Members of a New Jersey high school football team followed NFL players like Colin Kaepernick and Brandon Marshall by kneeling during the national anthem to protest social and economic injustice. Woodrow Wilson school’s predominantly non-white team, led by coach Preston Brown, took a stand inspired by their experiences. Brown, who initially planned to kneel alone, highlighted the anthem’s unsung third verse’s problematic lines: “No refuge could save the hireling and slave.” He explained, “Because of recent events…being an African-American student athlete, I felt it was an appropriate time.” Some students joined in, citing shared experiences of poverty and local issues. The Camden City School District supported the students’ right to express themselves, emphasizing the importance of engagement with social justice issues.
