Woke: The Journey of a Word

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Matthew Syed traces the history of a term that's synonymous with our era of angry debate.

Matthew Syed traces the history of a term that's now synonymous with our era of angry debate.

BBC Radio 4 LW

Woke: The Journey of a Word: 3. #StayWoke

3. #StayWoke

BBC Radio 4 - Woke: The Journey of a Word, 3. #StayWoke

Matthew Syed traces the evolution of a term that's synonymous with our era of angry debate

Matthew Syed traces the evolution of a term that's become synonymous with our era of angry debate. In this episode, how the use 'woke' online in 2014 ignited a global movement.

Matthew Syed traces the origins and evolution of the word 'woke', a term that's become synonymous with our era of angry debate.

Once a watchword for African Americans in the early 1900s, 'woke' is now used as an insult across the political spectrum. As the word has spread, what people actually mean by it has become less clear than ever. In this series, Matthew follows the evolution of 'woke' through five key stories.

In this episode, how the use of 'woke' online exploded in 2014, following the shooting of the black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Brown was killed by a white police officer and his death sparked weeks of unrest, drawing worldwide attention to racial injustice in the United States. Much of the activity took place online and on Twitter #staywoke became recognised around the globe and galvanised the Black Lives Matter movement. The words urged citizens to remain aware of the threat of systemic racism. 

Matthew speaks to Johnetta Elzie, whose live-tweeting of the activity in Ferguson shot her to unexpected fame and made her a leader among the activists. He learns how her use of platform shaped Twitter's development, and considers its significance in the era of Elon Musk's ownership. 

Featuring Johnetta Elzie and Nicole Holliday, Asst. Professor Linguistics, Pomona College.

Presented by Matthew Syed and Produced by Sam Peach

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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Woke: The Journey of a Word

3. #StayWoke

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