John McWhorter

John McWhorter is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University.

Recent Articles

The Difference Between Racial Bias and White Supremacy

‘The rhetorical brush is being applied much too broadly’

By John McWhorter April 29, 2021

Colin Kaepernick Had No Choice but to Kneel

'We must understand what Kaepernick is protesting'

By John McWhorter September 22, 2016

Don’t Rage Over Dreadlocks While African Americans Are Dying in the Streets

'Come on, folks—fight the real enemy'

By John McWhorter September 16, 2016

'Racist' Technology Is a Bug—Not a Crime

Why do we consider it our jobs to say that mistakes indicate 'racism'?

By John McWhorter September 12, 2016

Ellen DeGeneres Is Not Racist

And never has been

By John McWhorter April 29, 2021

Police Kill Too Many People—White and Black

It’s unclear whether bigotry plays a role

By John McWhorter July 14, 2016

Stop Policing the N-Word

There’s a difference between the slur and the sign of affection

By John McWhorter April 29, 2021

Trump Is Extremely Articulate—That's Why He's So Dangerous

Simple language makes his racist biases go down easier

By John McWhorter March 14, 2016

Obama Is Culturally Black Because He Wants to Be

At a certain point in Obama's life, he signed on to cultural blackness

By John McWhorter February 24, 2016

Why We Don't Call the Oregon Militia Members 'Terrorists'

Linguistic xenophobia is in the eye of the beholder

By John McWhorter April 29, 2021
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