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UPDATE: More coverage of history, variously sourced as to publisher, here, here, here, and here.
If you like court papers and what they tell you, this item, with only the signature page imaged for this post:
Same theme, arguably cumulative, undeniably informative: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Collateral to such history, today Nike makes history, it advertises and the Monitor reports:
Last week, Kaepernick scored a legal victory in his grievance against the NFL and its 32 teams when an arbitrator allowed his case to continue to trial. The quarterback claims that owners conspired to keep him out of the league because of his protests of social injustice.
Kaepernick contends the owners violated their collective bargaining agreement with players by conspiring to keep him off teams. His case hinges on whether owners worked together rather than decided individually to not sign Kaepernick.
A similar grievance is still pending by former 49ers teammate Eric Reid, a Pro Bowl safety who joined in the protests.
On Friday night, Kaepernick and Mr. Reid, also now out of the league, were each given huge ovations when they were introduced and shown on the big screen during a match between Serena and Venus Williams at the US Open.
N.Y. Times:
Serena Williams, LeBron James, Odell Beckham Jr., Shaquem Griffin and Lacey Baker are also part of the “Just Do It” anniversary campaign.
Nike’s decision to make new Kaepernick merchandise and to make him the face of a campaign could, if they are successful for the company, undercut the argument from N.F.L. owners that he is bad for business. Previously, Nike stated that it “supports athletes and their right to freedom of expression on issues that are of great importance to our society,” but the company had not used Kaepernick in any recent ad campaigns.
There is reason to believe that Kaepernick, despite not playing, will move merchandise. During the second quarter of 2017, his officially licensed jersey was the 39th-best selling in the league. As an unsigned free agent, he was the only player in the top 50 of those rankings not signed to a team.
USA Today:
"We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward," Gino Fisanotti, Nike's vice president of brand for North America, told ESPN.
"We wanted to energize its meaning and introduce 'Just Do It' to a new generation of athletes," Fisanotti said.
A salute to Nike for a mid-hand salute to - whoever, it being the private sector business world telling, resonant resolution sells. More than hate, education of wrong-headedness away and into the dustbin of discredited outlooks should always prevail, long-term. Not in my lifetime and I lived one year in New Orleans. It was 1954, being there when the Brown decision was handed down, attending Robert E. Lee grade school on Corrollton Ave. A school that has since been renamed.
FURTHER: While Nike merits praise, the cynic might speculate whether Nike bought two complementary seats for a tennis match featuring one if its athletes of the brand winning against her sister.