大象传媒

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 Episode 2 Matthew explores one of the first ever uses of 'woke' in print, by the young author William Melvin Kelley in 1962. Kelley wrote an article for the New York Times entitled 'If You're Woke You Dig It', observing the appropriation of Black idiom by Beatnik poets and artists. The satirical essay charts the progress of black slang into white communities, and proved prophetic on the destiny of the word 'woke' itself today.

Matthew hears from William's daughter Jesi Kelley about her father's life, his mission to illuminate the white world to Black readers and his rediscovery as a 'lost giant of American literature'. The episode considers the idea of 'waking up' as a central metaphor for the movement for racial equality in the United States and its place in the last sermon Martin Luther King ever gave.

Presented by Matthew Syed and Produced by Sam Peach
Readings by Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong
Excerpts from 'If You're Woke You Dig It' (New York Times, 1962) and 'Dunfords Travels Everywheres' by William Melvin Kelley