Black leather pants donated by Soul Train dancer Thomas "Tom Tom" Evans: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This pair of black leather pants are similar in appearance to pants worn by dancer Thomas "Tom Tom" Evans on the television show "Soul Train."

The full-length black leather pants have tapered legs and deep pleats at the right and left front waist. A decorative seam is sewn at the knee. The pants close at the center front with a flap and button beneath a black zipper and a silver snap. There are two (2) front pockets, one at each hip, and one (1) pocket on the proper right back waist. Black leather belt loops are attached around the waist band at even intervals. The pants have no manufacturer's label.

The interior of the pants are lined with black synthetic fabric that reaches from the waist to just below the knees. The bottom of the lining in the legs is not attached to the exterior fabric. The interior hem of the leg openings is trimmed with black nylon tape.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Subject of: Soul Train, American, 1971 - 2006
• Type: trousers
• Medium: leather and synthetic fiber
• Dimensions: H x W x D (On form): 41 × 15 1/2 × 9 in. (104.1 × 39.4 × 22.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Flat): 39 3/8 × 15 5/8 in. (100 × 39.7 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Music
• Topic: Television
• Topic: Variety shows (Television)
• Object number: 2015.30.2
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Thomas "Tom Tom" Evans
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.