--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it's necessary to form a Black…" description: "\"If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll form a Black Nationalist army. It'll be ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be de..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/malcolm-x-213_army_if-it-s-necessary-to-form-a-black-nation_2087017.jpg" --- # If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll… ![“If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll form a Black Nationalist army. It'll be ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death.” quote by Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/malcolm-x-213_army_if-it-s-necessary-to-form-a-black-nation_2087017.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/malcolm-x-213_army_if-it-s-necessary-to-form-a-black-nation_2087017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c6/malcolm-x-213_army_if-it-s-necessary-to-form-a-black-nation_2087017.jpg) > “If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll form a Black Nationalist army. It'll be ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death.” [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates forming a Black Nationalist army as a means of political empowerment, choosing between voting and violent resistance. **In simple terms:** Choose political action or armed resistance for Black liberation. Key Takeaway Consider nonviolent political engagement. Themes freedom political agency resistance Mood determined defiant Type political activist When to use this quote - civil rights activism - community organization - political protest Key Concepts self-determination racial justice militarization Questions to Reflect On - What are the risks of militarizing a movement? - How can communities achieve change without violence? A Different Perspective Violent threats can undermine broader support and invite repression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Ballot Bullet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballot-bullet-4106433/) [Ballots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballots/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Nationalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-nationalist-2437408/) [Bullets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullets/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Nationalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalist/) [Nationalist Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalist-army-4106432/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [It's got to be the ballot or the bullet. The ballot or the bullet. If you're afraid to use an expression like that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/it-s-got-to-be-the-ballot-or-the-bullet-the-ballot-or-the-bullet-if/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [It'll be the ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/it-ll-be-the-ballot-or-the-bullet-it-ll-be-liberty-or-it-ll-be-death/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Among free men there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/among-free-men-there-can-be-no-successful-appeal-from-the-ballot-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When you want a nation, that's called nationalism... Black nationalism. A revolutionary is a Black nationalist. He wants a nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/when-you-want-a-nation-that-s-called-nationalism-black-nationalism-a/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [It’ll be the ballot or it’ll be the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death. And if you’re not ready to pay that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/it-ll-be-the-ballot-or-it-ll-be-the-bullet-it-ll-be-liberty-or-it-ll/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [A ballot is like a bullet. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not in reach,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-ballot-is-like-a-bullet-you-don-t-throw-your-ballots-until-you-see/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [A ballot is like a bullet. You don't throw your ballots until you see a target, and if that target is not within your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/a-ballot-is-like-a-bullet-you-don-t-throw-your-ballots-until-you-see-2/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [If ballots won't work, bullets will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-ballots-won-t-work-bullets-will/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [It doesn't surprise me that aspect of the black nationalist movement, the cultural side, has triumphed because that is the aspect of the movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/it-doesn-t-surprise-me-that-aspect-of-the-black-nationalist-movement/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [I see this in the way that sermons are preached. How would you give a Black Nationalist speech or campaign for the Republicans when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/i-see-this-in-the-way-that-sermons-are-preached-how-would-you-give-a/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [I think that Malcolm X was envisioning, even while he was in the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist progressive strategy toward uniting black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manning-marable/i-think-that-malcolm-x-was-envisioning-even-while-he-was-in-the/) [Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manning-marable/) > [To give victory to the right, not bloody bullets, but peaceful ballots only, are necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/to-give-victory-to-the-right-not-bloody-bullets-but-peaceful-ballots/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Wherever arms flow, violence follows. Bullets replace ballots as the solution to political disputes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/wherever-arms-flow-violence-follows-bullets-replace-ballots-as-the/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [Peace will come soon to stay, and so come as to be worth keeping in all future time. It will then have proved that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/peace-will-come-soon-to-stay-and-so-come-as-to-be-worth-keeping-in/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Sitting at the table doesn't make you a diner, unless you eat some of what's on that plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/sitting-at-the-table-doesn-t-make-you-a-diner-unless-you-eat-some-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by Malcolm X > [If Christianity had asserted itself in Germany, six million Jews would have lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/if-christianity-had-asserted-itself-in-germany-six-million-jews-would/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Be nonviolent only with those who are nonviolent to you. And when you can bring me a nonviolent racist, bring me a nonviolent segregationist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/be-nonviolent-only-with-those-who-are-nonviolent-to-you-and-when-you/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [You can't legislate good will - that comes through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/you-can-t-legislate-good-will-that-comes-through-education/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Those type of whites who are always going to jail with Negroes are the ones who tell Negroes to be loving and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/those-type-of-whites-who-are-always-going-to-jail-with-negroes-are/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [We Muslims believe that the white race, which is guilty of having oppressed and exploited and enslaved our people here in America, should and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-muslims-believe-that-the-white-race-which-is-guilty-of-having/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I mean a real police state just to get a token recognition of a law. It take, it took, I think, 15,000 troops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-mean-a-real-police-state-just-to-get-a-token-recognition-of-a-law/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Like Samson, I am ready to pull down the white man's temple, knowing full well that I will be destroyed by the falling rubble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/like-samson-i-am-ready-to-pull-down-the-white-man-s-temple-knowing/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Any negro who occupies a position that was given to him by the white man, if you analyze his function, his function never enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/any-negro-who-occupies-a-position-that-was-given-to-him-by-the-white/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Stumbling is not falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/stumbling-is-not-falling/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [God is going to punish the white man for his misdeeds toward black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/god-is-going-to-punish-the-white-man-for-his-misdeeds-toward-black/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Much of what I say might sound like it's stirring up trouble, but it's the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/much-of-what-i-say-might-sound-like-it-s-stirring-up-trouble-but-it-s/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/i-believe-in-the-brotherhood-of-all-men-but-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) [Explore all 891 Malcolm X quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. 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It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it's necessary to form a Black Nationalist army, we'll form a Black Nationalist army. It'll be ballot or the bullet. 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