Converse, Inc., the global footwear and apparel brand recognized around the world for its iconic All Star sneakers recently announced it will be releasing a Breaking Down Barriers collection, which pays homage to and is inspired by the 1954-1955 Crispus Attucks High School basketball team. Led by a young Oscar Robertson, the team won Indiana’s State basketball championship – marking it as the first time an all-Black team won the state title.
Their story is all the more remarkable as the young men faced profound prejudice at home and across the state. In fact, the reason for the team’s existence was due primarily to segregation; it wasn’t until 1942 that they were granted membership to compete in the tournament.
In honor of the trailblazing 1955 Crispus Attucks High School team, Converse features the champions’ team colors, as well as materials representative of their varsity letterman’s jacket on the original basketball sneaker, the Chuck 70 and the classic Converse Pro Leather.
“We are honored to have Converse showcase the Crispus Attucks 1955 state championship team,” said Chris Hawkins, Crispus Attucks athletic director. “Those players not only broke barriers then, but their achievements continue to encourage and inspire our players today. These newly designed shoes offer a beautiful, tangible reminder that if you work hard, you can achieve success.”
A nationwide release is planned for this spring. More details, including availability and pricing will be released soon. Read more about the Converse Breaking Down Barriers collection and view the full spring 2021 All Star lineup HERE.