Colin Kaepernick is the co-editor of a new book titled “Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies.” The New Republic published an interview of sorts (Kaepernick responded to emailed questions) about the book yesterday. In the interview we learn that black studies are for everyone but, well, not exactly everyone. I’ll let Kaepernick explain it.

Black Studies is for everyone: Black students, non-Black students of color, Indigenous students, and white students. It is worth mentioning, however, that working to develop a sophisticated understanding of Black history and being in authentic relationship with Black people is an absolute necessity in order for white people to support the Black freedom movement without unknowingly doing great harm in the process. When you think of white conspirators across history like Marilyn Buck, Viola Liuzzo, and John Brown—to name just a few—they knew that U.S. history was inseparable from Black history, and this approach informed their political action.

Marilyn Buck is a white woman and a Marxist who was convicted of a long list of crimes including helping Assata Shakur aka JoAnne Chesimard escape prison and bombing the US Capitol.

1973: Illegal firearms purchase / gun runner for the Black Liberation Army. Received 10-year prison sentence.

1977: Escape / Interstate flight to avoid Prosecution. Absconded after furlough from a West Virginia federal prison.

1978: Armored Car robbery at the Livingston Mall; $200,000.

1979: Armored Car Robbery at Bamberger’s in Paramus getaway driver; $105,000

1979: Aiding and Abetting escape/ Harboring a Fugitive JoAnne Chesimard’s jailbreak; getaway driver.

1981 Brinks Armored Car Robbery/ murder of two police officers and a guard. Convicted in 1988- 50 year prison sentence

1983: Terrorist Bombing of US Capital; Convicted, 10 year prison sentence

1983: Terrorist Bombing of National War College; Convicted, 10 year prison sentence

1984: Terrorist Bombing at Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C; Convicted, 10 year prison sentence

1984: Terrorist Bombing at South African Consulate in New York City; Convicted, 10 year prison sentence

1985: Captured

Viola Liuzzo was a white woman involved in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and was shot to death by members of the KKK. And of course John Brown was a white abolitionist who carried out a famous raid at Harper’s Ferry. Brown survived the raid but was convicted on multiple charges and executed. So, to sum up, Kaepernick is saying that if you’re white you can only avoid doing harm to black people if you’re willing to kill, die or be executed. A bit later on we learn you also have to be a socialist/Marxist.

I.O.: You put this book together with two of the most prominent Black Marxists in the country, and most, if not all, of the featured writers are anti-capitalists. How did this collaboration come about?

C.K.: I’ve long admired Keeanga and Robin’s work as well as their uncompromising political analysis and understanding that Black liberation simply isn’t possible under capitalism. I think the anthology makes this argument quite well, and I hope it challenges readers to see that racism is not white supremacy’s only ingredient. White supremacy persists in part because of its relationship with capitalism, heteropatriarchy, ableism, and so on.

The idea that Black liberation is incompatible with capitalism must have come as a shock to Kaepernick’s money manager. The man was an NFL quarterback and made millions of dollars a year:

Kaepernick made enough money playing football to live comfortably for the rest of his life.

In 2011, he got a $2.2 million signing bonus and a $375,000 annual salary from the San Francisco 49ers, earning $2.6 million for the year. He made $607,000 in 2012; $740,000 in 2013 with a $100,000 workout bonus.

In 2014, Kaepernick re-upped with the 49ers, nabbing a $12.3 million signing bonus and $645,000 for the year, plus a $100,000 workout bonus. His stock got even bigger a year later, when he earned a $10.4 million salary, $1.25 million roster bonus plus a $400,000 workout bonus and a $4,920 incentive. His salary increased once more in 2016 to $11.9 million, plus a $2 million roster bonus and $400,000 workout bonus.

His total NFL salary earnings are more than $24.6 million…

In total from salaries and bonuses, Kaepernick earned $43.79 million from the NFL. In 2019, it was reported that he received somewhere south of $10 million in a settlement with the league over allegations that franchises within the NFL colluded to keep him out after his kneeling protests.

This does not include however much he made from his partnership with Nike which is also believed to be in the millions. So it’s interesting that he’s now aligning himself with Marxists and denouncing capitalism as incompatible with his social justice goals. He’s done pretty well for himself under the capitalist system.