Bruce Springsteen will be honored by the ACLU with the ACLU Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Arts, Business, Science, and Sports.

According to a press release, the award recognizes "profound contributions to American thought and culture." The release notes that the honor “underscores the ACLU’s recognition that the defense of our rights takes many forms, disciplines, platforms, and generations."

Springsteen is being honored alongside former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

“Bruce Springsteen and Colin Kaepernick epitomize talent with a purpose,” Anthony D. Romero, ACLU executive director, says. “Bruce Springsteen’s iconic songs like ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ date back decades, and so does his advocacy on behalf of civil rights and liberties.”

He adds, “We are proud of the partnerships the ACLU has formed with Bruce and Colin, and we’re honored to recognize their lifetime achievements with one of the ACLU’s highest honors.”

Springsteen’s most recent partnership with the ACLU happened back in March, when he allowed the organization to use “Born in the U.S.A.” for an ad campaign tied to the Supreme Court’s birthright citizenship case.

Springsteen and Kaepernick will be honored at the ACLU's biennial awards ceremony July 24 in Washington, D.C.

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