Abstract
This paper focuses on the vocal performances of the two internationally famed African-American orators of the 1960s: the civil-rights leader M. L. King Jr. and the black-nationalist spokesman Malcolm X. By analyzing their “music, ” it is evident that King made ample use of techniques that would have been effective with the listeners of the Western music, such as abundant vibrato and the gradual, emotion-ridden changes both in tempo and pitch. In contrast, Malcolm X keeps his tempo and pitch more or less constant. He incites audiences by a long series of articulated syllables that constitute extremely long sentences. Locally the rhythm of his speech approximates the shuffle beat. In brief, King sings more like a white singer while Malcolm swings like a jazzman. These characteristics stand out more in comparison with the strong Gospel-based preaching of Rev CL Franklin, and will be useful for defining the socio-cultural messages of the two rival performers.
