Malcolm X, a prominent Black nationalist leader and outspoken advocate for racial justice, emerged as one of the most influential figures during the civil rights era. His speech, titled “The Ballot or the Bullet,” is a passionate and forceful argument for Black self-determination and unity, delivered during a period of intense civil rights struggles in the 1960s. Filled with Malcolm’s trademark sharp rhetoric and vivid imagery, the speech underscores the frustrations of African Americans with political and social systems that had continuously failed to deliver equality and justice.
In this speech, Malcolm emphasizes that religion, while important to personal faith, should not divide African Americans in their collective fight for freedom. He suggests that, whether one is Christian, Muslim, or an atheist, the commonality lies in the shared experiences of oppression faced by Black people. For Malcolm, the ultimate unifying principle for Black Americans must be the fight for their political, economic, and social rights—a philosophy he terms “Black Nationalism.“
Black Nationalism, as Malcolm explains, is the idea that African Americans must control their own communities, from their politics to their economy, and stop relying on external systems that perpetuate their oppression. His critique of integration is sharp; he views it as a guise for further exploitation, where Black communities end up pouring their resources into White-controlled businesses, which in turn impoverish their own neighborhoods. Malcolm’s solution to these problems is self-reliance. He calls for Black-owned businesses and for African Americans to retain their wealth within their own communities, thereby creating employment and self-sufficiency.
Malcolm’s vision goes beyond economic independence. Politically, he challenges the traditional allegiance of Black voters to the Democratic Party, asserting that neither major political party has the true interests of African Americans at heart. He critiques the Democrats for their inability to deliver on their promises of civil rights reform, despite holding majorities in Congress. His fiery indictment of the political system resonates with the frustrations of Black voters who, despite being key to the party’s electoral success, remain at the bottom of the political agenda.
The urgency of Malcolm X’s message lies in his framing of 1964 as a decisive year. He sees it as a tipping point, where African Americans must choose between continuing to cast their ballots for politicians who fail them or picking up the bullet as a means of securing their freedom. His metaphor of “the ballot or the bullet” highlights the critical choice between peaceful political engagement and potentially violent resistance if systemic injustices persist.
Malcolm also takes a global perspective, aligning the plight of African Americans with colonial struggles across Africa and Asia. He argues that, just as colonized peoples won their independence through nationalism, African Americans must adopt the same approach to achieve true liberation. He sees America as no different from other colonial powers, maintaining Black Americans in a state of second-class citizenship—what he describes as “20th-century slavery.”
Throughout the speech, Malcolm delivers a stern warning to White America. He warns that the failure to address the legitimate grievances of African Americans will lead to a volatile racial explosion. His call is not for integration into a flawed system but for a revolution—either by the ballot or by more forceful means. This speech stands as one of Malcolm X’s clearest articulations of Black empowerment, a radical call for change that is still valid today.
Malcolm X’s message from “The Ballot or the Bullet” also resonates strongly in today’s political climate, as many of the issues he addressed remain unresolved. The current American election cycle has brought heightened attention to racial inequality, economic disparity, and political disenfranchisement—issues that Malcolm fiercely critiqued in his time. Today, as in the 1960s, Black Americans find themselves questioning their political allegiances, particularly within a two-party system that, in many ways, still seems to take their votes for granted without addressing the deep structural changes necessary for true racial and economic justice. Malcolm’s insistence on Black self-determination speaks to the present frustrations of many who feel that their communities continue to face neglect and marginalization, despite their crucial role in electoral victories.
In this election cycle, the ideologies of the major political candidates reveal the contrasts in how racial and economic justice are approached. On one side, progressive candidates advocate for sweeping reforms such as economic reparations, criminal justice overhaul, and robust policies to address systemic racism. These positions echo the economic and political empowerment Malcolm X envisioned, where the Black community could gain control over their destiny rather than remain reliant on systems that fail to serve them. On the other side, conservative candidates push for a return to “law and order,” a stance that often amplifies the criminalization of marginalized communities and dismisses calls for equity as divisive or extremist. Malcolm’s speech foreshadowed this divide, warning against both political parties that use Black voters as pawns while continuing to deny them true liberation.
The current climate of activism—fueled by movements like Black Lives Matter—further highlights the timeless relevance of Malcolm’s philosophy. His call for self-reliance and political consciousness is embodied in grassroots movements pushing for direct community control over policing, education, and local economies. These modern efforts to reclaim political power at the community level align with Malcolm’s vision of Black Nationalism. As the election cycle intensifies, the decision facing Black voters today is not just about choosing between two political parties but about demanding a system that genuinely works for their freedom and empowerment. The choice remains, as Malcolm said decades ago, one between the ballot or the bullet—a choice between securing meaningful change through democratic engagement or facing the harsh reality of continued oppression.