Colin in Back and White

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Colin in Black and White

Creators: Colin Kaepernick & Ava DuVernay

Production Company: ARRAY

Streaming Service: Netflix

Release Date: October 2021

Format: TV Show (Mini Series)

Genre: Drama/ Sport/ Biography/ BIPOC Voice

Awards: Image Award Outstanding Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special- 2022

Rating: TV-14 (Netflix)

Run Time: 30-35 minutes

Plot Summary:

Colin in Black and White is a biographical story of Colin Kaepernick and his experience growing up in high school, playing sports, being adopted by white parents, and mostly about life as a black person, kid, and athlete. This story outlines the personal and cultural journey that Colin Kaepernick went through to become a star NFL quarterback, cultural icon, and civil rights activist. Full of rich cultural history and context Colin in Black and White attempts to shed light on some realities of the athletic sphere as well as the structure of life he lives in.

Creator Background:

Colin Kaepernick was a Quarterback for the San Fransisco 49ers for six seasons, until the NFL blacklisted him from playing because he kneeled during the "Star Spangled Banner" in response to police violence and systemic oppression towards people of color. Currently Colin Kaepernick is a cultural icon and a civil rights activist. He is the founder and funds Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing. Some books he has written are I Color Myself Different, Change the Game, and We are Free, You & Me (Kaepernick7, n.d.).

Ava DuVernayn is an American director, producer, and writer who's work focuses on the African American experience. "DuVernay was the first African American woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe for best director and the first African American woman to direct a film that was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture" (Britannica, 2024). She also founded Array formerly known as African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement which promotes women and people of color in the film industry (Britannica, 2024).

Critical Evaluation:

I am not a crazy football fan but I do enjoy it, my favorite team is the San Fransisco 49ers. When Colin Kaepernick took a knee I was a teenager, and I remember thinking that it was pretty stupid that people were so outraged by his actions especially given what he kneeled for. Since then I have thought about that event every now and then as I have been pretty involved in the sports sphere. Colin in Black and White seemed to be chasing me since it has come out. I have caught clips of it on social media but I never knew what the show was or what is was about until I was looking through the teen section on Netflix. Once I saw it it felt like a sign that I had to see it. Colin Kaepernick is a hero and makes history in real time. This series opened my eyes to so much, taught me incredible and saddening things, encourages me to be a better person to the people around me, and realize when I have failed my peers. This show does not aim to make people feel bad for how they have treated others or how they may have participated in institutionalized racism or micro aggressions. It attempts to educate and provide a space space for teens of color and others to acknowledge the realities of racism and oppression of the world and demand the need for change. It is done so in an engaging, colorful, historical, and real way. The show is impactful in a way that makes me want to sit with each episode and let it sink within me before moving on to the next.

Creative Use for Library Program:

Activists Jeopardy Night- Teens come to the library for a fun/educational game night of Activist Jeopardy. With tons of snacks and prizes teens will compete and learn about different civil rights activists in different areas like sports, film/theater, religion, art, music, and education.

Speed Round Trailer:

Do you ever wonder what happened to Colin Kaepernick after he got blacklisted by the NFL for kneeling during the "Star Spangled Banner" in response to violence and oppression towards people of color? What about before? Watch Colin in Black and White to discover more about this cultural icon and the world around him when he was a teen!

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:

The content in this limited series is done with much care, it would be difficult to challenge this series as inappropriate. Some may claim that it is politically charged and right-wing folks may dislike how this series portrays politicians and society. However, this seems to be the point of the show. Colin in Black and White aims to challenge inequity and expose injustices. This series is important and needs to be seen, it was not designed to bring viewer comfort.

Reason for Inclusion:

I saw clips of this series on social media and was hooked but I had no idea what show it was from until I was browsing my Netflix teen drama section. I picked this show because it sucks you in it makes you feel so many emotions some being uncomfortable ones. This show is perfect for teens because its educational and is about someone they care about. In an interview with the LA Times Kaepernick says "“I want black and brown communities, particularly youth, to know we will face racism, we will face white supremacy, we will face oppressive systems, but we have the power to overcome them and the power to change them... I want them to know we don’t have to accept the status quo, and ultimately, I want them to be their full selves and to stand firmly in their full power” (Ordoña, 2021).

Check Out:

Above to the left is the is the Instagram account for Kaepernick Publishing, discover some amazing titles by authors doing amazing things!

References:

Britannica. (2024). Ava DuVernay. https://www.britannica.com/art/directing

Valentine, G. (2024). Ava DuVernay [Photo]. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/ava-duvernay-wants-to-build-a-new-system

IMDb. (n.d.). Colin in Black and White. Accessed July 2024 from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12624928/?ref_=ttawd_ov

Kaepernick7. (n.d.). The Mission. Accessed July 2024 from https://kaepernick7.com/pages/mission

Kaepernick Publishing. (n.d.). Home. Accessed July 2024 from https://www.kaepernickpublishing.com/

Netflix. (2021, November). Born Natural | Colin in Black and White [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/GiWHsgs77QY?feature=shared

Ordoña, M. (2021). Colin Kaepernick’s fingerprints are all over his Netflix biopic. Even what it leaves out. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2021-10-26/netflix-colin-in-black-and-white-kaepernick-ava-duvernay-michael-starrbury

@kaepernickpublishing. (n.d.) [Account]. Instagram. Accessed July 2024 from https://www.instagram.com/kaepernickpublishing/