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  In the early 1900s, the Sterling Shoe Company had built a reputation as one of America's most ambitious footwear manufacturers. Their leather boots had marched with soldiers through the Great War, and their elegant dress shoes had graced the feet of society's elite. But as the decade progressed, domestic markets became increasingly saturated, and the company's board of directors knew they needed to expand their reach beyond familiar shores. After months of deliberation, the executives identified Africa as their next frontier. The continent remained largely untapped by Western shoe manufacturers, and early reports suggested vast populations that might represent unprecedented opportunity. However, the board was divided on the wisdom of such an investment. The costs would be enormous, the logistics challenging, and the cultural barriers significant. To settle the matter definitively, Sterling's president, Theodore Hartwell, made a decisive choice. He would send two of...