“Ballot or the Bullet” and the USA in the Second Half of the 20th Century Essay

Introduction

The second half of the 20th century was a period of significant social change in the history of the USA. Being one of the world’s most powerful states, it had numerous issues impacting its nation. Segregation and discrimination were among critical social concerns. African Americans were deprived of the chance to vote and participate in socially important processes. Moreover, being formally equal to other population groups, they suffered from unfair attitudes and discrimination. For this reason, numerous civil rights movements resulted from this injustice. The historical period can be understood by the activity of prominent leaders trying to improve the states of discriminated communities. One of the essential primary sources of that period, Malcolm X’s speech “The Ballot or the Bullet,” shows that the state entered a new stage of struggle for racial justice.

Background

The 1960s was a critical period in developing civil rights movements in the USA. Although the Constitution guaranteed equal rights to all people regardless of their race or skin color, African Americans suffered from numerous discrimination and segregation cases. They were “trapped” by the existing system and the lack of chances to impact the political and economic lives of the state¹. The lack of access to these critical spheres reduced the importance of the population group and increased its vulnerability. At the same time, African Americans realized the impossibility of preserving these patterns, which resulted in the rise of civil rights movements and their becoming one of the potent tools to promote social change.

Religion and Civil Rights

Malcolm X’s speech clearly shows the growing importance of the issue and its evolution into a national and global concern. It can be seen from the speaker’s decision to separate from the Nation of Islam because of the desire to focus on more important concerns. Malcolm X says, “I’m still a Muslim. That is, my religion is still Islam”². It means that the shift towards a new movement is not linked to the change in religious views. However, the speech reflects the growing importance of Black Nationalism and its becoming a leading trend in the USA in the second half of the 20th century. Malcolm X clarified, “My political, economic, and social philosophy is black nationalism,” which is critical for understanding the epoch³. He responds to the necessity to start acting and protect the rights of minorities in other ways.

New Era

In such a way, Malcolm X’s speech introduces the central principle of a new era. He assumes that “a black man should control the politics and politicians in his own country” while the past time of being suppressed “is long gone”⁴. This idea is central to understanding the spirit of the epoch and its primary trend. Being tired of segregation, isolation, and the inability to protect their rights, African Americans engaged in civil rights movements to struggle for their right to vote and impact their lives. It implies controlling their lives instead of following others’ commands and being passive observers. The speech shows a critical shift in people’s mentalities and their readiness to organize and gain powers to protect themselves.

Moreover, Malcolm X’s words indicate the increased importance of the Southern Civil Rights movement. Being traditionally associated with the Nation of Islam, he announced the desire to form a new black nationalist movement to cultivate political consciousness among African Americans⁵. It became a serious change in his views and signalized the end of relations with the Nation of Islam. The organization prohibited its members from participating in political processes, while Malcolm X realized the spirit of the epoch and the need to become more politically active. The change of orientation also contributed to the emergence of the desire to meet and cooperate with Martin Luther King, an iconic leader and symbol of black people’s struggle for equality⁶. These factors indicate the consolidation of African Americans and their becoming more focused on the ideas of black nationalism.

Differences in View on Civil Rights Movements

The problem is that Malcolm X and King initially had different views on how the black nation should struggle for their rights. The disagreements arose because of the various views on the fundamental ideas, such as the goals of interracial integration versus separatism, using non-violent measures of protest, or employing any means necessary⁷. However, Malcolm’s speed indicates the reconsideration of his ideas and the understanding of the importance of peaceful means to attain the primary goals. He proclaims that “the Negro vote is the key factor,” meaning it can become an important force impacting the politics within the state⁸. This assumption evidences the recognition of the strength of the black nation and the necessity to be active participants in the political processes within a state.

Global Concerns

Finally, the speech shows the level of tension within the society and the transformation of the problem into a global one. Malcolm emphasizes that people are dissatisfied and “in their frustrations, they want action”⁹. It can be viewed as a direct threat addressed to the government responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its passing. Moreover, Malcolm showed that colonialism became e a global issue, meaning that the struggle for Black people’s rights transformed into a global concern and people in various regions should be engaged¹⁰. Malcolm’s death in 1965 led to the increased popularity of his person and ideas, which caused a serious impact on the development of civil rights movements in the state.

Conclusion

Altogether, the analyzed primary and secondary source helps to understand the rise of Black Nationalist movements in the USA in the second half of the 20th century. In his speech, Malcolm X outlined his position, emphasizing the necessity to participate in political processes within a state. It can be viewed as the reflection of the moods peculiar to African Americans of that time. The rise of the Civil Rights movement and the attainment of success resulted from the gradual changes promoted by various activists, including Malcolm X.

References

X, Malcolm. “The Ballot or the Bullet.” In Say It Loud: Great Speeches on Civil Rights and African American Identity, edited by Catherine Ellis and Stephen Smith. 1-18. New York: The New Press, 2010.

Howard-Pitney, David. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004.

Footnotes

1. Malcolm X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” in Say It Loud: Great Speeches on Civil Rights and African American Identity, ed. by Catherine Ellis and Stephen Smith (New York: The New Press, 2010), page 3.
2. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 1.
3. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 2.
4. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 2.
5. David Howard-Pitney, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004), page 12.
6. Howard-Pitney, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s, page. 13.
7. Howard-Pitney, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Struggle of the 1950s and 1960s, page. 17.
8. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 7.
9. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 6.
10. X, “The Ballot or the Bullet,” page 8.