John McWhorter
@JohnHMcWhorter
Columbia linguist, weekly at NYT, biweekly Lexicon Valley podcast and Glenn Show. 9 NASTY WORDS and WOKE RACISM in 2022. PRONOUN TROUBLE in April!
John McWhorter @johnhmcwhorter says It’s Time to Let Go of ‘African American.’ (I remember when AA replaced "black," and earlier, when "black" replaced "negro," commonly used by my teachers. The idea was that "black" was symmetrical with "white." If we do keep "African American,"…
Mamdani checking the "African American" box is a distraction - what really needs to go is the term itself. It was always a shaky idea, and is now awkward and obsolete. Back to Black! nytimes.com/2025/07/10/opi…
Quick - what are ten old (as in black-and-white, people wearing hats and such) movies your kids should at least see once? I give my list here! nytimes.com/2025/04/10/opi…
This happened. It was an honor to be given the Richard Dawkins award BY RICHARD DAWKINS!
LIVE from the Scopes Trial Centennial: @RichardDawkins just presented the Richard Dawkins Award to @Columbia linguist & @nytimes columnist @JohnHMcWhorter, a champion of clarity, curiosity, and fearless thinking.
Is language power? Earlier this year we hosted renowned linguist @JohnHMcWhorter in convo with @njenfield. Now you can catch their fascinating chat on the Big Ideas program — tonight @ 8pm AEDT! Tune in to ABC Radio National live or on the ABC Listen app: bit.ly/4epgtsg
Important podcast on how classical music, in all of its whiteness, MATTERS in South Africa. "A Service to the Nation" -- The University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra Tours South Africa artsjournal.com/uq/2025/06/a-s…
Mike and I just TALKED. About STUFF. It's like an evening cocktail! @pescami open.substack.com/pub/mikepesca/…
Fun @Summit this weekend. Here I am talking with @davidshor on how to fashion an argument. This went many places.
This is the kind of interview of me I'd want my children to see and share in the future. One of the most real I've ever done. Thank you @Gladwell!! John McWhorter with Malcolm Gladwell: youtu.be/8ld1YKNUFtk?si… via @YouTube
More from Joseph Horowitz about how classical music actually LIVES in South Africa. (Yes, there!) Cultural Diplomacy in South Africa Continued: the University of Michigan Concert Orchestra Goes to Soweto artsjournal.com/uq/2025/05/cul…
From my friend music critic Joseph Horowitz, who is always right, this must-read: American Cultural Diplomacy in South Africa Right Now, Courtesy of the University of Michigan artsjournal.com/uq/2025/05/ame…
Me and the brilliant @EliLake - his podcast, on (in our part) Lenny Bruce and the profanity revolution. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vul…
Last night on Colbert. All about PRONOUN TROUBLE (or mostly). youtu.be/eClNdXq3NWw?si… via @YouTube
Folks, if I may, this went pretty well. Take a look when they show it tonight (or, I'll send it out from YouTube tomorrow).
Tune in tonight as @JohnHMcWhorter, author of #PronounTrouble, joins the @colbertlateshow! @StephenAtHome #Colbert penguinrandomhouse.com/books/734109/p…
I used to think people playing music from their phones without using headphones or airpods just sucked. Must admit that once I even frowningly barked at one guy on the subway "Turn that off!!" and luckily was not murdered. But I've been rethinking this lately. This is about…
Check out this guest piece - too many smart people think smoking out racism should be the North Star of serious thought about blackness. This limits creativity and curiosity. We need a reset. open.substack.com/pub/persuasion…
Tomorrow night! John McWhorter: Pronoun Trouble commonwealthclub.org/events/2025-04…
More of me and Mike Pesca! @pescami podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…