The History of Converse

By Phil Convissor

  • 1908

    Marquis Mills Converse founds the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in Malden, MA.

  • 1915

    Production of canvas footwear begins, offering year-round work to Converse employees.

  • 1917

    The world’s first performance basketball shoe, Converse All Star® sneaker, comes off factory
    lines.

  • 1918

  • 1921

    Charles “Chuck” Taylor joins Converse with some ideas for All Star improvement, becomes what
    may be America’s first player-endorser, and publishes the first edition of the Converse Basketball
    Yearbook. A year later, he teaches his first basketball clinic at NC State.

  • 1923

    Charles “Chuck” Taylor joins Converse with some ideas for All Star improvement, becomes what
    may be America’s first player-endorser, and publishes the first edition of the Converse Basketball
    Yearbook. A year later, he teaches his first basketball clinic at NC State.