Rhetorical Analysis of Malcolm X

Over the course of the history segregation between races has been a major problem, so much so that some races were treated so lowly that they were slaves to the others. As time went on there were laws and acts passed that that limited and even stopped slavery throughout the United States. African Americans were a large population that made up the slave labor class and to this day are still treated by some people as lower than a White man. Although racism is still alive the African American were given rights equal to the White man's rights. The Civil rights movement made it possible for an African American to sit where they want on buses, in restaurants, and in schools. It allowed them to get jobs of equal status to whites, drink out of the same drinking fountain, and talk to a white without being scolded for doing so.

Many people were involved and made the Civil Rights movement possible but there were some that made more of an impact in the sense of protests, speeches, and peaceful approaches. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. were two very influential men in the fight that got African Americans the rights they deserved but because of Martin Luther's peaceable approach to racial separation and inequality between Whites and African Americans he made more of an impact on the Civil Rights Movement when compared to the violent approach of Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15th, 1929 in Atlanta Georgia to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. He grew up in a faith-based household. He was raised in the Baptist Church and his father along with his grandfather were Baptists ministers. He thrived in school and graduated from a segregated high school at the age of 15. then went on to Crosier Seminary where he studies theology for three years.

During his schooling, he met his wife Coretta Scott with who he had 4 children. He decided he wanted to be a minister, so he went to the seminary and graduated at top of his class in 1951. He went on to become the twentieth pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He led Malcolm X originally known as Malcolm Little was a revolutionary, a man with an Idea that anything that the African Americans wanted and that was refused by the government was to be fought for by any means necessary. Malcolm X was born in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19th, 1925 to Earl and Louise Little. Grew up with a complicated home life and his family was constantly targeted by white supremacist groups. His father was a member of a black supremacist group making him a greater target other than being an African American. One night his home was mysteriously burned down and his father was killed, at this time Malcolm was only six. When Malcolm was thirteen his mother was admitted into a mental hospital due to a mental breakdown caused by his father died. Malcolm was then put into foster care and slight up with his sisters and brothers losing all communication with them. He was admitted into a school where he started to thrive but one of his teachers to him that an African American could never be a lawyer which was his dream. He then gave up on his dream and dropped out of school.

At the age of twenty, he entered a life of crime and got arrested for stealing and was sentenced to 10 years. While in prison he realized his faith and converted to the Nation of Islam. Once he was from prison he studied the religion and in December of 1953 Malcolm became an Islamic Minister. He was a minister at three different temples in Boston, Philadelphia, and New York. In 1958 he married Betty Shabazz who he had six children with. Malcolm continued his life taking interest in the civil rights movement and racism. He believed that the government would not help them, so they would have to help themselves. He went on to lead many Muslims and Africans in protests for equality between African Americans and Whites. He was one of the main leaders in the civil rights movement until February 21, 1965. Malcolm was scheduled to give a speech at the Audubon Ballroom when he was assassinated by a member of the Nation of Islam, Thomas Hagan.

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