0:00 0:00 1x
This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here .
The term “woke” originated in Black culture as awareness about racism and injustice, with roots traced to Marcus Garvey in 1923.
Artists like Erykah Badu revived the term in the 2000s, and it became a rallying cry for Black Lives Matter.
Conservative politicians now use “woke” as criticism of progressive policies, while some activists defend its original meaning.
The expression “stay woke” started out as an affirmation for African Americans.
In the last decade it has been used by some Republicans — and some Democrats — as a pejorative for people thought to be too “politically correct,” another term that took on negative connotations as it gained wider use.
“Woke” has come up in