Colin Kaepernick’s life story to become Netflix TV series
- Published
Colin Kaepernick (centre) first took the knee in September 2016
The story of NFL star and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick’s early years is being made into a documentary.
The six-part series entitled 'Colin in Black & White' will be shown on streaming service Netflix.
Kaepernick, 32, became a symbol in the fight against racial injustice when he kneeled in protest during the United States national anthem in 2016.
“Too often we see race and black stories portrayed through a white lens,” said Kaepernick.
His 'take a knee' gesture has since been used as a sign of protest against racial inequality by sportspeople across the globe, including recently by Premier League footballers and officials.
Kaepernick will collaborate on the project with director Ava DuVernay, whose Netflix productions When They See Us and 13th, both of which tackle the subject of race in the United States, were nominated for an Emmy and Academy Award respectively.
The TV series will look at Kaepernick’s early life as a black child growing up with a white adopted family, and what led him to become the activist he is today.
“We seek to give new perspective to the differing realities that black people face," added Kaepernick.
“We explore the racial conflicts I faced as an adopted black man in a white community, during my high school years.”
Kaepernick was initially criticised for his decision to kneel during the national anthem throughout the 2016 season, including by then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Other players joined Kaepernick's protests, though Kaepernick himself has been without a team since opting out of his 49ers contract at the start of the 2017 season.
The movement was given added impetus in recent weeks following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests across the world.
In response to the protests, the NFL, which had previously banned players from dropping to one knee, performed a U-turn earlier this month and said players should be allowed to protest during the anthem.
The fashion stylist supporting Colin Kaepernick in his fight against racial injustice