Free agent NFL quarterback and controversial political activist Colin Kaepernick announced plans to publish a memoir to be released via his own publishing venture, Kaepernick Publishing, in 2020. The yet to be titled memoir will also be released as an audiobook in 2020 as part of an exclusive multi-project agreement between Kaepernick Publishing and Audible, Amazon’s audio content platform.
Best known as a star NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49’ers and for taking that team to Super bowl in 2012, Kaepernick is also renowned for his social activism after kneeling during the national anthem to protest systemic American racial discrimination. According to a release, Kaepernick’s memoir will examine his life experiences prior to his pro football career and their impact on his commitment to social justice, as well as the polarizing consequences of his act of nonviolent protest and his subsequent efforts to return to the NFL.
According to Kaepernick’s Twitter account, Kaepernick Publishing is being launched “to create opportunities for Black and Brown writers, authors, and creators to control their narratives and retain ownership.” Although the release indicated that the new publishing venture will release works by a variety of creators, no other projects beyond the Kaepernick memoir have been identified,
Audible senior v-p content acquisition and development Rachel Ghiazza said of the audiobook release: “In this recording, Colin Kaepernick takes listeners through the pivotal moments and experiences that inspired a national debate and cultural movement.”
She added that, “We are thrilled to embark on this groundbreaking creative venture with Kaepernick Publishing in which together we can elevate stories and perspectives that need to be heard.”
Although the memoir will be published in print and e-book formats by Kaepernick Publishing (in partnership with Melcher Media), the title and exact date of the memoir’s release was not announced. The book will be distributed to the trade via Two Rivers Distribution, an Ingram company.
“My protest was the culmination of years of thought and experiences, of learning and unlearning,” Kaepernick said in a prepared statement about the forthcoming memoir. “I want to tell the story of my evolution, and the events that led me to protest systemic oppression, in hopes that it will inspire others to rise in action.”
