Home » *Top Pick*, Art & Museums, In Person, Live Music

“We’ve Got Sole” Hip Hop, Hoops + the Rise of Sneaker Culture (SF Main Library)

Thursday, January 22, 2026 - 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE
San Francisco Main Library, African American Center, 3rd Floor | 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Event Details

“We’ve Got Sole” is a celebration of the Black community’s influence on Sneaker Culture. It pays homage to the legacy of the Black and Brown communities whose creativity, perseverance and style helped develop and shape what is now referred to as Sneaker Culture.

The exhibit highlights how Sneaker Culture first emerged from Hip Hop and the rise of Black athletes in the NBA during the 1970s and 1980s. On playgrounds and city streets, Black youth would adopt the cutting-edge styles and attitudes of New York City’s freshest and flyest streetball legends, B-boys, and graffiti artists-figures who proudly wore their sneakers not just to display their extraordinary basketball talents and dance moves, but as expressions of style and individuality.

Join the opening reception as Marlon Richardson (aka UnLearn the World) takes you through the history of Hip Hop, sneaker and streetwear culture, accompanied by a live performance. Powered by Hip Hop For Change and the Hip Hop Education Center.

The exhibit is open January 23 through May 15.

Presented by San Francisco Public Library

 

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.


Cost: FREE
Categories: *Top Pick*, Art & Museums, In Person, Live Music
Venue: San Francisco Main Library, African American Center, 3rd Floor
Address: 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

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