The Civil Rights Address by John F. Kennedy

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The Civil Rights Address given by John F Kennedy was an influential and moving speech that sought to free blacks from the on growing oppression in the United States. John F Kennedy’s speech was given to address the American public on the brutality of discrimination. His point was to convince the public that is was time to give the blacks the rights the constitution gives them. The picture I chose to go with it also revolves around the Civil Rights movement and is title “I am a man”. This picture shows a large group of African American man holding signs saying “I am a man”. Both JFK’s Speech and the picture “I am a man” utilize the appeals to convince readers of a specific side. For JFK’s Speech he seems to use all three approached to convince us that discrimination is just as cruel and vile as slavery. As for the photo “I am a man” it uses the approach of only pathos to communicate the point. In his speech Kennedy uses the approach of Logos to strengthen the idea the African Americans and Caucasian men have not been given equal right and opportunities. The way logos was used in his speech greatly assured the public that action needed to be taken immediately. He provided both reasoning and logic to better forward his point that a change needed to be made. One area specifically he states, “The Negro baby born in America today, regardless of the section of the state in which he is born, has about one-half as much chance of completing a high school”. The statistics that John F Kennedy provides seriously strengthen his argument, with logic and statistics to back up his argument it creates a stronger pull. John F Kennedy also makes the statement “…about one-seventh as much chance of earning $10,000 a year,” showing the difference in wag... ... middle of paper ... ...old and innovative statement on civil rights. He attempts to convince the public that discrimination has gone on for far too long and it is time for a change. As for the photo it mainly uses the appeal of Pathos, but it does not lack in power. The image is simple but communicates a powerful image revolving around discrimination. It shows that skin color does not change the fact that a man in a man. Both of these media’s are powerful and worked to better society on the idea of discrimination uses the different rhetorical appeals. Of course, in conclusion, JFK’s speech and the photo both aided the development of our current state of mind. In that time we didn’t see African Americans as equals but since JFK’s motivating speech and the powerful photo “I am a man” we have changed are views and become a much more tolerant society. Works Cited JFK's Civil Rights Address

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