What makes a good speech? -an effective introduction, a strong and informative body, and a concise conclusion. The main ingredient of a good speech, however, lies in the theme. For the audience, a theme supplies a way for listeners to remember the message. As historical African American leaders have demonstrated, a good theme makes for a memorable speech.

Decide on a Theme

In Malcolm X's speech "The Ballot or the Bullet," the theme is freedom for blacks - by any means necessary. The speech was given on April 3, 1964, at the Cory Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and was sponsored by the Cleveland chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality. The entire symposium was titled "The Negro Revolt - What Comes Next?" Because the meeting focused on different approaches to revolution, Malcolm knew that his audience could appreciate one of his most moving statements:

It'll be the ballot or the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be death.

Malcolm includes variations of this statement throughout the speech. In the beginning, he criticizes both the form of American government at the time and the widespread disregard for blacks. Throughout the body of the speech, he cites the failings of the Civil Rights Movement and of the nonviolent approach to attaining freedom. At the end, he offers a more effective political ideology - black nationalism. Because of Malcolm's commitment to the theme, he is able to create a speech that is both informative and memorable.

How does this apply to you?

Once you research the people in your audience and understand their needs, you can determine what kind of theme is best for your speech. If it is a serious theme such as freedom, your introduction may be dramatic. If your theme is humorous, you can begin by telling a joke. You may also choose to tell a story or ask a question as your introduction. Whatever you decide will determine the direction your body and conclusion will take. It might be helpful to repeat the theme in each section, as Malcolm did, to make sure that your speech is unforgettable.

Reinforcing the Theme

Once a person determines the theme, it is equally important to utilize points that will support the theme. In the case of Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Woman?", Truth is trying to convince the predominately white, slave-holding, male audience that, although she is black and a slave, she and fellow black female slaves are women in their own unique ways. She reinforces this idea in the body of her speech:

Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne 13 children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Truth's strategy is to redefine womanhood to speak to the realities that black women face as slaves - not only can black women work hard, but they also can bear and care for children. Her evidence reinforces the main idea in ways that challenged her audience.

How does this apply to you?

Truth was able to present a list of qualities that defines black womanhood, leaving childbearing to the end in order to prove that, without a doubt, black women are women and not property. You can do this by organizing your thoughts so that the body of your speech reflects the logic that you want to present. This can be done through either a formal or informal outline. Whichever approach you choose, make sure you present a complete idea to your audience.

Quotes, Resources, and Unconventional Ideas

Almost everyone can appreciate how an idea in one speech relates to other ideas or how a more general topic is connected to a personal story. The strategy of using outside information to enhance a speech is particularly evident in the speeches written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King often referenced the knowledge he gained from formal education and from personal experiences. In March 1957, King traveled to Ghana on Africa's Gold Coast to participate in its independence celebration. When he returned, he had much to share with his congregation in Montgomery, Alabama, about the struggle toward independence and about America's relationship to that struggle.

On April 7, 1957, he not only shared the message of freedom in his sermon "The Birth of a New Nation," he also shared the history of Africa as a continent forever seeking freedom from the rule of the British Empire. King then connected that history to the struggle toward American freedom. He also quoted the leader of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah and the Indian social reformer Mahatma Gandhi, who both supported attaining freedom through nonviolent means, a method King himself supported.

King's story assured his audience that just as God did not allow injustice to last in Ghana, so he believes that God will not allow injustice to last in America:

Somehow I can look out, I can look out across the seas and across the universe, and cry out, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored." Then I think about it, because His truth is marching on, and I can sing another chorus: "Hallelujah, glory hallelujah! His truth is marching on."

How does this apply to you?

It is always important to provide as much evidence as possible and to reference events that contribute to your message, especially since you are not as well known as King. In addition to providing facts, King describes how he felt about injustice and God's response to it and includes the lyrics to the song "Free at Last." By incorporating words best used when speaking - like the song, for example - you will be able to pull the audience into your own emotional relationship to the topic, whether it is a happy or sad emotion.

In the end, Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, and Martin Luther King, Jr., spent quality time preparing speeches that continue to rally readers and listeners. Two additional tips that may make your speech as successful as theirs:

• Rewrite the speech until it conveys your message clearly
• Always use index cards to outline the points you want to make.