Legacy of Inspiration: The Black Fives & Nike

The award-winning author, historian, and Black Fives brand creator Claude Johnson will discuss the history of the early African American basketball teams depicted on his iconic “Legacy of Inspiration” sneaker collaboration with Nike in 2003–04. He will also talk about  how that collab came to be, his own experiences at Nike as a product line manager in its branded basketball-apparel group, and, of course, those limited-edition styles themselves, including Air Force Is, IIs, and IIIs, Dunk Highs and Lows, Vandal Highs and Lows, and Blazers. Johnson, whose 2022 book, The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball’s Forgotten Era, won the Museum of African American History’s Stone Book Award, remains the only historian ever to obtain a sneaker deal.

Accessibility Note: This program will be livestreamed on Poster House’s Youtube Channel. Masks and clear masks are available free of charge at the museum. Assistive-listening devices and stools are available. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is available upon request. Please contact access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387 to request interpretation services and to address any other accessibility needs. For other event related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org.