LOS ANGELES — Former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, who instigated a kneeling protest that aroused the ire of US President Donald Trump, said Thursday he will release an autobiography later this year. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback will release the book through his own publishing company with Audible releasing a spoken-word version. Kaepernick said he wants to "elevate black and brown voices who can empower future generations." In 2016, Kaepernick refused to stand for the US national anthem before a pre-season NFL game to protest police brutality and social injustice. His controversial kneeling protest was joined by other players but had largely waned until 2017 when Trump declared players who kneeled for the anthem were insulting the nation and flag and should be fired from the NFL. The issue was sparked into a national controversy as Kaepernick found himself unable to get a job in the NFL, opting out of his 49ers contract in 2017 only to find no takers in the wake of his kneeling protest. Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017 after accusing the league of collusion but withdrew the grievance in 2019 after reaching an agreement. "My protest was the culmination of years of thought and experiences, of learning and unlearning," Kaepernick said in announcing the book. "I want to tell the story of my evolution and the events that led me to protest systemic oppression in hopes that it will inspire others to rise in action." — AFP