Everything You Need to Know About the Nike 4th of July Sneaker Controversy
In a thematic red, white, and blue colorway, Nike‘s Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July sneakers were set to be released on Monday, just in time for the national holiday. But as of Tuesday, that had all changed.
The sportswear behemoth canceled distribution of the limited-edition shoe, deciding against the prominent design element featured on back of the shoe: the 13-star American flag, also known as the Betsy Ross flag, which is most directly associated with the American Revolutionary era. That just scratches the surface of the conversation surrounding the sneakers from the moment images were fist released.
In a statement to Glamour, the company said: “We regularly make business decisions to withdraw initiatives, products and services. Nike made the decision to halt distribution of the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July shoe based on concerns that it could unintentionally offend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday.”
“Nike is a company proud of its American heritage and our continuing engagement supporting thousands of American athletes including the US Olympic team and US Soccer teams,” the statement continued. “We already employ 35,000 people in the U.S. and remain committed to creating jobs in the U.S., including a significant investment in an additional manufacturing center which will create 500 new jobs.”
Here’s how a Nike found itself at the center of a heated political debate—and how one of the brand’s biggest stars got involved.
The Sneakers
Photos of the special Air Max 1s first emerged at the end of June. And as they began circulating on social media, the sneakers began getting negative feedback. Comments on a post on Sneaker New’s Instagram account suggested the Betsy Ross flag wasn’t necessarily a celebratory patriotic symbol, but rather one that calls to mind an ugly period of American history.
The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported that Colin Kaepernick, the activist and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, privately expressed concerns over the use of the 13-star flag, which dates back to times of slavery and has been re-appropriated by groups that laud a time before the establishment of the federal government, according to CNBC, and, at times, has been linked to white supremacists. Following his intervention, Nike reportedly decided to pull the shoe altogether.
The decision to cease distribution was “based on concerns that it could unintentionally offend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday,” said Nike spokesperson Sandra Carreon-John to the Times. But the rest of the country’s response—specifically from the right—was not necessarily on the same page.
The Flag’s Symbolism
Even as the history that ties Ross to the original flag’s design remains the stuff of legend, not explicitly fact, the most recent use of it is what’s currently driving the backlash to the Nike sneaker.