Nike struck down a plan to release a shoe featuring the original version of the U.S. flag this week at the request of Colin Kaepernick, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The shoe, the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July, featured a logo of the original U.S. flag designed by Betsy Ross, with 13 stars in a circle.
The Journal reports that Kaepnerick told Nike it shouldn’t use that version of the flag, as he and others consider it an offensive symbol due to its connection to a time when slavery was legal.
Colin Kaepernick reached out to Nike saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery https://t.co/6Y2mIlbAuT
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 2, 2019
In a statement, Nike said it chose not to release the shoe “as it featured an old version of the American flag.”
Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem in 2016 to protest racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. He has not played in the NFL since opting out of his contract after that season.
A sponsored Nike athlete since 2011, Kaepernick was featured in a new ad campaign at the start of the 2018 NFL season.
Nike still offers the Air Max 1 in red, white and blue, saying the shoe “updates the legendary design with patriotic colors.”
According to the Journal, Nike asked retailers to send back the shoes with the U.S. flag on them.