University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban led a Black Lives Matter march across the school’s campus this week.
“I’m proud of our team, I’m proud of our messengers over here, and I’m very proud of the message. I’m very proud of the ’All lives can’t matter until black lives matter’ video that we did early on that I think had a very positive impact,” Saban said, adding that he’s also “like a proud parent.” “That was something we did together as a team.”
Saban led football players and other university athletes on a march to the Foster Auditorium schoolhouse door, where former Alabama Gov. George Wallace hosted a stand-in in an attempt to block black students from entering the university in 1963. Players were wearing shirts that read “Defend Black Lives” and “Black Lives Matter” and held banners during the march.
“Sports has always created a platform for social change. For each of us involved in sports, I think we have a responsibility and obligation to do that in a responsible way and use our platform in a positive way to try to create social change in positive ways,” he added.
Running back Najee Harris said the march was about creating “lasting CHANGE” and that it was an attempt to “rid our world of social injustices.”
We want all Alabama athletes to join us. This isn’t a fan day … this isn’t a football game … this is about lasting CHANGE!
— Najee Harris (@ohthatsNajee22) August 29, 2020
Several football players and university staff spoke at the event, including Harris, Jarez Parks, and Chris Owens.
“This call for change cannot end here today. We walk to this schoolhouse door intentionally because, while much has changed in the last 57 years, too many things have not. So in the present moment, we as student-athletes need to play our part in bringing out positive change.” Harris said. “We need change in our system of law enforcement, we need change in our communities, and we need change in our hearts.”
Parks told the crowd that he feared for his life every time that he leaves his home.
“Every time I walk out of the doors of my house and I get the chance to come back home, I have to thank God, tremendously, because I knew walking out could be my possible last time of doing so. My life has been in a constant fear of being and knowing that no matter how educated, how intelligent, how skilled I am, that my skin can be a perception-changer,” he said. “We don’t want revenge. We just want fairness and equality, which is something we can all achieve by togetherness.”
Black Lives Matter protests have spread across the United States over the summer. The deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, as well as the shooting of Jacob Blake, have been motivating factors for protests in major cities and small towns.
