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Introduction

Malcolm X was an African-American human rights activist born in 1965 in Omaha, Nebraska. He never shied away from telling the truth and fighting for the black Americans during those times when racism was the order of the day in America. Looking at the history of the African Americans, Malcolm X can be viewed as a role model amongst those who champion for the rights of the African Americans. He never feared anything when he stood to fight for the rights of the African Americans; I guess that even when he received death threats that are what gave him the courage to speak even louder. During this time, when racism had taken its toll in the American soil, it was very difficult for those who advocated for the rights of the black Americans to live for long, in one way or the other they were eliminated. This was also the case for Malcolm X who was assassinated in 1965, died from multiple gunshots. This happened like a year after his famous and most thrilling speech, “By any means necessary.”[footnoteRef:1] [1: Malcolm X By Any Means Necessary. May 22, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5kaol1lCs. ]

During his tour in Africa, as he says in his speech, he found out that the Africans living in Africa were more independent that he and other Africans living in America. This is what compelled him most that they have to liberate themselves from the jaws of racism “by any means necessary.” My guess is good as many other people out there that this phrase sent a chilling cold on the spine of the white Americans who thought that as long as Malcolm X was alive, they were always threatened. ‘Something’ had to be done and in this case was eliminating him[footnoteRef:2] [2: Malcolm X By Any Means Necessary ]

When Malcolm X stood on the podium in the auditorium to deliver his speech, those present stood up and ushered him in with applause. This to me would only mean one thing, he was a man who was well known among the people, and it is like they knew what was to be put across. He uses humor in his speech, but he rarely laughed at those jokes that he puts across. He would smile then retract back to his seriousness when going through his business. For example, when he begins by acknowledging everyone present and even goes ahead and acknowledges ‘enemies’ which leaves the listeners in stitches. Humor can be viewed as an admirable part of a leader’s character. It intrigues the listeners to be attentive and keen. It breaks the boredom that might be taking its toll in plain speech. This would, in turn, help him, Malcolm X, connect with the audience. This would arouse that feeling that they are with him. Humor also disarms hostility. From that video one can realize that Malcolm X, when delivering his speech, he tends to be serious, so many first timers would see him as a stun and hostile chap, but when he uses humor, they ease themselves and see the hilarious part of the individual. One thing that comes out is seriousness when Malcolm X used that phrase of ‘our friends and enemies’ when acknowledging the attendees. He had formed the Organization of Afro-American Unity and thus knew his enemy zone had enlarged and he was well aware of the hostility he was facing from every side. Thus according to me, he was serious though it came out funnily. He knew that in that auditorium, in as much as his friends and that of the organization were present; his enemies too were around3

One thing that is noticeable is the standing posture that Malcolm X took when delivering his speech to the audience. He has his head high, and shoulders rolled back. This shows how the

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speaker is oozing with confidence[footnoteRef:3]. This is one of the technique that a good public speaker [3: . Gordon, Gregory S. Atrocity Speech Law: Foundation, Fragmentation, Fruition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017. ]

especially leaders ought to portray. This is because the moments the audiences realize that you are afraid or let me say nervous, instead of them having confidence in your speech they will always look at faults and spend most of their time laughing at you or discussing your nervousness. This would only signify one thing; the intent of the message would have been lost. Malcolm X would only take less than a minute looking down and this would probably be when he is reading a script. The good posture that he took enabled him to breathe freely and deeply and then project his voice clearly that the audience would be able to get the intended information[footnoteRef:4] [4: Gordon, 290 ]

The other thing that has been displayed by Malcolm X is that his speech speed is moderate, he

is not too slow and not too fast. This means that he intended to connect with the audience even when he is delivering the speech. When the speed of the speech is slow the speaker risks sending the audience to slumberland. On the other hand, when the speed is too fast the audience would realize how nervous the speaker is and may be sound as an amateur public speaker, and you are trying to speak fast to get over with the speech. This can be evident with how Malcolm X uses pauses in his speech.[footnoteRef:5] [5: Gordon, 292 ]

Talking of pauses, Malcolm X adopted this figure of speech. While delivering his speech, he would pause in the middle of the sentence and then continue. This would give the audience time to absorb what has been said and get ready for the next information. By using pause, he

enabled his listeners to remain engaged during the speech. Through this, he would be building an emotional connection with his audience and gives them that gap to follow what is coming next. One of the types of pauses he used was the spontaneity pause. This is that kind of pause that would create a feeling that spontaneity, in that, he is thinking of what he is saying not reciting what he had already so many times before. This would arouse the listener's interest. He also used Pause for emphasis. He would pause to emphasize the statement that he has said. There is that instance that he uses his hand and this is a sign of non-verbal cues in communication. This can be said he did it to emphasize that point that he was putting across. Another non-verbal cues that he used are the eye contact. During his entire speech, he maintained a positive eye contact with the audience and very few instances did he look down, and that was when he was reading a script before raising his head high when emphasizing that point. Eye contact would help to establish rapport and connection between the speaker and the audience

Another feature that has been cleared portrayed is the dressing code that Malcolm X has adorned. He has worn a suit and looking elegant with a tie around his neck. All along we have been talking about confidence/courage that is established when a public speaker stands shoulders rolled back and headed high, and we think that is it all. Dressing too speaks volumes. The first impression is the last impression. As a speaker one ought to mind the first impression that he/she will make to the audience and that is through the dressing. Shabby dressing code will result in audience morale to listen to you being downed. But when a speaker looks elegant in dressing the audience confidence to listen to you would increase and as the speaker talks with confidence. Malcolm X dressed to the occasion owing to the fact that he was addressing members of an organization; Organization of Afro-African Unity[footnoteRef:6] [6: Gordon, 300 ]

What the orator is trying to get across

This is a deliberate speech, so I can say. One thing that Malcolm X is trying to emphasize is unity among the Afro-Americans in order to successfully fight against their oppressors. It out rightly clear that Malcolm X is bitter after his trip to Africa where he found out that African in Africa is independent more than the Afro-Americans. He reiterates that his trip to Africa was necessitated by the fact that America gained independence some 200years ago than the African continent yet the Afro-Americans were still not independent in America even after almost two centuries. He thus wanted to find out the means through which Africans in Africa gained their independent of which he came to realize that it was through unity. This unity was achieved through formation of Organization of African Unity which united all the African nations and had the same agenda and that was gaining independence through fighting whoever came into their way. Malcolm wanted the Afro-Americans to stop that trend of always running towards the white Americans from other white Americans which he equates to running from foxes to wolves’ hands. Through the entire speech, it undeniable that he was expressing desire for the whole of Afro-Americans to unite and fight against the same course and that is fighting for their independence, against racism, by any means necessary through their formed organization [footnoteRef:7] [7: Rend, Pocanteollo. "Ethos Pathos and Logos." ISU Writing Center, 2016: 280-282 ]

Conclusion

To conclude the analysis of this speech by Malcolm X, I appreciate the figures of speech that he has employed during the speech delivery, one of them being humor and rhetoric and even allegory which is evident where he uses the ‘foxes and wolves.’ The speech was delivered awesomely but I realized that he did not use the space available. He stood in one place the entire time during the speech. My wish is that in future, public speakers should use the space available to move up and about as this would signify that they are connecting with the speaker more and more.

Bibliography

Gordon, Gregory S. Atrocity Speech Law: Foundation, Fragmentation, Fruition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017.

Malcolm X By Any Means Necessary. May 22, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df5kaol1lCs.

Rend, Pocanteollo. "Ethos Pathos and Logos." ISU Writing Center, 2016: 280-282.