Graduation Year
2019
Date of Submission
4-2019
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
American Studies
Reader 1
Dan Livesay
Reader 2
Thomas Kim
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2019 Torrey Hart
Abstract
This paper examines the way journalists have covered national anthem protests since Colin Kaepernick began kneeling in late 2016. It analyzes the language used to discuss the protest in order to discover how the media obscured Kaepernick’s initial intent. It then assesses the language used in discussion of subsequent protests in professional sports, concluding that writers learned how to better frame their subjects from the public’s reception to and understanding of Kaepernick. In the early days of his demonstration, stories often lacked crucial information: whether it was general context, or the approval of Green Beret Nate Boyer. The paper circles back to Kaepernick, discussing his Nike ad campaign, its media coverage, and how capitalizing on his fame obfuscated his movement forever. From this, we learn the importance of active reading and paying attention to the biases or misinformation in media coverage.
Recommended Citation
Hart, Torrey, "Coverage of American Anthem Protests in the Kaepernick Age" (2019). CMC Senior Theses. 2183.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2183
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
