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The Major Taylor Story – a rise to stardom despite the odds

Major Taylor’s story is of a rise to stardom despite the odds. He was as big a star as Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan in his day, but his grandfather was a slave. In the Jim Crow era of strict racial segregation in America, Taylor had to fight entrenched prejudice just to get to the starting line. He faced closed doors and open hostility with remarkable dignity. But nothing could stand in the way of this poor farm boy, born to a US Civil War veteran, who became The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World.

The prevailing notion of the time was that whites were superior. Taylor’s success disproved this.

By the end of 1898, aged 20, Taylor held seven world records, at distances ranging from ¼ to 2 miles. He was also the most hated, most admired, most controversial, most talked about but ultimately the most famous bicycle racer in America at the turn of the 20^th Century.

Watch the video and see the incredible story of Major Taylor, his rise to stardom – and the obstacles he overcame at a time of racial prejudice.

A text version of this story can be found here – The Major Taylor Story

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