Colin Kaepernick received the W.E.B. Du Bois medal at Harvard University on Thursday for his contributions to African and African-American history and culture.
The former NFL player was one of eight people recognized at the ceremony, including comedian Dave Chappelle. Kaepernick requested that the media not record or broadcast his speech, but he did allow it to be written down on record.
According to WDHTV’s Eric Kane, here is the entirety of Kaepernick’s speech:
Kaepernick requested that the media not record or broadcast his speech, however he did allow his remarks to be on the record. So here is what he said: pic.twitter.com/KewUJJp0iB
— Eric Kane (@EricKaneTV) October 11, 2018
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, during which he began kneeling for the national anthem in protest of social injustice and discrimination towards African-Americans. Kaepernick has gained recognition as a social activist since then and became the face of a recent Nike ad campaign.
Kaepernick has sued the NFL for allegedly colluded against him. His case is set to go to trial.
