It'll be the balloon or it'll be the bullet. It'll be liberty or it'll be dead. And if you're not ready to pay that price don't use the word freedom in your vocal.

Is it a ballot or a bullet? Freedom or death. If you are not ready to pay the price, please don't say anything about freedom. -Malcolm x "The Ballot or the Bullet"

This speech was published on April 3, 1964, after Malcolm broke with the extremist black Muslim organization "Islamic Nation" in March 1964. On February 21st, 1965, just 1 months after the speech was delivered, at a report meeting in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, three gangsters sent by the Islamic Nation brutally killed Malcolm with 15 shots.