Forms of appeal

Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” is intended to encourage African Americans to take the Civil Rights Movement forward and become even more determined in actively fighting for their rights. To convince the audience and build a more compelling case, the speaker relies on rhetorical forms of appeal known as logos (appeal to reason), ethos (appeal to trust and authority), and pathos (appeal to emotions). 

Logos

Though the other forms of appeal play a more significant role in Malcom X's speech, he does make some efforts to speak to the audience's reason.

For example, Malcolm X uses numbers and statistics to demonstrate to the audience that the Democrats who claim they support African-American rights have no political will to implement them:

In this present administration they have in the House of Representatives 257 Democrats to only 177 Republicans. They control two-thirds of the House vote. Why can't they pass something that will help you and me? (ll. 153-157)

In another instance, Malcolm X explains to the audience why they have the right to oppose American authorities when their rights are violated, using a logical chain of arguments:

And this was pointed out by the Supreme Court decision. It outlawed segregation. Which means segregation is against the law. Which means a segregationist is breaking the law. A segregationist is a criminal. (ll. 411-415)

Ethos

Malcolm X makes many appeals to ethos throughout the speech, trying to present himself a...