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The converse all-star could easily be deemed the all American shoe. Sixty percent of Americans claim they either own or have owned at least one pair of converse all star's. Converse shoes started in 1908. Within two years, converse was producing 4000 pairs of shoes daily. In 1915, converse created their first athletic shoe, a tennis shoe. Two years later, in 1917, the converse all star evolved. The converse all star was the first basketball shoe. This was during the 3rd decade of basketball. It was while players wore the converse all stars that basketball became a popular sport.

Many people wonder where the name "Chuck Taylor" originated. In1921, Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor, a player for the Akron Firestones, officially joined converse as America's first player endorser. Two years later, Chuck's signature was added to the all star shoe.
The Converse company was capable of more than making basketball shoes, however. After the U.S. entered the war, the company began making war efforts. They made boots and ponchos for the military. All-stars were issued to all military workers for athletic use and basic training. After the war, the company was given several medals to reward their efforts. The NBA also began to push for converse to release colored sneakers to match team uniforms as almost all professional players wore Chuck Taylors.
In the 1950's the Chuck Taylor was worn not only be basketball players but also by rebellious teens and kids. The shoes were inexpensive and could be worn by girls and boys to match almost any style. During the 60's and 70's, Converse released shoes for all of the major sports and athletes lined up to get the fashionable shoes.
Convserse all-stars continued to be the shoe of choice by young adults into the mid 1980's. In the 60's, the shoes were worn with mismatched colors by the hippies. They were worn by the punk rockers in the 70's and 80s, during the punk era. In the 90's, new technology among shoe companies was invented. The simplicity of the converse was often replaced with the gel and air soles of brands like Nike, Adidas and Reebok.
Although Converse's popularity among sports stars has decreased dramatically, their association with the alternative lifestyle has remained intact. When attending a concert or when watching teenagers, the most common shoe found will be Chuck Taylors. They can be found in multiple colors and designs. Some people even personalize them by designing the shoes themselves and putting their name on them. Although the tradition of Chucks died when Nike bought out the company in 2001, the popularity of Chuck's remains.

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