Three years ago today, Colin Kaepernick made history with an iconic magazine cover highlighting his public protest against police mistreatment of African-Americans. His choice to kneel during the national anthem fueled a national debate, but it wasn’t the first time Americans were faced with controversy over politics on the playing field. In 1968, a silent black-power salute at the Olympic games prompted a similar discourse. And it turns out, these movements don’t just share common themes—the protestors share a common adviser.
Interested in learning more about the surprising connection between these past and present movements? Tune in to RETRO REPORT on PBS, a new series hosted by Celeste Headlee and Masud Olufani, featuring humorist Andy Borowitz, that provides historical context to today’s headlines. RETRO REPORT on PBS premieres Monday, October 7 at 9/8c on PBS, pbs.org and the PBS App.
