Republican officials in Wisconsin have reportedly scrapped Colin Kaepernick’s name from the state’s annual Black History Month celebration, CBS reports.
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Black Caucus, which is composed of Democrats, reportedly drafted their annual resolution to honor dozens of African-Americans from Wisconsin who have made tremendous contributions to the state and history. An early draft included the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback. The resolution credited Kaepernick, who is a Milwaukee native, an an athlete and political activist who “has sought to raise attention to racial injustice and systemic oppression.” The Republicans reportedly refused to sign off on the resolution until the Black Caucus agreed to remove Kaepernick’s name.
The GOP suggested they would not endorse the inclusion of Kaepernick’s name on the resolution due to his controversial protest during the national anthem. Democratic Rep. David Crowley, the resolution’s author, called the move a “slap in the face” and a “textbook example of white privilege.”
This isn’t the first time Wisconsin’s lawmakers have attempted to pass on controversial names in the Black History Month resolution. Just last year, the GOP attempted to discard of prominent black leaders like Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, who has been vocal about his support of the Black Lives Matter movement, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The final version does not include the former NFL star’s name, but has not been approved yet.