September 2016

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the pre-game national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. The act of protest inspired widespread emulation across professional and amateur sports, triggered a national debate about patriotism and racial justice, and ultimately cost Kaepernick his NFL career—for which he later received a collusion settlement.

Donald Glover's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama Atlanta premiered on FX to critical rapture, winning the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series—the first time in the award's history a Black creator had won in that category. The show's surrealist depiction of Black life in Atlanta redefined what prestige television could look like.

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture opened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., after decades of advocacy. Designed by David Adjaye and housing more than 36,000 artifacts across 400,000 square feet, it drew over a million visitors in its first five months.

Solange Knowles's third studio album debuted at number one and was praised as a nuanced meditation on Blackness, womanhood, and Southern identity. It won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance and established Solange as a significant artist in her own right, distinct from her more famous sister.

Ava DuVernay's documentary 13th, named for the constitutional amendment that abolished slavery except as punishment for crime, examined the history of racial inequality in the United States criminal justice system. It was the first documentary to open the New York Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Marvel's Luke Cage premiered on Netflix with Mike Colter in the title role, becoming the first American superhero television series with a Black lead. Set in Harlem and saturated with hip-hop music and Black cultural references, it was watched by millions and sparked conversation about the politics of Black superhero narratives.

The Smithsonian opens its landmark museum on the National Mall.