The National Football League is busy giving Colin Kaepernick the cold shoulder, as the snubbed quarterback wins international praise for his crusade against racial injustice.
SEE ALSO: Kneeling In Power: Colin Kaepernick, MLK And Michael Bennett Celebrated On New Yorker Cover
Amnesty International, a global human rights organization, awarded Kaepernick its 2018 Ambassador of Conscience Award. He accepted the prize on Saturday at a ceremony in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The award recognizes individuals who have “promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights through their lives and by example.” Kaepernick joins an elite circle that includes previous winners Nelson Mandela and Harry Belafonte.
“I would like to thank Amnesty International for the Ambassador of Conscience Award,” the Super Bowl quarterback said in his acceptance speech. “But in truth, this is an award that I share with all of the countless people throughout the world combating the human rights violations of police officers, and their uses of oppressive and excessive force.”
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in the 2016 season to protest the wave of police killings of unarmed Black men and the racial bias in the criminal justice system. He inspired the “take-a-knee” protest among players. At the same time, it sparked harsh criticism from opponents—including President Donald Trump— who ignored the reason for the demonstration and accused the mostly African-American athletes of being unpatriotic.
In response to the controversy, NFL owners allegedly colluded to keep Kaepernick unsigned by an NFL team. It appears that he’ll go yet another season not playing in the league.
“Just like the Ambassadors of Conscience before him, Colin Kaepernick chooses to speak out and inspire others despite the professional and personal risks,” said Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty International. “When high profile people choose to take a stand for human rights, it emboldens many others in their struggles against injustice.”
SEE ALSO:
Forgive But Don’t Forget: Remembering Barbara Bush’s Complicated Relationship With Black America
95 Photos Of Black People Marching For Our Lives
95 Photos Of Black People Marching For Our Lives
1.
Source:Getty
1 of 95
2.
Source:Getty
2 of 95
3.
Source:Getty
3 of 95
5.
Source:Getty
5 of 95
7.
Source:Getty
7 of 95
9. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
9 of 95
11.
Source:Getty
11 of 95
13.
Source:Getty
13 of 95
15.
Source:Getty
15 of 95
17.
Source:Getty
17 of 95
19.
Source:Getty
19 of 95
21.
Source:Getty
21 of 95
23.
Source:Getty
23 of 95
25.
Source:Getty
25 of 95
26.
Source: 26 of 95This is the truth. Our country values gun rights more than the lives of Black and Brown kids. #MarchForOurLives #enough #neveragain #endgunviolence pic.twitter.com/JOtWLoMkL6
— YWCA USA (@YWCAUSA) March 24, 2018
27.
Source:Getty
27 of 95
28.
Source: 28 of 95This is the truth. Our country values gun rights more than the lives of Black and Brown kids. #MarchForOurLives #enough #neveragain #endgunviolence pic.twitter.com/JOtWLoMkL6
— YWCA USA (@YWCAUSA) March 24, 2018
29.
Source:Getty
29 of 95
30.
Source: 30 of 95Advancement Project team hitting the streets for at the March for Our (Black and Brown) lives. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/AMaXBD54Vp
— Advancement Project National Office (@adv_project) March 24, 2018
31.
Source:Getty
31 of 95
32.
Source: 32 of 95Advancement Project team hitting the streets for at the March for Our (Black and Brown) lives. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/AMaXBD54Vp
— Advancement Project National Office (@adv_project) March 24, 2018
33.
Source:Getty
33 of 95
34.
Source: 34 of 95I hope one day I will get as many rights as a gun. - A Black American #marchforourlives pic.twitter.com/5yFiZ18Jid
— Bradley E. Williams (@B_RadWill) March 24, 2018
35.
Source:Getty
35 of 95
36.
Source: 36 of 95I hope one day I will get as many rights as a gun. - A Black American #marchforourlives pic.twitter.com/5yFiZ18Jid
— Bradley E. Williams (@B_RadWill) March 24, 2018
37.
Source:Getty
37 of 95
38.
Source: 38 of 95#marchforOURlives Crew @KellyMcCreary @Alyssa_Milano @billprady @jehorowitz @RenaSofer @DannyZuker MY objective today was to look out for too often excluded Brown/Black/Indigenous lives 🖤✊🏽 #blacklivesmatter #GunViolence #PoliceViolence #StephonClark #RekiaBoyd pic.twitter.com/n8Mj9M7Jqs
— Kendrick Sampson (@kendrick38) March 24, 2018
39.
Source:Getty
39 of 95
40.
Source: 40 of 95#marchforOURlives Crew @KellyMcCreary @Alyssa_Milano @billprady @jehorowitz @RenaSofer @DannyZuker MY objective today was to look out for too often excluded Brown/Black/Indigenous lives 🖤✊🏽 #blacklivesmatter #GunViolence #PoliceViolence #StephonClark #RekiaBoyd pic.twitter.com/n8Mj9M7Jqs
— Kendrick Sampson (@kendrick38) March 24, 2018
41.
Source:Getty
41 of 95
42.
Source: 42 of 95I love John Lewis. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/Egs6Ggv2Lg
— Denizcan James (@MrFilmkritik) March 24, 2018
43.
Source:Getty
43 of 95
44.
Source: 44 of 95I love John Lewis. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/Egs6Ggv2Lg
— Denizcan James (@MrFilmkritik) March 24, 2018
45.
Source: 45 of 95So so so inspiring ❤️ #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/upgw58E9xk
— Megan (@mutualpromisess) March 24, 2018
46.
Source:Getty
46 of 95
47.
Source: 47 of 95So so so inspiring ❤️ #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/upgw58E9xk
— Megan (@mutualpromisess) March 24, 2018
48.
Source:Getty
48 of 95
49.
Source: 49 of 95Thank you @repjohnlewis. #GoodTrouble #MarchforOurLives pic.twitter.com/uLKsCliXot
— Bros4America (@Bros4America) March 24, 2018
50.
Source: 50 of 95Thank you @repjohnlewis. #GoodTrouble #MarchforOurLives pic.twitter.com/uLKsCliXot
— Bros4America (@Bros4America) March 24, 2018
51.
Source: 51 of 95Where's the lie? #MarchForOurLives. Image Cr. @sirmeadows @ColorOfChange https://t.co/HDDO3Dmgco pic.twitter.com/vSpR4CbITs
— ColorOfChange (@ColorOfChange) March 24, 2018
52.
Source:Getty
52 of 95
53.
Source:Getty
53 of 95
54.
Source: 54 of 95Where's the lie? #MarchForOurLives. Image Cr. @sirmeadows @ColorOfChange https://t.co/HDDO3Dmgco pic.twitter.com/vSpR4CbITs
— ColorOfChange (@ColorOfChange) March 24, 2018
55.
Source:Getty
55 of 95
56.
Source: 56 of 95#MarchForOurLives signs DC pic.twitter.com/KOc7pAl0BE
— messy bun + getting stuff done!☕️ (@MegzFLo) March 24, 2018
57.
Source:Getty
57 of 95
58.
Source: 58 of 95#MarchForOurLives signs DC pic.twitter.com/KOc7pAl0BE
— messy bun + getting stuff done!☕️ (@MegzFLo) March 24, 2018
59.
Source:Getty
59 of 95
60.
Source: 60 of 95#marchforourlives Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/lpzCmGOUuQ
— † Maria♀ (@Mella0_0) March 24, 2018
61.
Source:Getty
61 of 95
62.
Source: 62 of 95#marchforourlives Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/lpzCmGOUuQ
— † Maria♀ (@Mella0_0) March 24, 2018
63.
Source: 63 of 95I'm so damn proud of these kids, man.
— MT (@MasterTainment) March 24, 2018
Look what they did.
Look. What. They. Did.
Blind, selfish adults told them to sit down & shut up.
They tried to discourage them with lies & threats.
But these kids rose above it and inspired a nation.
And the world.#MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/WwcZOVDzEq
64.
Source:Getty
64 of 95
65.
Source: 65 of 95I'm so damn proud of these kids, man.
— MT (@MasterTainment) March 24, 2018
Look what they did.
Look. What. They. Did.
Blind, selfish adults told them to sit down & shut up.
They tried to discourage them with lies & threats.
But these kids rose above it and inspired a nation.
And the world.#MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/WwcZOVDzEq
66.
Source:Getty
66 of 95
67.
Source: 67 of 95These Kids will....
— Mayday Mindy🌊 (@maydaymindy9) March 24, 2018
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN#MarchForOurLives @realDonaldTrump #TheResistence #NeverAgainMSD pic.twitter.com/aC7BCUPwnE
68.
Source:Getty
68 of 95
69.
Source: 69 of 95These Kids will....
— Mayday Mindy🌊 (@maydaymindy9) March 24, 2018
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN#MarchForOurLives @realDonaldTrump #TheResistence #NeverAgainMSD pic.twitter.com/aC7BCUPwnE
70.
Source:Getty
70 of 95
71.
Source:Getty
71 of 95
72.
Source: 72 of 9573.
Source: 73 of 9574.
Source:Getty
74 of 95
75.
Source: 75 of 95#Marchforourlives was so much fun, it felt so good to make a difference 🐝 pic.twitter.com/8mBEJISCej
— $notkameast (@kameastcoast) March 24, 2018
76.
Source:Getty
76 of 95
77.
Source: 77 of 95#Marchforourlives was so much fun, it felt so good to make a difference 🐝 pic.twitter.com/8mBEJISCej
— $notkameast (@kameastcoast) March 24, 2018
78.
Source: 78 of 95The conversation about guns and safety is always incomplete when you leave out the voices of those most marginalized.
— Pete Haviland-Eduah (@TheNotoriousPHE) March 24, 2018
Inclusiveness is going to be key to see our movements to the finish line.
Had to remind folks of that with my presence today. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/O2dqDNk9lM
79.
Source:Getty
79 of 95
80.
Source: 80 of 95The conversation about guns and safety is always incomplete when you leave out the voices of those most marginalized.
— Pete Haviland-Eduah (@TheNotoriousPHE) March 24, 2018
Inclusiveness is going to be key to see our movements to the finish line.
Had to remind folks of that with my presence today. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/O2dqDNk9lM
81.
Source:Getty
81 of 95
82.
Source: 82 of 95I didn’t catch her name but she is telling her gun violence/ptsd story and she has made it real #marchforourlivessf pic.twitter.com/79PPCOuGYU
— marymcnamara (@marymcnamara) March 24, 2018
83.
Source: 83 of 95I didn’t catch her name but she is telling her gun violence/ptsd story and she has made it real #marchforourlivessf pic.twitter.com/79PPCOuGYU
— marymcnamara (@marymcnamara) March 24, 2018
84.
Source:Getty
84 of 95
85.
Source:Getty
85 of 95
86.
Source:Getty
86 of 95
87.
Source:Getty
87 of 95
88.
Source:Getty
88 of 95
89.
Source:Getty
89 of 95
90.
Source:Getty
90 of 95
91. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
91 of 95
92. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
92 of 95
93. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
93 of 95
94. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
94 of 95
95. March For Our Lives In Washington, DC
Source:Getty
95 of 95
Continue reading 95 Photos Of Black People Marching For Our Lives
95 Photos Of Black People Marching For Our Lives
Black folks were representing in full force at the dozens of March for Our Lives rallies held across the globe on March 24, 2018, attracting hundreds of thousands of students, activists, celebrities and other world citizens concerned about the disturbing levels of gun violence that plagues the U.S like no other nation. As the disproportionate victims of gun violence in America, Black people made sure their voices were heard. Have a look at the youthful faces of the country's current and future freedom fighters as well as their colorful, clever signs.
Colin Kaepernick Earns A Prestigious Global Award, As The NFL Snubs Him was originally published on newsone.com
