Former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, was one of eight people welcomed by Harvard University Thursday for their contributions to the history and culture of blacks.

The eight recipients of the prestigious W.E.B. The Du Bois Medal was honored at a ceremony held Thursday afternoon by the Hutchins African-American Research Center at Harvard "in recognition of their contributions to African and Afro-American culture and to the life of the # 39; mind. "

As Kaepernick asked, his speech at the ceremony was not broadcast live (a live stream of the event was available). In his speech, Kaepernick encouraged new demonstrations against racial inequality.

"I think it is not only my responsibility, but also all our responsibilities as persons occupying positions of privilege, power, to continue to fight for them and to elevate them, to empower them", said Kaepernick. "Because if we do not do it, we become complicit in the problem."

Here is a complete transcript of his speech:

The other winners were Dave Chappelle, comedian; Kenneth Chenault, President and CEO of General Catalyst; Shirley Ann Jackson, President of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Pamela Joyner, Founder of Avid Partners, LLC; Florence Ladd, psychologist and author; Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative; and the artist Kehinde Wiley.

Past winners are Muhammad Ali (2015) and Maya Angelou (2014).

Kaepernick – who spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, including helping the team lead the Super Bowl XLVII – sparked a heated national debate when he began to kneel for The stars and stripes in 2016 to protest police brutality and social injustice.

Two seasons after beginning to kneel to protest the police and racial injustices, Kaepernick is still missing from the NFL. His actions prompted dozens of other NFL players to demonstrate. President Donald Trump fueled the problem and politicized the peaceful protest while departing from the NFL's Twitter account. United States today's analysis of Sunday evening football viewers revealed that the protests of players at the national anthem had only little effect on the league's television ratings.

Kaepernick was the centerpiece of the 30th anniversary of Nike's Just Do It campaign. His efforts earned him the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience award in April.

Contribute: The Associated Press.