The life of Major Taylor is one that should be celebrated and honored. Major Taylor was the first African-American sports world hero and the first African-American to win a world cycling championship in 1899. His story has been largely overlooked until recently, prompting members of Congress to recognize and celebrate his legacy.
Major Taylor was born in 1878 in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents were freed slaves, and he was raised in a hardworking family of limited means. At the age of 11, he caught the attention of an enthusiastic bicycle racer and mechanical genius, Louis D. Rice. Rice was a White man who was instrumental in helping Taylor learn the art of cycling and to become a world-class athlete.
Although cycling wasn’t considered a sport for African-Americans in the late 1800s, Taylor persevered and achieved success. In 1900, he was the only African-American to compete in the Olympic Games. Despite being faced with fierce racism and strong opposition, Major Taylor consistently proved himself as one of the best athletes in the world.
His life’s obstacles do not end there; after his retirement in 1910, Taylor found himself struggling to make ends meet and living in poverty. In his later years, he eventually moved back to the site of his childhood home, a neighborhood that had gone through much of the same socio-economic hardship that Taylor had experienced in his life.
For all he endured, the impact Major Taylor made on society and sport should not be forgotten. In 2019, member of Congress introduced a bill that would award Major Taylor a congressional gold medal for his courage to continue fighting racial injustice and inspiring generations of African American athletes that came after him.
By recognizing Major Taylor and his achievements, this bill serves not only to honor his legacy, but to provide a well-deserved acknowledgement of how far the sporting world has come. With the potential of the bill becoming an official reality, the hope is that the life and legacy of Major Taylor will eventually be included in the wider conversation of American history.
