Marshall Walter Taylor was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, growing up in poverty alongside his eight siblings. As a young boy, Taylor performed tricks on his bicycle and would routinely dress in a military uniform which led to the nickname “The Major.”
In 1896 when Taylor was 18 he qualified for his first competition, a six-day race at Madison Square Garden. Thousands of fans would pack Velodromes to watch his high-speed races. He would later capture the most coveted of all records, the one-mile sprint along with being named world champion in cycling.
Over a century would pass before another Black cyclist claimed the world title.
Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrio’s newsletter.
For more episodes of ‘Keeping Black History Alive’ click here!