Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick explores his Ghana roots

Colin Kaepernick is still without an NFL job, but he doesn’t seem to be too worried about that.

The former 49ers quarterback - who opted out of his contract in March and made headlines last season with his protest of the national anthem and other social activism - recently traveled to Ghana, which he called “home” Tuesday on Twitter. The tweet contained a minute-long video.

He also posted the video on his Instagram account, which opens with a quote from Frederick Douglass: “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence?”

Not being restricted by Twitter’s 140-character limit, Kaepernick explained further on Instagram:

“‘What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national independence?’ - Frederick Douglass. In a quest to find my personal independence, I had to find out where my ancestors came from. I set out tracing my African ancestral roots, and it lead me to Ghana. Upon finding out this information, I wanted to visit the sites responsible for myself (and many other Black folks in the African Diaspora) for being forced into the hells of the middle passage. I wanted to see a fraction of what they saw before reaching the point of no return. I spent time with the/my Ghanaian people, from visiting the local hospital in Keta and the village of Atito, to eating banku in the homes of local friends, and paying my respects to Kwame Nkrumah’s Memorial Park. I felt their love, and truly I hope that they felt mine in return.”

The social media posts came days after 49ers general manager John Lynch said during a KNBR interview that if Kaepernick wants to play football, he should let NFL leaders know.

Other than a meeting with the Seattle Seahawks in late May, Kaepernick hasn’t sparked much interest around NFL front offices. Despite his activism, which has turned some people off, others would like to see the quarterback play, and fans are still purchasing his No. 7 49ers jersey.