CHAPTER ONE Overview of the NFL National Anthem Protests “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color” (Wyche 2016). With these words, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, explained his decision to protest what he saw as the systematic oppression of people of color, especially several deadly incidents of police brutality against African American men. An image of his protest—sitting alone on a sidelines bench during the national anthem before his team’s August 26, 2016, preseason game against the Green Bay Packers—was captured by Jen- nifer Lee Chan, a beat writer for NinersNation.com. After the game, Chan tweeted the photo. It went viral, prompting international media attention and inspiring intense national debates over issues of racial inequality, police brutality, patriotism, and social justice acti- vism’s role in sports. Inflamed by presidential commentary, political parti- sanship, and racial biases, these conversations catapulted National Football League (NFL) officials, team owners, and players into the cross- hairs of a consuming controversy. NFL football became the most polarizing professional sport in the United States. The Role of Black Protest in Sports Kaepernick’s solo protests in early 2016 49ers games grew into a signifi- cant movement in the history of black activism and protest in sports. Since the racial integration of all professional American sports leagues in the twentieth century, black athletes gained an invaluable platform for making
Document Details My Account Print multiple pages
Print
You have printed 0 times in the last 24 hours.
Your print count will reset on at .
You may print 0 more time(s) before then.
You may print a maximum of 0 pages at a time.
Help
