Adidas SLAMMED for Promoting ‘Slavery Shoes’
Sportswear giant Adidas is catching heat for “promoting slavery” by manufacturing ‘shackle shoes’ trainers.
The JS Roundhouse mids feature the LA Lakers’ orange and purple colors with orange cuffs links that are similar to the shackles worn by Africans during the lucrative slave trade in the south.
The promotional copy for the shoe ads posted on Facebook reads: “Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?”
But activists and Facebook users reacted with anger at the premise of Adidas promoting slavery with the shackle shoes.
More than 2000 Facebook users labeled the shoes “offensive” and referred to Adidas as “ignorant” for the insensitive promotional campaign.
Dr Boyce Watkins, writing for Your Black World, accused the U.S. educational system for diminishing the emphasis on slavery in modern history books — “all so you’d be willing to put shackles on your ankles today and not be so sensitive about it.”
The Syracuse University Professor said he accepted that some people would accuse him of overreacting.
But he added: “There is always a group of Negroes who are more than happy to resubmit themselves to slavery.”
So true!
More from Sandrarose.com:
Source: Daily Mail
100 Responses to “Adidas SLAMMED for Promoting ‘Slavery Shoes’”
Comments are closed for this post
Recent Posts
Hot Topics
WTH
good morning FeFe
Were blacks the only humans ever to wear shackles? I’m confused.
I guess I don’t get the point of the marketing….like what does the shackle mean to an athlete or tennis shoe buff???
Unfortunately Nothing Surprises/shocks me anymore.
a$$H@l3s at Addidas
There’s my boo up there in the yellow shirt, I
Ri DAM diculous!!!
them sh*ts ugly and DUMB AF! they need to fire their WHOLE team! effin retards!
jazi65 says:
Ri DAM diculous!!!
~~~~~~~~~
It does not matter. Some ignorant, ill informed person will stand in line for hrs. to buy them.
They are ugly and impractical, they weren’t going to sell one way or another for those reasons alone. Adidas, try again next year.
and watch… plenty of teens will be walking around with these shoes on
The shoes are fugly.
To me it has two meanings. One alot of UUUSSS are slaves to the shoe game
we will spend hundreds on making them rich just to have the latest hotest shoe out. Many that can’t afford them will sacrafice to have them. and Two, I promise there won’t be a single YT person rocking these crazy azz shoes.. 
But I bet we will.
S & M participants use shackles?
Anybody that I know is a sneakerhead wouldn’t buy these shoes anyway nothing about them say classic or cool. So y’all don’t have to worry about people standing in line to buy them.
Wait I’m still confused as how it’s a black thing making a mockery of slavery. Someone….anyone please explain.
Other than the sneakers being UGLY
Ri DAM diculous!!!
~~~~~~~~~
It does not matter. Some ignorant, ill informed person will stand in line for hrs. to buy them.
_________________________________________________________________
Now you know if these where Jordans folks would already be in line…Adidas not so much….And if anything it looks stupid as heck having those Happy Meal toy looking things around your ankle…. Ignant folk want some bling…
Morning fam
FuturedocDonte says:
and watch… plenty of teens will be walking around with these shoes on
—————————-
They are betting on it!
AND it’s my bday week, people !!!
every nite will be boogienite 
:on topic: ==> fcuk this !!!!!!!!!
umm not only slaves wore shackels.. its what u take it for i guess
THEY ARE UGLY THO
therapist1911 says:
S & M participants use shackles?
Dont ask me how I know 
———
FE
@THERAPIST IDK HOW ITS CONSIDER RACIST… ITS STUPID
.. UGLY.. I SEEN TEENS WITH DOG LEASH ON SO IDK IF THE SHACKELS IS THE WORST 
#DIFERENTTIMES
!*LaKErCHiC@*! says:
umm not only slaves wore shackels.. its what u take it for i guess THEY ARE UGLY THO
************************
Thanks Lakes… that’s what I thought. When I first saw the sneakers I said “ugly” but I didn’t get offended. Many groups has used shackles from S&M participants to inmates.
ok i know that it’s early but this discussion came up yesterday & i wanted yall’s input:
is it cheating if u r thinking about someone else while fugging ur partner??
@therapist
I’m not sure if you’re just trying to be contrary, but I think we can all agree that BLACKS were the most recent and most domestic subjects of slavery…not sure what else to say…
I also think there is some subliminal stuff to think about too….what demographic is likely the largest patrons of these kinds of shoes???
Nonetheless I still would like to know how this is a good marketing strategy…what trainer would want to have this feature on their shoe? How does this help with the training process?
@Fayla
Cheating no…
Inappropriate…yes
Forget racist, that chit is just plain ugly. Where in the heyul would you wear those?
Oh yeah, and it’s racist.
Screw all that
lets get a Post on Allison matthis applying for Food Stamps…My question is did She Qualify??
@Fayla
Some people have too much time on their hands.
FeFe Feminine says:
@therapist
I’m not sure if you’re just trying to be contrary, but I think we can all agree that BLACKS were the most recent and most domestic subjects of slavery…not sure what else to say…
*********************************************
Not being contrary at all. Trying to be logical. Everything isn’t racist.
Most recent….400 some odd years ago. That’s not recent.
Inmates, S&M, and etc use shackles. Africans/Blacks are not the only ones.
Despite what most maythink…..BLACKS are not the only ones purchasing sneakers
WUT WUT in da BUTT, LAKES, FeFe, Mother J, FAYLA
Therapist – I think the Jews were in shackles too…but I could be wrong
PRYN – if you come in here yes you can find it on ‘I Am Other’ that’s the new place
The shoes are hit (ugly). I don’t see anybody wearing them OR standing in line for hours for them. Dudes that wear their pants saggin are in essence wearing chains around their ankles as well (hence, when/if they start running, guess where their pants fall to). All rappers talk about are “whips (cars) and chains (jewelry)”. Point I’m trying to make is, IDK, but er uhm, I say, FAIL.
#wasntjuneteenthcelebratedthispastweekend
but
to #28 
@Naija…
Yes Jews during the Holcaust.
FAYLA
who is PLAYA lusting after
I can see it having a S&M meaning or being a slave to sneakers….a lot of guys are.! When I first saw the shoes I thought prisoners…not slaves
. HEY YALL 
Fayla says:
is it cheating if u r thinking about someone else while fugging ur partner??
________________________
Depends on whose name was called out.
i mean ppl were ALL in their feelings about it! i mean CHEATING??
i thought that was when u actually went THRU with
somebody else! 
not saying there aren’t different levels of cheating tho
Thanks @Naija
@therapist
I never said they were the only ones who purchase them, but they are heavily marketed to them…
400 years AGO???? ummm, no…that’s about how long it lasted though…
I guess you have a point that you can CHOOSE to be offended, but that’s not the point that I see, I see some slick shyt being concocted and folks playing dumb to the subliminals of it all…
Morning yall
Fayla aka IWhipIt..WhipItRealGood:) says:
ok i know that it’s early but this discussion came up yesterday & i wanted yall’s input:
is it cheating if u r thinking about someone else while fugging ur partner??
____________________________________
Yes it is. And if you say the wrong name…
I really dont see it.
Adidas also makes choes with Wings on them as well
is that disrespectful to Angles… What aobut the clear See Through ones
Does that play on the invisible people… I just think they are shoes with a odd looking strap.
But hey it is what it is..
Morning Folks
I hope everyone weekend was good
Fayla humping legs and shait
Oh and these are hella ugly but I don’t know bout the racism thing…..
@Fayla No, I think after people have been together awhile it’s common to do so
Fayla aka IWhipIt..WhipItRealGood:) says:
i mean ppl were ALL in their feelings about it! i mean CHEATING??
i thought that was when u actually went THRU with
somebody else! 
not saying there aren’t different levels of cheating tho
————————————————————————
For the longest my definition of cheating was ANYTHING you wouldn’t do in your partner was standing beside you.
but that definition is slowly changing for me…
Morning er body!
I didn’t get that vibe from the shoes
They are more like prison shoes to me…I don’t know…
@Ace
NAIJA
THERAPIST ITS HOW U TAKE IT.. IMO THEY ARE SO UGLY THO.. WHO THE FAWK GOING TO BUY THEM.. THEY A LITTLE BULKY LOOKN I CAN SEE THE SKATER BOYZ WEARING THESE
Hi Mannie
Morrrrrnningg
ACE
I don’t think that it’s cheating!
Sup Fefe Yaya Lakes Fay…
FAYL
IT HAPPENS.. AS LONG AS U DONT CALL THEM A DIFERENT NAME U GUUD 
Allison is gone mess around and lose custody of her child. If true, she is not appropriating the funds correctly.
MANNIE
LONG TIME NO FONT!
TAINTED
What yall talking bout
How you doing mommy?
!*LaKErCHiC@*! says:
MANNIE LONG TIME NO FONT!
_____________________________
Had to take a break to much e-violence for my taste…Plus my job quit SR for minute…
BIBI BUENOS DIAS LINDA..
EAZY
@Ace…. Elaborate on what’s your idea of cheating now
Fayla aka IWhipIt..WhipItRealGood:) says:
Fe not all the time!!
i mean ppl were ALL in their feelings about it! i mean CHEATING??
i thought that was when u actually went THRU with somebody else!
not saying there aren’t different levels of cheating tho
_______________________________________________________
Fay
YOu didnt do anything wrong
there is nothing wrong with Fantasizing aobut someone else when with someone else.
Hey if that gets you though then so be it.
people do it all the time.
ACE IM GUUD.. HOW IS GOLDIE? **HE MIGHT BE GROWING ON A BISH**
MANNIE YEP GETS CRAY IN THIS BISH..
NaijaGal says:
FAYLA
who is PLAYA lusting after
it wasnt me!
(i hatechu tho!)
Fayla humping legs and shait
i humps dacks!
@Therapist If you look at some of the depictions of the slave trade from the late 1800′s, you will see Black Men, Women and their Children with leg shackles.
This was a means of control, same as giving slaves European names, whipping them into submission and separating entire families.
Fay
YOu didnt do anything wrong
there is nothing wrong with Fantasizing aobut someone else when with someone else.
Hey if that gets you though then so be it.
people do it all the time.
no sir it was not me. if it were i would’ve just asked. EYE just felt that it wasn’t cheating & wanted to know if it was just me bc when it was discussed yesterday i was in the minority for thinking so
but i get ur point IGo. it’s ok to think about me. i won’t tell
Tainted_Love says:
@Ace…. Elaborate on what’s your idea of cheating now
————————————————————————–
It’s slowly changing but hasn’t changed much …i still believe anything you do that you wouldn’t normally do with me standing next to you is inappropriate but to be considered cheating there and to be some exaggerated inappropriateness and follow through
inappropriate thoughts Not Cheating
inappropriate minor verbalization Not Cheating
We all have thoughts even when standing next to out partners…and we even joke and verbalize it sometimes
the line i draw now is when you actually involve the third party..
Inappropriate conversations with third party Cheating
Inappropriate meetings with third party Cheating
The only way i can consider inappropriate interaction with a third party with considering it cheating is (1) Partner agrees with Third Party contact(open relationships) or (2) third party is physical inaccessible usually seperated by geographic regions(aka states or countries away)
KyCakes says:
@Therapist If you look at some of the depictions of the slave trade from the late 1800?s, you will see Black Men, Women and their Children with leg shackles.
This was a means of control, same as giving slaves European names, whipping them into submission and separating entire families.
********************************
I’m not dismissing or diminishing the fact that African slaves wore shackles. My point is they weren’t the ONLY group to EVER be placed in shackles. So why is this design making a mockery of the AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE? Should anyone who ever wore shackles i.e., Jews, Prisoners, S&M , be offended by the design as well?
Hell Amy Smart prob was in shackles as well…
Fayla aka IWhipIt..WhipItRealGood:) says:
but i get ur point IGo. it’s ok to think about me. i won’t tell
______________________________________
Gee Thanks Fay
Now I can relax in peace…
Gee Thanks Fay
Now I can relax in peace…
@Fay
Awww
Now the eyeroll
It is completely ignorant and inappropriate for any company to market a pair of shoes with shackles on them. What valuable purpose do they hold besides making the black/brown youth get accustomed to wearing shackles? Slavery in N. America was far more heinous (and lasted over 400 years) than the Holocaust, but you can’t argue that point with the Jews. I can assure you that the Jews would not be offended by this shoe because their children know their history and these shoes are not geared towards them.
The shoes are ugly like so many other shoes are nowadays but niggas (and I do mean that literally) will buy them, rock them and probably kill for these dumb ass shoes all the same
I wish I would buy them dumb chits for me or my children or anybody in my life 
am i the only one who thinks they look like women’s heels that have the ankle straps?
Tertra I see the resemblance but the chains hanging from the back of the strap completely kill it
If they’d left the chains off people probably would have let the shoes ride but they didn’t and there’s no way to call them anything but what they are
Just a note: Slavery ended 149 years ago. If you figure a persons life span to be 60 years or so thats like 3 maybe 4 generations at most depending on how old you are. My grandfathers grandmother was a slave. This is someone that I knew and someone he knew. I am directly connected to that slave.
Black, white, jewish, I don’t care who the shackles are about. ADIDAS won’t see a dime of my money for nothing ever if they dont kill this. Actually Im just going to keep my money because they allowed this stupid **** to see the light of day.
You can fool yourself if you want to but there was an exec at adidas that said what these Ni$$ers buy this ish anyway.
i heard about this earlier today, and I thought to myself, it can’t be THAT bad…
I hang my head in shame…
The only thing I could think to myself was, if we had never gone through that period of time, would it still be offensive? And then I answered myself, “Yeah, probably, because people in jail would be offended by it or it would be considered too close to looking like a prisoner…”
*sigh*