Chicago Bears linebacker Sam Acho discusses 50 years of kneel-down protests at North Park University

-- Acho will speak at this free event, held 12:30-2:30 p.m. October 3 at North Park University's Anderson Chapel.

-- Also speaking will be 1968 Olympic Medalist Dr. John Carlos, who famously extended a fist to protest inequality at his medal ceremony.

-- Acho and Carlos will discuss the history of sports protests and why they are relevant today.

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North Park University

Oct 01, 2018, 16:59 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- North Park University will welcome Chicago Bears linebacker Sam Acho, now in his eighth season in the National Football League, and Dr. John Carlos, a 1968 Olympic bronze medalist who famously gave the Black Power salute on the medal podium. They will address the modern-day implications of kneel-down protests in sports, particularly in the NFL.

The event is being sponsored by North Park's Catalyst 606__ program, which incorporates Chicago's culture and institutions into classroom curriculum through field trips and on-campus events and lectures.

Acho, who serves as the NFL Players Association representative, describes himself as "a football player, humanitarian, public speaker, and committed Christian." http://samacho.com/about/.

Dr. Carlos, who won a bronze medal for the United States in Track and Field at the 1968 Olympics, made headlines when he lifted his fist into the air and went shoeless during the medal ceremony, a move meant to bring attention to the world's underprivileged population. The controversial gesture has become an iconic moment in sports protests.

Fast forward nearly five decades, and 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is in the news for kneeling during the national anthem, spurring outrage among those who say the protest dishonors veterans. Conversely, athletes, many of them African-American, say the kneeling is a way to protest police brutality and other issues affecting their communities.

Acho and Dr. Carlos will discuss the consequences of Kaepernick's actions and, more broadly, the intersection of sports and protest over the past 50 years. They will also discuss athletes' motivations and the repercussions of these protests.

This event is free and open to the general public.

This Catalyst on Campus event is sponsored by the North Park University Campus Theme, Student Activities Office, and University Ministries.

ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

North Park University is a city-centered, intercultural, and Christian university located in Chicago.

https://www.northpark.edu/

SOURCE North Park University