It was a silent sit-down protest that stirred America's racial melting pot, and now a pastor and his church have come out in support.
Last month, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started refusing to stand up for the playing of the national anthem during preseason NFL games in protest against what he deemed were the wrongdoings being done on African Americans and minorities in the United States, including police brutality.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour," The Christian Post quoted Kaepernick as telling the NFL. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way."
Referring to the series of controversial police killing of blacks, Kaepernick said, "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder. I am not looking for approval. I have to stand up for people that are oppressed. ... If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right."
At first, Kaepernick was alone in his protest, but he has since been joined by several other NFL players and other professional, college and high school athletes, according to SB Nation.
Now, the biracial athlete can also count on the support of a man of God and his church.
Pastor Jamal Bryant of the Empowerment Temple AME Church in Baltimore, Maryland, said early this month that he approves of Kaepernick's sit-down protest. To dramatise his support, Bryant even wore the NFL quarterback's jersey during Sunday service on Sept. 4.
During his sermon, he encouraged his congregation to remain seated during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," saying that if Kaepernick could stand up against injustices done to black people, then his congregation, majority of whom are black, could very well do the same.
"I want to let him [Kaepernick] know that there's a conscientious black church in Baltimore that got his back," Bryant said.
The congregation then held their fists up while seated during the playing of the national anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick, a sight which Bryant later described as "amazing" in an Instagram post.
Kaepernick is also an outspoken defender of the Christian faith. He sports a tattoo of Psalm 18:39 on his throwing shoulder that reads: "You arm me with strength for battle."
