The term "woke" in the context of human relations was about five minutes old before people began making fun of it. Now it's become a term of derision from the American right wing--witness "the woke mob"--and the focus of much backlash.
John McWhorter, a Black professor at Columbia University, says some of the criticism is deserved. He elaborates on his viewpoint in the book Woke Racism, out last year.
McWhorter granted the JX an interview when the book was new, and many since... and the controversy has not died down yet. We offer a replay of that interview here.