Object of the Day

MC Lyte's Customized Sigma Gamma Rho Converse

October 11

American rapper MC Lyte celebrates her 49th birthday today! These gold and blue satin Converse sneakers were customized for her as a Sigma Gamma Rho sorority member. A stripe of blue satin is attached at the center back heel with gold embroidered text of the Greek alphabet letters for Sigma Gamma Rho.

Customized Sigma Gamma Rho Converse sneakers for member MC Lyte

Description
A pair of gold and blue satin Converse sneakers customized for Sigma Gamma Rho sorority member MC Lyte. The shoes have white rubber toe caps, white rubber with black rubber stripes around the bottom sides, and a black rubber rectangle with the words "ALL STAR" printed in white at the center back heel. The vamp and tongue are faced in gold satin fabric with blue stitching. Text is embroidered in blue on the outside heel of each shoe, with the left shoe reading "MC LYTE" and the right shoe reading "est. 1922" in reference to the sorority's founding year. A stripe of blue satin is attached at the center back heel with gold embroidered text of the Greek alphabet letters for Sigma Gamma Rho. A white fabric tag with black embroidery reading "ALL STAR" is attached to the top of each tongue. The shoes are laced with white nylon shoelaces with clear plastic aglets. The outer soles are of black rubber with nonslip groove designs. The lining of the shoes is made of blue canvas with repeating text in gold reading "1922". The insoles are made from rubber faced in white canvas with "CONVERSE" printed in black ink near the heel. Size 8 and materials are printed onto the reverse of each tongue.
Data Source
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Manufactured by
Converse, American, founded 1908
Owned by
MC Lyte, American, born 1970
Subject of
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., founded 1922
Date
2005-2010
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of MC Lyte
Medium
satin, rubber, canvas, metal, and nylon shoelaces with plastic aglets
Dimensions
H x W x D (left shoe (a)): 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (9.5 × 8.9 × 26.7 cm)
H x W x D (right shoe (b)): 3 3/4 × 3 1/2 × 10 1/2 in. (9.5 × 8.9 × 26.7 cm)
Type
sneakers