Topic

The speech “The Ballot or the Bullet” by Malcolm X explores the topics of the Civil Rights Movement and Black nationalism. Constant themes in the speech are the discrimination and oppression African Americans are subjected to, the corruption and bias of the government, and the need for unity in the fight for equal civil rights.

This long speech is very dense because Malcolm X explores broad topics which he then divides into smaller issues, covering each issue in d…

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The Civil Rights Movement

The first part of the speech is focused on the Civil Rights Movement – a series of actions taken by African-American activists starting with 1954 with the purpose of ending racial segregation in the US and obtaining civil rights for African Americans.

In this part of the speech, Malcolm X emphasizes the importance of unity in…

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Black nationalism

The second part of the speech is more focused on what Black nationalism means and why the speaker considers it necessary and supports it. Black nationalism developed as a movement in the US, and it is characterized by a set of social, political, and economical beliefs associated with racial pride and separ…

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Argumentation

Malcolm X uses direct argumentation in his speech. This means that the speaker is upfront and explicit about his views and his arguments. Unlike with hidden argumentation where speakers use case stories and examples to imply their arguments, Malcolm X uses examples and facts to support points he is making directly and openly.

Fo…