledge. With the interest of composing his speech in a commonly understood spectrum, Obama cites historical events while establishing his points. By presenting the audience with factual evidence, further credibility is provided to various points throughout his speech. Several of the first events he recalls are the “tyranny of Jim Crow; the death of four little girls in Birmingham, and the dream of a Baptist preacher met on this bridge” (Obama 2015 para. 3). This also effectively demonstrates the significance of the setting since it is not

This creates a connection to be created between the speaker and the audience, allowing for an explanation as to why the point is being addressed. To begin, President Obama states that the Civil Rights activists “were called Communists, half-breeds, outside agitators, sexual and moral degenerates, and worse – everything but the name their parents gave them” (para. 14). This evokes empathy from audience members who have at some point in their lives felt like an outsider due to reasons ranging from gender, religion, or race. What is important is a sense of understanding evolves, which allows audience members to make a connection with those who fought for civil rights. This feeling of unity Obama establishes assists his point that struggle was endured in order to become today’s free American citizens. Furthermore, the president mentions that the protesters that crossed the Selma bridge years ago, “gave courage to millions. They held no elected office. But they led a nation. They marched as Americans who had endured hundreds of years of brutal violence” yet responding in a nonviolent fashion to achieve their deserved right (Obama 2015 para. 18). Once again keeping the audience in perspective, Obama successfully creates a deep sense of pride among the African-American audience