During the 1960’s, Malcolm X was one of the prominent civil rights leaders in the United

States who promoted a black separatist ideology based upon the Muslim faith. Unlike persons

like Martin Luther King and leaders of the NAACP and SNCC, Malcolm X advocated violence

in pursuit of achieving the goals of his organization the Nation of Islam, and its leader Elijah

Muhammad.i An avid speaker, Malcolm X had many public speaking engagements that have

been recorded and used as historical artifacts of the period including a speech named “God’s

Judgment on White America.”ii This speech made on December 4, 1963 warned of the coming

fall of the White America and the re-establishment of society in the name of Allah, according to

his will and favor. Throughout this powerful piece, Malcolm X employs a strong appeal of ethos

in his arguments, targeting a select primary audience of African Americans, but also a secondary

audience of White Americans and African-American moderates that belong to the current system

of government and society. He achieves this through his use of ethical proofs throughout the

speech, citing both situation-based examples as well as religious texts. Moreover his knowledge

of his Muslim faith and the Nation of Islam as well as that of African-American condition,

allows him to connect with the audience. His reputation for being a fervent, loud speaker in both

gestures and diction was contrasted with his didactic tone, allowing him to command the

audience but also act as a teacher presenting his perception of the truth. These factors combined,

were effective tools of the ethical appeal that defined this famous speech by Malcolm X.

Throughout the presentation of the speech “On God and Judgment of White America”iii

,

Malcolm X used a series of ethical proofs as a tool for fostering his relationship with his

audience. Speaking to a large gathering for Nation of Islam in New York City, Malcolm sought

to convey his arguments for the downfall of white society through a logical and palatable

manner. One of the first proofs used by Malcolm is an example of the syllogism, containing both

a major and minor premise. He tells the crowd of thousands, “It was the evil sin of slavery that

caused the downfall and destruction of ancient Egypt and Babylon, and of ancient Greece, as

well as ancient Rome, so it was the evil sin of colonialism (slavery, nineteenth-century European

style) that caused the collapse of the white nations in present-day Europe as world powers.”iv

With this statement he had set his major premise and continued with supporting evidence stating,

“Unbiased scholars and unbiased observers agree that the wealth and power of white Europe has

rapidly declined during the nineteen-year period between World War II and today.”v Finally he

concludes with the claim that “White America too will be utterly destroyed by her own sins…

and the honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us America's judgment and destruction will also be

brought about by divine will and divine power.”vi

This method of deductive reasoning allowed

Malcolm to present his argument through citing specific biblical events of centuries before,

stories that most of the audience knew and understood, and connected these stories to a more

broad claim about the current state of society . These claims demonstrated through this use of a

simple proof were reiterated throughout the speech, stressing the link between the past and the

present as a means to predict the future outcome of the nation. Later in the text of the speech he

continued with another proof of a similar nature stating “…Justice only means that the wicked

slave master must reap the fruit (or harvest) of the evil seeds of slavery he has planted. This is

justice! Other slave empires received justice, and now White America must receive justice.”vii

Justice in this instance was limited to a very narrow scope in which to further the notion of the

oncoming retribution of White America, simplifying the point at hand. In this example Malcolm

X used a single concept as a means of realizing his argument in a way that his diverse African

American audience could comprehend. This continued use of ethical proofs and specific means

of reasoning, made it possible for Malcolm X to invent ethos in his speech with those gathered

for the Nation of Islam event.

Another way that Malcolm X skillfully manipulated his appeal through ethos was his display of

direct knowledge of the religion to which he belonged as well that of the conditions and issues

that faced the African-Americans during the period. In an attempt to connect to his audience and

establish his relationship to the society around him, he clearly presented the goals and beliefs that

he and his religious movement. This helped to clear any misconceptions held regarding his

positions that had often come in question by opposition. He tells the audience, “We, the Muslims

who follow The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, believe whole-heartedly in the God of justice.

We believe in the Creator, whose divine power and laws of justice created and sustain the

universe…. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad teaches us that Allah is the true name of the

divine Supreme Being, and that Islam is an Arabic word which means complete submission to

God's will, or obedience to God's guidance.”viii

Not only did his statement regarding the Nation

of Islam and his Muslim faith support earlier arguments made through proofs, but also aided in

his presentation of the faith as a pure and moral movement towards truth and justice. Malcolm X

demonstrated his knowledge though his ability to dismiss opposition and answer the lingering

questions regarding the movement stating, “Why is the American white man so set against the

twenty-two million "Negroes" learning about the religion of Islam? Islam is the religion that

elevates the morals of the people who want to do right. …”ix

Being able to impart this knowledge

regarding this faith that suggests an heir of goodwill, Malcolm X could advance his points

without question.

Furthermore in this speech, he spoke to the current status of black society, speaking of

how although blacks were advancing they were still plagued by many of the common ills in

society. He once again can answer these problems through the power of Islam telling the

audience, “the Honorable Elijah Muhammad is turning hundreds of thousands of Americans

"Negroes" away from drunkenness, drug addiction, nicotine, stealing, lying, cheating, gambling,

profanity, filth, fornication, adultery, and the many other acts of immorality that are almost

inseparable from this indecent Western society.”x With this answer to these conditions Malcolm

proved his argument that through Islam and a nation created in the name of Allah, that the

impurities of society would be wiped clean through divine will. Such appeals served as effective

means of displaying his command over the topics at hand and his authority as a leader of the

Nation of Islam movement in America.

Among these manifestations of ethos developed during the speech, Malcolm X presented

his ideas in a manner that commanded his audience, but conversely offered his arguments to the

audience in a didactic fashion, creating an almost prophetic perception in presentation. In much

of the speech, there was strong diction choices made that served to alienate much of society in its

extreme nature. He constantly refers to White Society as “evil” and challenges the audience to,

“Look around at all of the signs and you will agree that it is the end of time for the Western

world, the European world, the Christian world, the white world.”xi

He continues to call black

moderates and other civil rights leaders, “a helpless football in the white man's crooked game of

"power politics” and those who marched on Washington D.C., “Clowns.” Even denouncing the

president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, he names white liberals as deceitful foxes.xii

Malcolm X suggests that Kennedy used the March on Washington as a means of manipulating

the African-American and upon his realization of this goal that he “invited all of his political

bedfellows to join it.”xiii

Such flagrant language and statements created a command that forced

audiences to either capitulate to agree with his arguments or be totally turned away from the

movement. In running contrary to popular belief and standards his fervent presentation, served to

create a very compelling presentation that presented new ideas counter to those held in

government. Despite the abrasiveness of this language used, Malcolm X availed himself to his

secondary audience of whites, having provided this speech as a declaration of the coming storm.

He states, “White America, wake up and take heed, before it is too late!”xiv

In this appeal, he not

only presents a warning to the Whites in the country but also presented himself as a religious and

social leader, pleading to change their ways, with phrases mirroring much of the language of the

Qur’an. This position as a religious servant to the movement is present in his constant references

to the pseudo-messianic figure Elijah Muhammad, the head of the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X

claimed that the nation was “At a time of Prophecy-fulfillment”xv

and that he and Elijah

Muhammad would lead this revolution to create a Nation of Islam in America. These two

different characters presented shaped Malcolm X as a speaker that could successfully present

extremist arguments with authority and power, but also display this information in a manner that

suggested a desire to teach those ignorant to his truth.

Oftentimes the speech “God’s Judgment on White America”xvi

is associated with the

comments made afterwards, when Malcolm X responded to questions regarding points in his

presentation made open criticism regarding the death and legacy of President Kennedy. Despite

these negative relations, the speech itself serves as an artifact of the Black Muslim movement

and of its most revered leader Malcolm X. In this piece, various modes of appeal were employed

that built a connection with audiences, both immediate in the Black community but also of the

rest of society and White America. The way in which this historic figure invented ethos in his

public speaking and civic engagements would later define his legacy for generations to come.

i Ali, Noaman. Malcolm-X.org. January 2000. February 28, 2010. <http://www.malcolm-x.org/index.html> ii-xvi. Ali, Noaman. Malcolm-X.org/Malcolm X Speeches. January 2000. February 28, 2010. <http://www.malcolm-

x.org/speeches/spc_120463.htm#>