Buster Brown 1904 Kids T-Shirt

Buster Brown was a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard F. Outcault. Adopted as the mascot of the Brown Shoe Company in 1904, Buster Brown, his sister Mary Jane, and his dog Tige, were well known to the American public in the early 20th century. The character's name was also used to describe a popular style of suit for young boys, the Buster Brown suit, that echoed his own outfit. Outcault traveled to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, selling licenses to use the Buster Brown characters to advertise their products. Buster Brown's association with shoes began with John Bush, a sales executive with the Brown Shoe Co., persuaded his company to purchase rights to the Buster Brown name, and the brand was introduced during the fair.