DID YOU KNOW? for August 2 - 15, 2022:
Marshall “Major” Taylor (1878-1932) was an African-American bicycling legend at the turn of the 20th century. He established numerous world records from a quarter mile to 1 and 2-mile races in 1898-99. He excelled on velodrome tracks—the once-popular arenas built for bicycle racing. Hailed as the “Black Cyclone” Taylor traveled the world in the early 1900’s defeating champions from Canada, Germany, England, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
Even though Taylor’s accomplishments grew and his name became widely known, he was still subjected to racial segregation. Some promoters in the US, Canada, and abroad would not permit Taylor to compete against white cyclists. He reported in his autobiography that some racers even cooperated with each other to intimidate and physically harm him, citing as an example the 1899 1-mile world championship in Montreal where he was “bumped, jostled, and elbowed until I was sorely tried” and that his manager was so angered, he publicly criticized other riders for their “rough treatment” of Taylor.
Today there are bicycle racing courses, events, and clubs named in Taylor’s honor.
Learn more...
https://cascade.org/learn-major-taylor-project/history-marshall-major-taylor-fastest-man-world
