Nike Pulls Early American Flag Sneaker Due To Symbolism Concerns

After former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick told Nike Inc. that it should not sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others believe to be offensive, the sportswear company pulled a sneaker that showed an early American flag. In celebration of the July Fourth holiday, the company had made a sneaker called the Air Max 1 USA, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The shoe’s heel showed a U.S. flag that has 13 white stars in a circle, a design that was crafted during the American Revolution and is commonly referred to as the “Betsy Ross flag.” The sportswear brand reportedly asked the shoes to be returned after they were shipped to retailers without an explanation, per unnamed sources. The report notes that the shoes are not available on the company’s websites or apps.

A spokesperson for Nike said, according to reports, “Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July, as it featured the old version of the American flag.” Kaepernick, who is a Nike endorser, reached out to the firm after images of the shoe surfaced online because he as well as others believe the flag is offensive due to its link to a time of slavery. Some social media users reportedly responded with similar thoughts to posts about the shoe.

Kaepernick last played for the National Football League in 2016, the season when he started to kneel on the field during the National Anthem to bring attention to racial inequality and social injustices. Last year, Nike made Kaepernick the face of an advertising campaign. According to reports last September, Nike’s market value had grown by $6 billion after the company’s Kaepernick ads appeared earlier in the month. The company’s stock had risen by 36 percent during the year, with 5 percent of the gain following the release of the ads.