Carmichael and King

In this essay I will compare and contrast the rhetorical style and strategies of Stokley Carmichael and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I will be using the artifacts of Carmichael's Black Power speech delivered at Berkley in 1966 (Carmichael), and Dr. King's Letter From a Birmingham Jail (King 76). I will begin by noting the similarities between the two men's rhetoric.

Let's begin by looking at the obvious. These were two well-educated African American men fighting to be heard in a nation that would just as soon have let them stayed quiet. Instead they stood up, spoke out, and persevered in their belief that things could and would get better within their lifetimes. Both were excellent at adapting their speaking styles to various audiences. Although Carmichael did seem the superior at this particular skill. It is noted that he would even dress differently for each audience (Stewart 435).

Indeed, we must consider the audiences to whom each man was speaking. Carmichael, as member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, often addressed his peers in age. He addressed his rhetoric at students, as is evidenced by this speech at Berkley. He also spoke in more political terms than Dr. King. This is probably because his audiences were more familiar with political events and were more willing to involve themselves in a political discourse.

Dr. King on the other hand, aimed his rhetoric at an older audience. Also, his audience might not be as literate or educated as he was. Coupled with the fact that he was a minister, he used spiritual terms to speak to his followers. Even if his audience had never read the Bible, they were sure to have heard it. He was in the South, after all, where religion is taken very seriously.

Each was a very powerful speaker in his own right. Each was very popular with the masses. Each had an amazing grasp of language and rhetorical strategies. Each also had very specific ideas on what the African American population was should seek and how they should endeavor to attain their goals. And that is where these two men diverge.