The Converse controversy demands more than an apology.
By Dr. Tamika Quinn
Black Americans are valuable enough to market to. Why does respecting us still seem negotiable?
That is the question I keep returning to after seeing the Converse campaign image that drew criticism for visual associations with Klan imagery and lynching. The white silhouette, lighting, and dangling black sneakers disturbed viewers, including me. Converse apologized, acknowledged that it got the image wrong, and said it removed it from its channels. Converse’s response
I am glad the company acknowledged the problem. I am still livid.
Let me tell you, an apology does not obligate the people you offended to immediately restore your access to their trust—or their wallets.
This history happened here
Black people were enslaved, lynched, and terrorized in this country. Our families do not encounter imagery associated with that history as detached observers studying an old photograph. For many of us, that history is personal.
And the anxiety surrounding hanging deaths is not confined to the past.
In a September 10, 2026 statement, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s office cited at least 10 reported hanging deaths of Black people that year. Pressley and 59 colleagues called for comprehensive federal investigations. The figure includes deaths ruled suicide; it is neither a count of confirmed lynchings nor a complete national tally. Congressional statement
Some families have challenged official conclusions. Reporting on Juliana Nzita’s death, for example, raised questions about the absence of a full autopsy and the handling of evidence. Those concerns deserve examination, not automatic dismissal—and each case deserves conclusions grounded in its own evidence. Case reporting
That is part of the context in which this advertisement lands.
You cannot ask an audience to leave its history outside the frame simply because you intended to sell shoes.
You Want Our Dollars.
Where Is Our Dignity?
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Who could say no?
I cannot prove the creator’s intent from a photograph. I do not need to pretend otherwise to demand accountability from the company that published it.
Who reviewed this image? What perspectives informed that review? Did anyone raise concerns? If so, what happened next?
This is where the question of inclusion becomes practical.
We do not have evidence establishing that changes to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs caused this campaign. But the controversy provides a reason to ask whether companies understand the business value of perspectives that challenge their assumptions.
Hiring Black employees is not a guarantee against an offensive campaign. Nor should Black employees bear sole responsibility for preventing one.
Leadership is responsible for building a process in which cultural knowledge matters and people can challenge a decision without risking their standing.
A seat at the table is insufficient if the person sitting there cannot influence what leaves the room.
Our purchasing decisions matter
The Associated Press reported in 2025 that Black Americans held an estimated $2.1 trillion in annual buying power, citing Nielsen research. AP reporting
Companies compete for those dollars. They also seek the cultural influence that comes with our support.
Our humanity should not require an economic justification. We deserve dignity whether we spend two dollars or two trillion. But purchasing decisions are one way consumers can express standards that a brand cannot simply acknowledge and forget.
We can withhold our business. We can support other companies. We can decide that rebuilding trust requires evidence of change.
Where is the outrage?
Remembering the Holocaust and confronting antisemitism are necessary responsibilities. Jewish people deserve protection and dignity without qualification. Black Americans deserve equally serious attention to the racial terror embedded in this nation’s own history. These obligations do not compete.
What I reject is the expectation that Black people must repeatedly explain why our pain warrants concern.
Converse should explain what its review process missed and what will change. Consumers can then decide whether that response is sufficient.
We are not required to soften our anger to make it marketable. We are not required to confuse an apology with accountability.
You want our dollars. Where is our dignity?
And if you cannot answer that question, do not assume you have earned our next purchase.
Dr. Tamika Quinn is a speaker, author, veteran, and legislative health advocate. Read more of her commentary at Tamika’s Take.
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