The Air Jordan 1 sneakers were first released to the public in 1985. Nike created the shoe for Michael Jordan shortly after he entered the NBA, turning a rookie endorsement deal into one of the most influential partnerships in sports and fashion history.
The shoe was designed by Peter Moore and introduced in bold Chicago Bulls colors, especially the black-and-red version that challenged the mostly white footwear styles common in professional basketball. Nike used controversy surrounding NBA uniform rules as part of its marketing, helping make the shoe feel rebellious as well as athletic.
There is an important date distinction behind this answer. Jordan wore an early Air Jordan-related shoe in 1984, and the first Air Jordan was produced for him that year. However, the Air Jordan 1 was released for public sale in 1985, which is the standard answer to a question asking when the sneakers were first released. The success of the original model led to annual follow-up designs and eventually the Jordan Brand, launched as a separate Nike division in 1997.