THEY WANT YOU ASLEEP
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STAY WOKE
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THEY WANT YOU ASLEEP - STAY WOKE -
Wake Up America!
We are a grassroots movement of educators, lawyers, artists, and concerned citizens who seek to warn against the rising threat of authoritarianism and reclaim the word “woke” from distortion, restoring its historic meaning as a collective call to resistance and action: to stay alert, informed, and defend democracy and our rights.
Stay Woke
- LEAD BELLY
In 1938, the blues and folk singer Lead Belly recorded a performance of "Scottsboro Boys" at the Library of Congress with folklorist Alan Lomax. At the end of the song, Lead Belly explained the historical context in which nine African American teenagers were wrongfully convicted for a crime they didn't commit. He added: "I advise everybody be a little careful when they go down through that... Stay woke, keep their eyes open." This is the first known use of the phrase "stay woke." The case inspired Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
A grassroots
Call to Action
Photo by Rob Bulmahn, Philadelphia, PA – No Kings protest, June 14, 2025.
Exclusive Artwork
by Shepard Fairey
Originally created in 2017 as a call to moral action, Shepard Fairey's Wake Up! urges us to open our eyes and speak out for human dignity.
In 2025, he reimagined the piece to support the Wake Up, America! campaign, amplifying its message to resist authoritarianism and reclaim “woke” as a patriotic call to awareness and civic engagement.
(Intended for non-commercial use only)
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THEY WANT YOU ASLEEP
-
STAY WOKE
-
THEY WANT YOU ASLEEP - STAY WOKE -