Colin Kaepernick’s publishing company, Kaepernick Publishing, will release its first title this fall.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback edited a book of over 30 essays titled “Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future Without Policing & Prisons.” The anthology, which calls for a future “without and beyond policing and prisons,” will be released on Oct. 12.
“This anthology builds on decades of organizing and writing against policing [and] prisons,” Kaepernick tweeted in his announcement on Tuesday.
The activist said in a statement that he hopes the book will serve as “an introduction to abolitionist concepts, histories and practices.”
“Readers won’t find all the answers here, but we believe they will find useful and provocative questions — questions that can open up radical possibilities for a future where our communities can thrive,” he added.
Kaepernick founded the publishing company in 2019 — three years after he famously began kneeling during the national anthem at NFL games in protest of systemic racism and police brutality.
His actions led to a wave of peaceful protests by NFL players and other professional athletes who kneeled at games in solidarity.
Kaepernick has notably remained unsigned by any NFL team since he became a free agent after the 2016 season. The league has been widely accused of blackballing Kaepernick for his peaceful protests.
Criticism that the league has singled out Kaepernick reignited this week as reports circulated that the Jacksonville Jaguars might sign Tim Tebow, who hasn’t played a regular-season NFL game since 2012.
Kaepernick, meanwhile, has continued his activism off the field since he played his last game in the NFL. His nonprofit, Know Your Rights Camp — which aims to “advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities” — launched a COVID-19 relief fund last year to help aid Black and brown communities affected by the pandemic.
Kaepernick Publishing initially published “Abolition for the People” as a digital collection in partnership with Medium last October, according to a statement from the publisher.
The forthcoming book features new essays and a new introduction. Its authors include formerly incarcerated community organizers, scholars, family members of those killed by police and others. Graphic artist Emory Douglas, a former minister of culture for the Black Panther Party, designed the cover art.
“I’m proud to have edited this collection [and] hope it adds to the chorus of voices calling for a world without & beyond policing [and] prisons,” Kaepernick wrote in another tweet.
Kaepernick and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay announced last June that they had teamed up for a new Netflix limited series about Kaepernick’s life titled “Colin in Black & White.”
Netflix has yet to announce a release date for the six-episode series.
Credit: Source link