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Customized Sigma Gamma Rho Converse sneakers for member MC Lyte

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Manufactured by

    Converse, American, founded 1908

    Owned by

    MC Lyte, American, born 1970

    Subject of

    Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., founded 1922

    Description

    A pair of gold and blue satin Converse sneakers customized for Sigma Gamma Rho sorority member MC Lyte. The shoes have white rubber toe caps, white rubber with black rubber stripes around the bottom sides, and a black rubber rectangle with the words "ALL STAR" printed in white at the center back heel. The vamp and tongue are faced in gold satin fabric with blue stitching. Text is embroidered in blue on the outside heel of each shoe, with the left shoe reading "MC LYTE" and the right shoe reading "est. 1922" in reference to the sorority's founding year. A stripe of blue satin is attached at the center back heel with gold embroidered text of the Greek alphabet letters for Sigma Gamma Rho. A white fabric tag with black embroidery reading "ALL STAR" is attached to the top of each tongue. The shoes are laced with white nylon shoelaces with clear plastic aglets. The outer soles are of black rubber with nonslip groove designs. The lining of the shoes is made of blue canvas with repeating text in gold reading "1922". The insoles are made from rubber faced in white canvas with "CONVERSE" printed in black ink near the heel. Size 8 and materials are printed onto the reverse of each tongue.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of MC Lyte

    Date

    2005-2010

    Object number

    2011.118.3ab

    Restrictions & Rights

    © Nike
    Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    sneakers

    Medium

    satin, rubber, canvas, metal, and nylon shoelaces with plastic aglets

    Dimensions

    H x W x D (left shoe (a)): 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (9.5 × 8.9 × 26.7 cm)
    H x W x D (right shoe (b)): 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (9.5 × 8.9 × 26.7 cm)

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Clothing - Fashion and Historical

    Exhibition

    Musical Crossroads

    On View

    NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 053

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Associations and institutions
    Clothing and dress
    Fashion
    Hip-hop (Music)
    Rappers (Musicians)
    Sororities
    Women
    Women's organizations

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd50fed86a8-9b7f-4bd6-8b7e-0783d490ee5a

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2011.118.3ab

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