Malcolm X has been considered one of the most influential leaders in African American history. He was one of the most active advocates for black rights and rejected the mainstream ideas of civil rights leader such as Martin Luther King Jr. (Rollyson “Malcolm X”). Through speeches such as Message to Grassroots, Malcolm X uses the “house negro” and the “field negro” as a metaphor for the difference between the movement towards integration advocated by Martin Luther King and the Nation if Islam’s movement towards separation. He calls for unified opposition to stand up and fight against the white man. Malcolm X conveys in this speech the anger and fear that lived in the hearts of most African American at the time.
Ethos within “The Ballot or the Bullet” In 1964, Malcolm X gave a speech entitled “The Ballot or the Bullet” which described how African Americans were being used and should fight for their civil rights. Malcolm X stresses on the importance of understand how to vote for the proper candidate. The reason he stresses this in his speech so much is because he believes that this is the solution to ending the discrimination against African Americans. He addressed in this speech that most of the African American community don’t understand on how to vote properly and because of this they are getting miss treated from the very people they are voting to put in office. The reason Malcolm X says “the ballot or the bullet” is that its either going to come down to the “ballot” which is allowing them to vote, or the “bullet” which is going to result in violence in order to get the rights the deserve.
While during that same time Martin Luther King, Jr., who was also a black civil right activist in America, taught to fight racism with love. Malcolm spoke publicly of his lack of respect for Martin Luther King, who would, through a white man’s religion (Christianity), tell blacks not to fight back. In 1962 Malcolm was designated by Elijah Muhammad as the official public representative of Nation of Islam. By 1963, New York Times poll found that Malcolm X was, after conservative Senator Barry Goldwater, the most sought after speaker by student groups on college campuses. His attraction seemed to rest not only in his ability to attack the system of white supremacy in forceful language but also in his wit.
King had a different approach. The man believes in using nonviolent methods to achieve a society where both black and white could live together with equal rights. At latter stage in Malcolm X’s life, he begins to also believe in the integration of white and black after his travel to
Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, made a good choice to include controversial words in the book to show racial injustice and should be taught in schools. The fight on racism is one of the most important parts about the book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain uses satire to poke fun at people and show them they are wrong; twisting their beliefs. Satire is used on anything from religion to racism to stereotypes. A great example from the book is when Pap goes on and on about how government lets blacks be free, “It was ‘lection day, and I was Just about to go and vote, myself, if I warn’t too drunk to get there; but when they told me there was state in this country where they’d let that nigger vote, I drawed out” (Twain 20).
Racial Ideology, American Politics, and the Peculiar Role of the Social Sciences”; where he explains his research on the intersection of poverty, crime and race. Bobo contends the United States is faced with a sophisticated, elusive and enduring race problem. His use of two separate focus groups one being all white and the other being all black uncovered evidence to support just how complex the race problem in America is. Bobo contends the just saying that the race problem still endures is not to say that it remains fundamentally the same and essentially the same. Bobo asks how we can have milestone decisions like Brown V. Board, pass a civil rights act, a voting act, fair housing acts, and numerous acts of enforcement and amendments, including the pursuit of affirmative action policies and still continue to face a significant racial divide in America.
But he is unwavering in his will to explain and expose bitter racism. Antagonists The antagonists are not one, but many. They are the numerous rabid white racists the author meets during his transformation into a black man. They deliberately spew racial poison and almost provoke racial unrest so as to negate and annihilate the very identity of blacks and their deep yearning for liberty and equality. Though nameless and faceless, their raw racism is
Malcolm X demonstrated the anger and the struggle, of the African Americans in the 1960s. During his lifetime he influenced many African Americans to stand up for their rights against the injustices set by the American government. Malcolm was criticized for his extremist views and actions while on the other hand he has been praised for his efforts in raising the status for African Americans. The views of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X often collided because of their different methods of fighting for equality. Most of Malcolm X’s views collided with the views of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s philosophy was “turn the other cheek,” meaning violence will not elevate you and bring you closer to your goals.
In DuBois essay “Oh Mr. Washington and others”, DuBois expressed his beliefs. DuBois believed that Washington asked blacks to give up political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education for African Americans youth. He believed that Washington’s policies had directly or indirectly resulted in three trends: the disfranchisement of the African Americans, the legal creation of a distinct status of civil inferiority for the African Americans, and steady withdrawal of aid from institutions for the higher training of the African Americans. DuBois disputed that Washington accepted the alleged inferiority of African Americans. Expressing the feeling of the radical civil rights advocates, DuBois demanded for all black citizens 1) the right to vote, 2) civic equality, and 3) the education of African Americans youth according to ability.
Malcolm X Racism is a problem that the American people have grappled with since colonial times. Malcolm X, who not only influenced the civil rights movement but attempted to solve the problem of racism in this country. On February 16, 1965, Malcolm X gave a speech called Not Just an American Problem, but a World Problem. In his speech he provides a theory of racism called image making which still has validity today. Malcolm X is right to argue that “when the law fails to protect Negroes from whites’ attack, then those Negroes should use arms, if necessary, to defend themselves” because they need to protect themselves, deserve respect, and have rights.