Major Taylor Timeline Handout – April 2017 (PDF)
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The Dan Ryan Woods / Major Taylor Trail Corridor plan is a planning effort by the NEIGHBORHOOD Forest Preserve District of Cook County. OF The purpose of this assignment is to Wrightwood DAWES CHICAGO PARK enhance trail connections, increase safety ALL “M and identify trail amenities. The project SH A boundaries are Dawes Park to the north R J and 91st Street to the south. A OR MILE 0 M Please visit the project website for ” more information: W 83RD STREET TAYLOR http://fpdcc.com/drmt BEVERLY NEIGHBORHOOD OF COUNTRY DAN RYAN CLUB S DAMEN AVENUE Auburn S WESTERN AVENUE WOODS GreshamCHICAGO S ASHLAND AVENUE INDIANA HARBOR RR BELT W 87TH STREET It is my thought that clean living VACANT WATCHMAN and a strict observance of the LONGWOOD DR. RESIDENCE golden rule of true sportsmanship are foundation stones without which a championship structure M cannot be built. -Marshall Taylor (excerpt from “The VILLAGE OF Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World”) photo credit: Union Cycliste Internationale Evergreen W 90TH STREET NEIGHBORHOOD Park OF NEIGHBORHOOD OF BeverlyCHICAGO Brainerd CHICAGOLETTER TO ‘THE BEARINGS’ I trust that you will find space in your valuable paper for this letter, that it may be CITY OF CHICAGO W 91ST STREET W 91ST STREET an opening shot in the way of ‘putting up’, instead of ‘down’, the ‘son of Ham,’ as he M grows interested in cycling. Hoping to hear from the color cyclists as a body in the 91ST. METRA near future, I still remain a true lover of what is right for both, yes for all, classes. STATION NOT TO SCALE Yours truly, MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL Major Taylor TO WHISTLER WOODS, MILE 7.6 Indianapolis, Ind., Jan 30 (1894) (excerpt from The Bearings publication, Jan 30, 1894) PREPARED BY TESKA ASSOCIATES IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF COOK COUNTY, DAN RYAN WOODS AND MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL CORRIDOR PLAN - MARCH 2017 Marshall "Major" Life is too short for any man to hold bitterness in his heart” Taylor Timeline -Marshall Taylor During a time when bike racing was the most “ popular sport in the world, Marshall ’Major’ Taylor The Worcester Whilrwind publication dominated the scene. He was not only a world- “Dedicated to the memory of Marshall W. ‘Major’ Taylor, renowned athlete, but also a civil rights activist 1878-1932. World’s champion bicycle racer who came and author. up the hard way without hatred in his heart, an honest, courageous, and god-fearing, clean-living, gentlemanly athlete. A credit to the race who always gave out his best. Major Taylor blazed a trail for other more familiar Gone but not forgotten.” African American athletes, such as Jessie Owens, -Inscription, Major Taylor’s burial site Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Jabbar, and Taylor on the chainless bicycle in which he won the world championship Taylor’s European tour was front page news in Family portrait, taken in 1906 or 1907. Image and broke world records. Image credit, Major Taylor Association, Inc. France. La Vie au Grand Air, March 10, 1901. Image credit, Major Taylor Association, Inc Jim Brown. credit, Major Taylor Association, Inc. Humble Beginnings: Becoming ‘Major’: Never letting racism break his spirit: Searching for Happiness away from the Marshall Taylor’s Childhood Taylor’s Amateur Racing Career Taylor’s Professional Racing Career Racetrack: Taylor’s Post Racing Years Born to a lower class black family escaping the post-Civil Major’s first job as a stunt rider introduced him to the racing Taylor continued to win races and break records while After retiring from racing, Taylor’s later years brought joy as he War south, Marshall’ s father’s employer inspired an early community and he won many amateur races, causing overcoming harsh racial inequalities, drawing strength raised a family and sadness as his business ventures and health love for biking. controversy among an all-white sport. from his faith. Although he was under-appreciated in the declined. Recent years have brought a renewed awareness of U.S., Taylor was revered in France and other European Major Taylor’s story. countries. (1878-1891) (1891-1896) (1896-1902) (1904-Present) 1891 1894 1896 1904 1930 1990’s At age 13, performed tricks as a Taylor’s letter to the editor of the popular Became a professional bicyclist at 1902 Daughter, Marriage ended. Taylor Chicago’s Major Taylor Trail stunt rider at the Hay and Willits cycling magazine, The Bearings, was age 18 with support from President Sydney born moved to Chicago to developed over 6+ miles of Won 40 out of 57 bike shop, wearing a soldier published, questioning why the League Theodore Roosevelt. Won a 6-day in Australia sell his self-published former rail line connecting 1891 races in European uniform. Got the nickname, Major. of American Wheelmen (LAW) should be race in Madison Square Garden. autobiography, “The Dan Ryan Woods in First win at age 13 tour. Married Daisy restricted to white people. Fastest Bicycle Rider in the Chicago with Whistler Morris in Connecticut World.” Woods in Riverdale. Official The LAW adopted the ‘white only’ rule 1908 opening in 2008 1886 weeks after the letter was published and 1899 Still broke records, 1932 wasn’t formally repealed until 1999. but more difficult 1984 Received his first bike from his Established seven world records Taylor died at age 53 with age. Indianapolis father’s employer. Learned to for races spanning 1/4 -2 miles. in the charity ward of named ride and do tricks Became second black world Cook County Hospital, champion in any sport new bicycle 1893-1895 Chicago and buried in track the Nicknamed ‘The an unmarked grave. Major Taylor Black Cyclone’, broke 1897 1910 Quit racing at age Velodrome 1878 records and was barred 1896 Won Boston Blue 32. Taylor had from races in Indiana Moved to Worcester, MA to Ribbon’s 1 mile 1900 1948 Born as one of eight children earned 25-32K, because of his color. work as a bike mechanic in race riding a Schwinn Bicycle Co. in rural Indiana, Taylor’s father Recognized as U.S leading a wealthy was a Civil War veteran. the Worcester Manufacturing Comet bicycle. sprint champion Donated money to group Company Factory owned by life. Eventually lost of former pro bike racers and took a short everything to poor Taylor’s trainer and mentor, break from racing. for the relocation of Louis “Birdie” Munger. investments and Taylor’s remains to a more the stock market prominent part of Mt. crash. Glenwood cemetery. .