No. 60 in America · Week of November 9, 2026
Linguist, Columbia; New York Times columnist
John McWhorter is a linguist at Columbia and a New York Times columnist who writes about race and language.
Photo: New America, CC BY 2.0
Score breakdown
Nine parts, measured fresh each week. This is where John McWhorter's points came from, and the evidence behind each one.
Debate record
Debates race and free speech in formal Oxford-style debates, from Yale to the Soho Forum.
McWhorter teaches linguistics, American studies and music history at Columbia University.
He has written a number of books on race relations and African-American culture.
On the record
2018
November 14, 2018
Formal debate
Against Nikhil Singh · The Soho Forum
McWhorter defended the proposition against the NYU historian in an Oxford-style debate.
2016
March 1, 2016
Formal debateWon the audience vote
Against Jason Stanley and Shaun Harper · Intelligence Squared U.S., Yale
McWhorter and Wendy Kaminer argued yes and won the audience vote.
The people on this list argue in public for a living. At SuperDebate you get the same stage: one question, a clear structure, and a room that votes. It is how you learn to win an argument without making enemies.
