Design is subjective, tone deafness and impact are not.
Recently, Nike announced a new sneaker in the LeBron line that is to allegedly “Honor The King”. The only king they really seem to be acknowledging is LeBron, not Dr. King. While an (underwhelming) MLK-inspired colorway is nothing new at The Swoosh, this attempt is incredibly egregious.
For starters, one can’t help but question who the shoe is really about. Nike has made it clear that this colorway is 1 of 23 special designs meant to commemorate LeBron James’ career. That in and of itself should raise concern. Is this shoe really for Dr. King’s Legacy, or is it a convenient co-sign? Couple that with the fact that Nike has also stated that the colorway is also supposed to commemorate LeBron’s 51 point performance against memphis in 2008. Another seemingly convenient answer, seeing as the Grizzlies were not wearing teal jerseys at the time, and it happened 18 years ago, which doesn’t make for a very commemorative anniversary.
Since we’re on the topic of Memphis: Dr. King was there to fight for the rights of sanitation workers and against the failures of capitalism, and yet, Nike saw fit to honor him by making the colorway and charging $200 for it. But hey, at least they put “Equality” on the shoe, right?
And on the other reference of the colorway: The Lorraine Motel. The location in question is where Martin Luther King Jr., was killed on April 4, 1968. How is Nike possibly honoring Dr. King by using the colorway of a place in which he was killed? If someone at Nike, ideally someone who was in the room when the decision was made to release the shoe would care to explain this, please contact us. From the outside looking in, it is very apparent that out of all the Black people employed at Nike, there are not enough of them holding important positions when it comes to these decisions. If they are, they simply aren’t educated enough. There is simply no excuse for this.
Since you came here to learn ways to actually honor Dr. King and not to read my gripe, let’s do that. A list of things you can do, but are definitely not limited to, are:
Read his works.
I promise you’ll learn more than Nike and “The King” will ever teach you about MLK or equality.
Hell, read Malcolm X, W.E.B. DuBois and James Baldwin too. You just might have a deeper understanding into The Souls of Black Folk.
Use your sneakers to protest, march, and rally for social justice.
At the time of this writing, there is ample opportunity in The United States to do this.
Give back to your community.
Donate, volunteer, advocate. Attend local community events, even if it is as simple as a neighborhood exercise walk.
Vote.
Take politics at every level.
Embrace diversity.
And truly embrace it. Try to understand their lived experiences as best you can. Immerse yourself in their culture and traditions (but don’t appropriate, there is a difference).
Do something meaningful on his Holiday.
Do more in that day than just loafing around or going to the gym the one time out the year because you have the day off. Need suggestions? Read this list again.
Educate yourself on The Civil Rights Movement.
The U.S. education system is not only nonexistent, but any remnants left in schools are bound to misinform, whitewash, and revise the real history. While you are able, visit a civil rights museum, watch shows, movies, and documentaries created in conjunction with Black historians, look and listen to the testimonials and experiences of the people that actually lived it.
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