Manufactured by
Altama, founded 1969
Worn by
Admiral Howard, Michelle Janine, American, born 1960
Subject of
United States Navy, American, founded 1775
Date
2009
Medium
leather, nylon, foam, rubber, and metal
Dimensions
H x W x D (left): 10 1/8 × 10 5/8 × 3 5/8 in. (25.7 × 27 × 9.2 cm)
H x W x D (right): 9 7/8 × 10 5/8 × 3 5/8 in. (25.1 × 27 × 9.2 cm)
Caption
A 1982 Naval Academy graduate, Michelle Howard commanded Task Force 151 in 2009, which freed Captain Richard Phillips and other hostages from the Maersk Alabama. In 2014, she became the first female four-star admiral in the Navy, as well as the highest-ranking Black woman in the military, and was appointed vice chief of naval operations.
Description
A pair of tan combat boots worn by Admiral Michelle Howard as rear admiral (lower half). The boots have a leather upper with two (2) ventilation holes with mesh coverings at each inner side near the ball of the foot. The legs and tongues are made from heavy duty tan nylon canvas. At the top interior of each tongue is a manufacturer's label with an American flag, the text "ALTAMA" and additional style information stamped in black below the tag on the inside of the tongues. The back side of the top leg portions are padded and quilted. The lacings are comprised of two regular grommets at the bottom, with the rest of the lacings being grommets with hooks attached to them. The shoelaces are nylon cord with adhesive on the ends to prevent unraveling. The soles are made of hard foam with non-slip rubber bottoms. The word "vibram" is stamped into the arch of the foot on each outer sole.
Classification
Clothing - Military Uniforms
Type
military uniforms
boots
Topic
Clothing and dress
Military
Women
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Admiral Michelle J. Howard, U.S. Navy
Object number
2014.146.2.6ab
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5c9ce0ff6-568a-4f42-a20c-a183d7fde8cf

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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