Rhetorical Analysis Of Malcolm X's The Ballot Or The Bullet

Three months prior to the Harlem riot of 1964, America was rebounding from one of the several blows inflicted by the Black Nationalist community, who were driven by the concept of freedom from oppression. Malcolm X delivered “The Ballot or the Bullet” in Cleveland, Ohio, which swayed black truths and left their thoughts impressionable by his persuasion. The movement began with the idea of raising black social status, while reducing white superiority, with the intention of equality being recognized from both perspectives. This idea and its following later expanded through collective resistance, which lead to violent outbursts, in an effort to gain the white man’s power. Malcolm’s voice, similar to his audience’s, was a product of poverty- stricken
By identifying an enemy, X was able to unite a large sum of people through their struggles, while giving them hope of an escape from societal barriers that were controlled by white men. X used rhetorical strategies effectively throughout his speech to invoke emotions that would enhance his credibility, which was supported by logical reasoning, so he could share his ideology with his audience in terms that could be easily identified in their daily lives. Before X’s beliefs could resinate with his audience, he had to establish a relationship with his audience by appealing to their emotions and using relatable life experiences. Most examples provided were based on common interactions between blacks and white authority. Mutual respect was promoted by Malcolm when he asserted, “I’m not here to try and change your religion.” Rather than offending his predominantly Christian audience because they did not share personal religious beliefs, X used the controversy to connect with his audience by