About this item
In 2016, amid an epidemic of police shootings of African Americans, the celebrated NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began a series of quiet protests on the field, refusing to stand during the U.S. national anthem. By "taking a knee," Kaepernick bravely joined a long tradition of American athletes making powerful political statements. This time, however, Kaepernick's simple act spread like wildfire throughout American society, becoming the preeminent symbol of resistance to America's persistent racial inequality. Critically acclaimed sports journalist and author of A People's History of Sports in the United States, Dave Zirin chronicles "the Kaepernick effect" for the first time, through interviews with a broad cross-section of professional athletes across many different sports, college stars and high-powered athletic directors, and high school athletes and coaches.
About the Author
Dave Zirin was named one of the "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World" by The Utne Magazine. He writes about the politics of sports for the Nation magazine, and is their first sports writer in 150 years of existence as well as the Progressive, and a regular op-ed writer for the Los Angeles Times. . Zirin is also the host of the "Edge of Sports Podcast," and "The Collision with Etan Thomas and Dave Zirin" on WPFW in DC.
