How Baltimore Saved Nike’s Air Force 1’s

Black History Year

PushBlack

History, Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2024

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Air Force 1 sneaker is undeniably a cult classic, but in the 80s Nike almost stopped making them. Here’s how Baltimore residents helped save them. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Diet Coke.
0:04.6	Time for a Diet Coke break.
0:08.8	Enjoy what you like.
0:11.7	Just how you like it.
0:16.1	This is my taste.
0:19.8	What's yours? Celebrate your my taste. What's yours?
0:23.0	Celebrate your unique taste with Diet Coke.
0:30.3	The Air Force One sneaker is undeniably a cult classic.
0:35.4	But in the 80s, Nike almost stopped making them.
0:39.1	Here's how Baltimore residents helped save them.
0:43.2	This is Two-Minute Black History, but you didn't learn in school.
0:53.0	In the mid-1980s, almost everyone in Baltimore was rocking the same sneakers.
0:59.7	They were the hottest thing on the block until Nike tried to snatch them back.
1:04.7	But our people were there having that.
1:06.7	Nike's crispy white Air Force One sneakers flew off shelves up and down the East Coast.
1:15.7	People even flock to Baltimore, where they become the city's unofficial shoe to Coppa pair.
1:22.2	When Nike announced they were discontinuing the Air Force One, which had been intended to be a limited edition
1:30.0	sneaker, everyone lost it. Baltimore consumers and retailers couldn't get enough of the shoes
1:36.6	and implored Nike to keep them in production. Baltimore saved the Air Force One, and the shoes became even more popular when hip-hop's finest were seen wearing.
1:50.4	Nellie's 2002 hit Air Force One's helped immortalize the classic sneaker.
1:56.1	And today, Fine Art Show muralist Akeo Evans is helping revive the AF1's Baltimore history.
2:08.9	While sneaker culture is full of co-opters today, it's black roots run deep.
	...

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