On Monday afternoon, Alabama center Chris Owens and the rest of the Crimson Tide marched to Foster Auditorium in protest of ongoing acts of racial injustice.
On this infamous site, former Alabama Gov. George Wallace stood in front of the schoolhouse doors to physically and symbolically block integration in 1963. Owens joined Alabama running back Najee Harris, coach Nick Saban, and others when it came time to address the crowd.
"I wanted to have words that weren't just mine but could reflect for everyone," Owens said on Tuesday. "And that could not only show how we're feeling at times like this but also push a positive message that could help create change.
"You don't want to go up there and say anything. You want to actually have impactful words."
Owens said he was encouraged by the turnout for the march and the attendance of campus authority figures such as president Stuart Bell among others.
Saban's presence at the front of the march wasn't lost on the Alabama center either.
"We didn't have to pull teeth," Owens said. "He truly cares about us, so he wanted to be upfront, and he wanted to let everyone know that he has our backs. ... We really do appreciate him because coach Saban is someone who is very powerful, not just in the college football industry, but all over the world. And to have someone like that on our side who truly cares about us is really special."
Monday was hardly the first time the offensive lineman publicly voiced his frustrations surrounding the topic of racial injustice.
Not all of the responses to Owens' tweets have been kind. The Crimson Tide center said he doesn't pay much attention to those opinions.
Instead, he'd rather focus his energy on representing his teammates well when given such a platform.
"I'm only a 22-year man, but the things I've seen and experienced in my life have been enough for me to grow tired of the struggles Black people have to deal with in this society," Owens said during his remarks on Monday. "As Black people, there are cultural norms that we have to learn to stay safe in society: keep your hands on the steering wheel; always keep a receipt in case you purchased anything.
"Why can't we be equal?"
