“The Ballot or the Bullet”

1964

Malcolm X gave this speech in Cleveland, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan.

While many civil rights leaders urged African Americans to demand voting rights, the Nation of Islam (NOI) did not allow its members to vote. But after leaving the NOI in March 1964, Malcolm X changed course and encouraged African Americans to grow their political power through the ballot. In his famous “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech, Malcolm X explicitly made this point, telling all who would listen to vote strategically.

In this recording made before the speech, Malcolm X answers questions about violence, self-defense, and human rights.