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Black History Month: How Harry Edwards Fueled Generations of Athlete Activism

This February, Sports Illustrated is celebrating Black History Month by spotlighting a different iconic athlete or group of athletes every day. Today, SI looks back on the legacy of Harry Edwards.

Harry Edwards helped encourage multiple generations of athlete activism.

The sociologist and professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley was the man behind John Carlos and Tommie Smith's famous protest during the 1968 Summer Olympics. He also served as an adviser to Colin Kaepernick before and after the quarterback started to kneel during the playing of the national anthem to protest racial injustice.