The New Jim Crow Rhetorical Analysis

“The New Jim Crow” is an article by Michelle Alexander, published by the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. Michelle is a professor at the Ohio State Moritz college of criminal law as well as a civil rights advocate. Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law is part of the world’s top education system, is accredited by the American Bar Association, and is a long-time member of the American Law association. The goal of “The New Jim Crow” is to inform the public about the issues of race in our country, especially our legal system. The article is written in plain English, so the common person can fully understand it, but it also remains very professional. Throughout the article, Alexander provides factual information about racial issues in our country. She relates them back to the Jim Crow era and explains how the large social problem affects individual lives of people of color all over the country. By doing this, Alexander appeals to the reader’s ethos, logos, and pathos, forming a persuasive essay that shifts the understanding and opinions of all readers.
Alexanders starts off her article by

In doing so, she became relatable to the reader while still remaining professional and maintaining her credibility. She also included countless statistics and facts, showing the reader that the problem isn’t just an individual issue, but a real social problem. Next, Alexander triggered an emotional response in the reader, making them feel for the persecuted individuals, and driving the reader to promote change. She finished the article off with a call to action, inspiring all individuals to be a part of a “broad based social movement” (Alexander, 25), so we can someday “acknowledge the humanity and dignity of all humans.” (Alexander, 26) In doing so, she tied together an eye-opening article, and gave the audience a glimmer of hope for our nation’s