The Air Jordan Connection To Black America And The Fight Against The Powers That Be

“It’s Gotta be the shoes!”

That iconic line by Spike Lee’s Mars Blackman in the legendary Nike commercial with Michael Jordan introduced the world to arguably the most consequential item of footwear in history, the Air Jordan, which became the cornerstone of a cultural and commercial revolution that was certainly televised and transcended the world of sports.

The recent release of the film “Air”, which tells the story of the creative and logistical process behind the original Air Jordan has regenerated interest and fascination with not only the product, but the man whose name, image, and likeness speaks for itself.

But to fully comprehend the reasoning behind the phenomena, there must be an appreciation for its origins that are rooted in a cultural tradition that has been both celebrated and reviled by the mainstream.

Jordan’s history is well known.

He was the 3rd overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the lowly Chicago Bulls. Jordan came to the team with an accolade-stacked resume that included a 1982 national championship, 2x Consensus All-American, 2x Player of the Year and a 1984 Olympic gold medal.

When Jordan first stepped onto the floor in the Windy City, it was obvious that he was special. He immediately drew comparisons to Julius “Dr. J” Erving- he had talent, charisma and a flare that attracted everyone to him. His style quickly caught on and through the innovation and persuasion of marketing savant Sonny Vaccaro and the business acumen of Phil Knight at Nike, kids all over the globe quickly wanted to “Be like Mike” in every way.

The Air Jordan 1 made its official debut in 1985. Its original red and black design is embraced by present day standards, but at the time it violated NBA footwear rules. The league expected its players to wear all-white shoes. If they wore black shoes, they had to have some white emblems. Plus, Nike was a startup entity that was trying to compete with the likes of Adidas and Converse, the latter of which dominated the sneaker market at the time with Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Dr. J.

In response to the NBA’s ban, Nike released its first Air Jordan commercial that set the tone for what was soon to follow.

Nike knew that they were taking a chance but bravely risked offending the counterculture of Corporate America anyway.

And the reward was immediate.

In the first month of its release, 450,000 pairs of Air Jordans were sold and the shoe quickly became a staple of urban culture. It also became a touchstone moment during a renaissance period when black culture was more prominent in the mainstream than ever. Celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Prince, Michael Jackson, Eddie Murphy, Mr. T, and Bill Cosby were elevating Black culture to new heights with their talent even as the society around them was at a diametrical crossroads.

Ronald Reagan’s “Mourning in America” was painting a rosy picture of American life, prosperity, and exceptionalism. It promoted the notion that the country was long past the pessimism, conflict and precariousness of the 1960s and 1970s.

Yet in many urban communities, the deindustrialization of the economy resulted in job loss, neighborhood segregation, rampant income inequality and white flight. The War on Drugs, which started under President Richard Nixon, exploded under the Reagan Administration and the draconian laws overwhelmingly devastated Black and Brown communities while swelling the American prison population.

Simultaneously, those same communities were voicing their anger and frustration in a new form of cultural expression called hip-hop. Through rap music, break dancing, and graffiti, the culture quickly spread into the mainstream and found a home in basketball.

The Air Jordan perfectly encapsulated that moment because it, along with Puma, was hip-hop.

But the former surpassed the latter and grew to become much more.

It cut against the grain, felt the heat from the powers at be, and to paraphrase longtime hip-hop journalist and activist Kevin Powell, became something that was created out of nothing and ultimately won on its terms.

The Air Jordan exemplified how black culture/history wrestled with the duality of being both lauded and loathed at the same time. Praised for its innovation and universal hipness but also blamed and scapegoated for things such as kids killing other kids over the shoe.

Black culture has always pushed America to confront itself on its inability to fully live up to its written promise of equality. From the writings of Frederick Douglas to the sermons of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Black America has forced this nation to reexamine itself.

Nike was not exempt from this despite the success of the Air Jordan for Black communities realized that the brand grew through their support, yet that support wasn’t reciprocated by Nike. So like the fight for civil rights, Black America took Nike to task and demanded equal respect and support.

That quality of challenging the power structure, in some ways, strengthened the intimate relationship that blossomed between the Air Jordan brand and Black America.

In the years to come, the brand evolved and found its way into every facet of popular culture. The Jordan symbol was on clothing, accessories, and other products, ultimately reaching critical mass in suburban and rural communities.

Eventually, it found a place outside of basketball through athletes such as Derek Jeter, Roy Jones Jr. and Randy Moss. Each athlete ambassador possessed the Jordan mindset of winning at all costs, but they also had the necessary cultural cache.

Yet despite its growth, Air Jordan never lost its urban origins, roots or power.

So what made it all happen?

It was definitely the shoes!