Bronze Track Shoes
Item
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Object Title
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Bronze Track Shoes
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Object ID
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AR_0008_03_0001
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Created By
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Robert "Bob Bullet" Hayes
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Date
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1964
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Medium
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Bronze | Leather
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Dimensions
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L:27cm x W:9cm
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Description
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Robert "Bob" Hayes' bronzed track shoes commemorate his exceptional athletic achievements, particularly as a sprinter and Olympic gold medalist. Known as "Bullet," Hayes revolutionized sprinting, winning gold in the 100 meters and helping secure a victory in the 4x100 meter relay at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
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Object Notes
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This artifact features a pair of bronzed track shoes worn by Robert "Bullet Bob" Hayes during the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, preserved as part of the Robert Hayes Collection at the Meek-Eaton Black Archives at Florida A&M University. Hayes, a Florida A&M alumnus and one of the most electrifying sprinters in history, wore these spikes when he won gold in the 100-meter dash and delivered a historic anchor leg in the 4x100-meter relay—clocking what many consider the fastest split in Olympic history. The bronzing of the shoes transforms a functional athletic tool into a symbolic object of cultural heritage, commemorating a moment when Hayes transcended sport to become a global symbol of Black excellence and athletic mastery. These shoes, now stilled in metal, capture the motion and legacy of an athlete who not only broke records but helped break barriers during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
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Subject Of
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Robert Hayes Collection
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Collection Title
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Robert "Bob Bullet" Hayes
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Classification
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FAMU Athletics, Olympics, Hall of FAMU
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Restrictions and Rights
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All rights reserved. The use of any part of these objects and photographs transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written consent of MEBA is an infringement of the copyright law.
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Photograph Rights Holder
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Florida A&M University Meek-Eaton Southeastern Regional Black Archives Research Center and Museum
