The U.S. Remains Unequal 50 Years After Malcolm X’s ‘Ballot or the Bullet’ Speech (Audio)
In the 1964 talk, the human rights activist stressed the importance of voting to achieve equality for African-Americans, but he warned that violence would be necessary if politicians failed to bring about justice.Malcolm X was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Neb. To celebrate the anniversary of his birth, we recall “The Ballot of the Bullet” speech he gave on April 3, 1964, at the Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland.
The speech, which was named the seventh-best speech of the 20th century by scholars, stressed the importance of voting to achieve equality for African-Americans, but he warned that violence would be necessary if politicians failed to bring about justice.
The human rights activist was assassinated by Nation of Islam members in New York City on Feb. 21, 1965, less than a year after delivering this speech.
Read the full speech here. Listen to it below.
—Posted by Eric Ortiz
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.