The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

A timeline of Colin Kaepernick’s protests against police brutality, four years after they began

Colin Kaepernick gestures to fans following his NFL workout in Georgia in November. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Four years ago, Colin Kaepernick began sending a message about police brutality and social injustice by refusing to stand for the national anthem before NFL games.

His act continues to reverberate. In May, the message took the form of protests that raged across the country over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.