Chuck Taylors: Exhibits spotlights Hoosier connection to the popular sneakers

Cheryl V. Jackson, Indianapolis Star
·1 min read

A new exhibit at the Indiana Historical Society celebrates the Hoosier responsible for one of the first brands to meld sports with fashion — Chucks.

“Chuck Taylor All Star” opens March 4 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., in downtown Indianapolis.

At the center is Charles “Chuck” Hollis Taylor and his iconic shell-toe trainers that are the preferred footwear of many a hipster, skater and artist, as well as the vice president of the United States.

The exhibit features immersive experiences, artifacts and images, some of which have never been exhibited before.

Visitors can travel back to 1952 Indiana via Oculus headsets and meet the eventual Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and participate in one of his famous basketball clinics, and learn shooting techniques from free-throw master Harold “Bunny” Levitt and Indiana State University scoring legend Sam Richardson.

Taylor was born in 1901 near Nashville, Indiana, and grew up in Azalia (91 residents in 1870).

He went to high school in Columbus and played and coached basketball for a bit. His legacy though really began through doing clinics and selling a then-new basketball shoe, the Converse All Star; excelling to the point where Converse named the shoe after him in 1934.

Kamala Harris' sorority sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha wear their Chuck Taylor sneakers in solidarity with Harris on the day of her inauguration as vice president. Pearls are also a staple of the sorority, as are the colors salmon-pink and apple-green. Curry Park in Lake Worth, Florida on Jan. 20, 2021.
Kamala Harris' sorority sisters from Alpha Kappa Alpha wear their Chuck Taylor sneakers in solidarity with Harris on the day of her inauguration as vice president. Pearls are also a staple of the sorority, as are the colors salmon-pink and apple-green. Curry Park in Lake Worth, Florida on Jan. 20, 2021.

Presented by Converse, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, the exhibit runs through Jan. 27, 2025.

The exhibit is included with general admission to the Indiana Historical Society. For more information, call 317-232-1882 or visit indianahistory.org.

Not to be left out of the Chuck Taylor education, Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St., has a pair of Taylor’s shoes on permanent display.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Chuck Taylors: Exhibits spotlights Hoosier connection to Converse