Skate shoes worn by Cindy Whitehead

Skate shoes worn by Cindy Whitehead

<< >>
Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description (Brief)
Pair of white, hi-top Puma sneakers given to Cindy Whitehead by Puma, one of her many sponsors. As a pro skateboarder, Whitehead had many sponsors who supplied her with equipment and clothes she used during her competitions.
Whitehead began skateboarding at age 15 and had turned pro by the time she was 17, something girls were not doing in the mid-1970s. She became one of the only girls skating both pool and half pipe and is the only girl ever to be featured in a two page article with a centerfold in a skateboarding magazine. Whitehead retired from skateboarding at 22 but still skates and has remained in the sports arena as a sport stylist, a job title she also created. Whitehead is especially supportive of young female skaters through her “Girl Is Not A 4 Letter Word” skate team and her products which are geared towards women and girls. Whitehead’s signature phrase printed in gold on many of the “Girl Is Not A 4 Letter Word” products personifies her independent spirit, "Live life balls to the wall. Do epic shit. Take every dare that comes your way. You can sleep when you’re dead."
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
shoes, skateboarding
skate shoes
date made
1970s
1979
used date
1979-1980
user
Whitehead, Cindy
maker
Puma
Physical Description
fabric, canvas (overall material)
fabric, suede (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 10 in x 3 1/2 in x 5 in; 25.4 cm x 8.89 cm x 12.7 cm
ID Number
2013.0165.03
accession number
2013.0165
catalog number
2013.0165.03
subject
skateboarding
Sports
Professional
Women
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.