- On View
- Slavery and Freedom Gallery
- Museum Maps
- Objects in this Location
- Exhibition
- Slavery and Freedom
- Created by
- Unidentified
- Date
- mid 19th-early 20th century
- Medium
- hide, wood, and metal
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (overall (a) left): 3 5/8 × 10 7/8 × 5 15/16 in. (9.2 × 27.6 × 15.1 cm)
- H x W x D (overall (b) right): 3 1/8 × 11 1/8 × 6 1/8 in. (7.9 × 28.3 × 15.6 cm)
- Description
- A pair of mule-or slipper-style shoes with wooden soles and leather uppers. The soles are shaped for the left (a) and right (b) feet. The shoes have rounded toes and carved, slightly raised heels. The shoes have a vamp only, so that the leather would not fully enclose the wearer's foot. Each vamp is made from a single piece of leather that doubles over at the point where the upper attaches to the sole, as well as at the foot opening, for extra strength. The vamps are pegged to the wooden soles with metal pegs. The shoes slip onto the wearers foot and do not have any closure methods.
- Collection title
- Robinson Family Collection of African American History
- Classification
- Slavery and Freedom Objects
- Clothing - Fashion and Historical
- Type
- mules
- Topic
- Clothing and dress
- Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
- Slavery
- U.S. History, 1865-1921
- U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Avis, Eugene, and Lowell Robinson
- Object number
- 2014.179.3ab
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




