FREE Major Taylor curriculum guide: Major Taylor Association, Inc. Grades 3-4 / Grades 5-8 / Grades 9-12 PO Box 20131, Worcester, MA 01602 majortaylorassociation.org/news.shtml www.majortaylorassociation.org

Major Taylor

1899 WORLD CHAMPION RACER

“Life is too short for a man to hold bitterness in his heart.” www.majortaylorassociation.org/who.htm

“Worcester Whirlwind” Major Taylor biography at a glance

> Nov. 26, 1878: Marshall W. Taylor is born in rural . Black cyclist > 1892: Nicknamed “Major” because of a soldier’s uniform he wears while performing cycling stunts outside an bike shop. breaks records, > Fall 1895: Moves to Worcester, Mass., with his racing manager. defeats bias > Aug. 10, 1899: Wins world 1-mile championship in to become the second black world champion athlete, following boxer A hundred years ago, when George Dixon. bicycle races drew crowds that > September 1900: Wins American championship. filled Madison Square Garden, > October 1900-January 1901: Performs in vaudeville act with the biggest draw of all was Charles “Mile-a-Minute” Murphy, racing on rollers on theater stages Major Taylor. He was the across . Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods > 1901-1904: Competes as a superstar in Europe, Australia, New of his time. Zealand and the , with a brief comeback in 1907 after Taylor won his first race at a two-year hiatus. Book list age 13 in Indianapolis. Soon > 1910: Retires from racing at age 32. * Major Taylor by Andrew bicycle manufacturer and former > June 21, 1932: Dies in a Ritchie (1988/1996/2009) racer Louis “Birdie” Munger hospital charity ward. * Major Taylor by Lesa Cline- hired Taylor as a factory helper > May 1948: Ex-racers have Taylor’s Ransome (2004, for children) and nurtured his racing career. remains moved to a more prominent * Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor by Blacks were banned from spot in Mount Glenwood Cemetery in Marlene Brill (2007, youth) amateur cycling ranks in the Illinois and put up a marker stating, * Major by Todd Balf (2008) United States in 1894, just as “World’s champion bicycle racer * Major Taylor in Australia by bicycling’s popularity surged. who came up the hard way Jim Fitzpatrick (2011) But the move stimulated the without hatred in his heart. ” * The World’s Fastest Man by growth of black cycling clubs Michael Kranish (2019) and black races, which gave

Taylor his early opportunities to prove his ability. In 1897, the “Colored For years, he resisted By the time Munger decided to Cyclone,” as the newspapers invitations to compete in Europe set up a factory in Worcester -- called Taylor, had to abandon because he refused to race on in part to take advantage of the the quest to become national Sundays. He finally signed a biking boom, but also to find a sprint points champion when European contract in 1901, was more tolerant atmosphere for Southern promoters refused him welcomed as a hero in France, his black protege -- Taylor was entry to key races. and went on to beat every black champion of the United When he did compete, he European champion. States. faced hostility from white riders, including threats and physical In 2008 the Major Taylor “I was in Worcester only a Association put up a monument in very short time before I realized assault. But Taylor didn’t lose his nerve, or his popularity. Worcester recognizing Taylor’s that there was no such race strength of character, marked by his prejudice existing among the He held seven world records at the end of 1898 and won the sportsmanship, concern for the less bicycle riders there as I had fortunate, devotion to God, and experienced in Indianapolis,” world championship in 1899. Taylor was a steadfast personal struggle for equality. Taylor wrote in his 1929 Donations help with education autobiography, “The Fastest member of the John Street Baptist Church in Worcester. efforts and statue maintenance. Bicycle Rider in the World.” www.majortaylorassociation.org