Marshall Walter Taylor Broke Tread to Be A World Champ

Feb. 29, 2024 – 01:38 – Keeping Black History Alive, Marshall Walter Taylor. Marshall Walter Taylor was born in Indianapolis and grew up in poverty alongside his eight siblings. As a young boy, Taylor loved to perform 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 arenas called 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 a world title.