Bootblack History

Edited by Atlas Rose, Route 66 Bootblack 2025

I'm Chicago based and biased so please add your local bootblack history.

Kinky/Leather Bootblack History

	2025, Rene Hebert (Buck Harder) becomes the first IML winner to be a visible, self-identified bootblack. IML announces the return of IMrBB for 2026 and a logo rebrand to include a boot in the design. In the same year, ICBB returns.
	2023-25, IMrBB goes on hiatus.
	2020-24, ICBB goes on hiatus.
	2018-23, IMsBB goes on hiatus.
	Bootblack Pride – Flag After a two year debate with in the community, on July 4th, 2005 Jesse ‘Spanky’ Penley came up with a design that would eventually become the accepted Boot Black Pride Flag. Which made its premier at the International LeatherSir/International Leatherboy weekend in Atlanta, GA on Oct 6th, 2005. Using the Leather Pride colors, Spanky used a diagonal stripe to differentiate from the leather pride flag. The flag only uses three stripes, two blue, and one white. The width of the stripes, signify the wide range of people who are, and appreciate boot blacks. The unisex boot, stands for the non-gender specific nature of boot blacking. The large red heart positioned behind the boot, signifies the heart that the bootblack puts behind his or her boots.1
	2005, at Southwest Leather Conference, an unnamed bootblack was celebrating their birthday. They were gifted a chocolate cake but no utensils. Being a resourceful lot, the bootblacks decided to dig in with their hands. Before long, they started feeding each other. Things got messy, sticky, and fun. Ever since, bootblacks have celebrated events with chocolate cake, sometimes intentionally foregoing the utensils to continue the tradition.
	2003, the first International Community Bootblack (ICBB) is awarded.
	1999, with fundraising help from Jill Carter during International Mr. Leather, Chuck Renslow and Tony DeBlase move the Leather Archives and Museum moves to Greenview Avenue.
	1998, IMBB splits into International Mr. Bootblack (IMrBB) and International Ms. Bootblack (IMsBB). Leslie Anderson is awarded the first Ms. International Bootblack and sometime later become the conservator for the Leather Archives and Museum.
	1993, first International Bootblack contest (IMBB) is held by Harry Shattuck, a 1979 IML contestant who regularly bootblacked at the Gold Coast.
	1991, Chuck Renslow and Tony DeBlase open Leather Archives and Museum a sanctuary for leather and fetish history and art, in honor of Dom Orejudos (Etienne), on 5013 N Clark Street, Chicago, adjacent to Man’s Country bathhouse.2
	1979, Mr. Gold Coast rebrands to Mr. International Leather (IML).
	Bootblack stands are built in Leather bars throughout the 1970s and 80s.

Vanilla Shoe Shine History

	1953 - FIRST BOOTBLACK CONTEST…of sorts. by Michael Conley The News Herald Burke County, NC. Published February 12, 2010
	Angelus Shoe Polish was not even a dream when the young Greek immigrant, Paul T. Angelos, arrived at Ellis Island. Making his way to Chicago, Paul shined shoes and saved enough money to go to Los Angeles. After arriving in Los Angeles penniless, he secured a job at a large shine stand. Paul saved enough money to open his own shine stand. Through hard work and long hours, he was able to send money for his brothers, George and Louie, to join him. Soon there were 14 employees and three shine stands; Sixth Street – opposite the Hayward Grill, Fifth Street – opposite the Alexandria Hotel, and one next door to The Pantages Theater. After being crowned, “King of the Bootblacks”, Paul was able to make the return trip to Greece to marry his sweetheart. Many years later, Paul would tell his grandchildren what an experience it was to return to Greece on the Ocean Liner, Mauritania First Class, which was the same ship that brought him Steerage to American years before. How fortunate his family was to be able to come to this country where freedom, success, and happiness were possible through honesty and hard work.
	The Biography of a Bootblack: Rocco Corresca Independent, LIV (Dec. 4, 1902), 2863 67.
	Boot Blacks and the Struggle to Survive in Hartford Most bootblacks are children from poor, immigrant backgrounds. Bootblacks become a nuisance for cities and police. Eventually, many cities regulate bootblacking to certain areas or businesses
	Bootblacking Trust – Newspaper article from Sacramento Daily Union 28 Sept 1890 "BOOT BLACKING TRUST. How the Italians Have Run the New York Boys Out"
	THE INDEPENDENT SHOE-BLACK Victorian London - Publications - Social Investigation/Journalism - Street Life in London - by J.Thomson and Adolphe Smith, 1877
	Bootblacking during the California Goldrush “Mifflin W. Gibbs… was offered a job as a carpenter, but the employees of his prospective employer told their boss they would strike if a black were hired. Gibbs then turned to bootblacking… While bootblacking was menial in social status, it was quite remunerative. Working in front of the major hotels and gambling houses, a bootblack could make as much as ten to fifteen dollars a day. In this business, blacks had competition in San Francisco from an unusual quarter. Many Frenchmen were bootblacks in these early years. One might even see at times a Frenchman shine the shoes of a black man. Many of the French who came to the gold rush had been involved in the ill-fated 1848 French revolution and were as much in need of funds as black men. They also seemed less concerned than other whites about doing the same kind of work as blacks. Contemporary reportage reveals that bootblacks in San Francisco were either [Black] or Frenchmen.”
	First Picture of a person is an image of someone getting their boots blacked (CNN) — At first glance, it doesn't seem that remarkable: An old black-and-white scene of a strangely deserted city, smudged in places by some primitive photographic process. But this image, taken in Paris, France, in 1838, is believed to be the earliest known photograph featuring a person. Look in the photo's lower left corner and you'll see a man getting his boots cleaned on the sidewalk. The boot-cleaner is there too, although he is harder to spot.

Links to Other Bootblack/Leather History

	Get Your Hands Diry - by Karlheinz, European Bootblack 2019, with contributions from Alistair LeatherHiraeth, European Bootblack 2020
	Gay Leather Fetish History This is a personal non-commercial website based in the Netherlands. The pictures in the "History" section were either donated, taken from the public domain in the Internet or from books. Where possible we mention the sources in the "sources-page" in that section.
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Footnotes

1. http://www.thetwilightguard.org/tg_flags.html

2. https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/lams-dirty-30/