WATCH: Alabama football coach Nick Saban leads players on Black Lives Matter march
The school's vice president of diversity took the opportunity to encourage students to vote.
University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban led players in a march to support "Black Lives Matter."
The University of Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban on Monday led his players on a march in support of Black Lives Matter.
The Alabama football team was joined by other students and athletes in the march from the Mal Moore Athletic Facility to the Foster Auditorium. Saban went on to deliver remarks in front of the Foster Auditorium, a site infamous for Gov. George Wallace’s “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” in 1963.
“I’m proud of our team,” Saban said, according to the Crimson White, the UA student newspaper. “I’m proud of our messengers over here and I’m very proud of the message. Sports have always created a platform to create 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.”
Other speakers at the event included University President Stuart Bell, UA Chief of Police John Hooks, and star running back Najee Harris.
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“The past few months have brought a greater focus to issues that have been prevalent in society for years,” Harris said, according to the Crimson White. “Black men and women have been victims of racism in many different ways through police brutality and hate crimes.”
Redshirt linebacker Jarez Parks said, “My life has been in a constant fear of being and knowing that no matter how educated, how intelligent or how skilled I am that my skin can be a perception changer.”
“We don’t want revenge, we just want fairness and equality, which is something we can all achieve by togetherness,” Parks said.
Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion G. Christine Taylor used the opportunity to encourage players and students to vote, according to the Crimson White.
“The policies that have led to the experiences we have had are set by those who are our elected officials,” Taylor said. “If you want to see change, the first thing you gotta do is get out and vote.”
Students and athletes in the march displayed signs with messages like “All Lives Can’t Matter Until Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace!”
The University of Alabama did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
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