Former Home of Cyclist Major Taylor

This residence was once home to Marshall Walter, best known as Major Taylor, who was the leading American professional cyclist at the turn of the 19th century. Despite experiencing racism throughout his life and often being barred from competition, Taylor's speed and talent led to many victories at a time when cycling was second only to boxing as the leading individual sport in America. Taylor's awards and achievements in the cycling field helped to challenge the racist views of the era, but during his life, Taylor often was the victim of discrimination. For example, when Major Taylor bought this property in January of 1900, the objections of white neighbors and their attempts to prevent the star athlete from living here made the front page of the local newspaper. In recent years, the city has supported the creation of a historical marker and a small museum opened in 2021.

Major Taylor was one of the leading icons of the sport of cycling, and his house remains a symbol of the way Taylor challenged racism both on and off the track. Major Taylor's victories were a step in a long history of individual and team athletes who challenged segregation in sports. Widely acclaimed as the fastest man in the world as a sprinter at a time when cycling was a popular spectator sport, Major Taylor was both admired and hated for his success and what it represented.

Taylor's interest in cycling began when he was a young boy working in bike shops and continued into his adult years. At the age of eighteen, Taylor turned professional and was competing in strenuous events throughout the East Coast, including the famous endurance races of the era that often lasted six days. In 1899, Major Taylor became the first Black man to be crowned the champion of cycling. By 1904, he had competed and won major races in three different countries.

Of course, none of this came easy. Major faced racism from fans and peers and was often barred from competing. This discrimination was so pervasive that the raw athletic talent alone was often insufficient, even in a sport like cycling. In 1894, for example, the governing body for cycling championships in the United States declared that while Black athletes could not be members of their organization, they would not be barred from competition.

These restrictions were not universal throughout the globe, and Major Taylor was more famous in France than the United States as he was rarely barred from competition. Taylor's career in the United States was more affected by racism, and he found it difficult to compete in events in the American South. Many American coaches would not allow their cyclists to compete if Taylor was allowed to enter a race and he also had to overcome the challenge of travel and accommodation in the Jim Crow South and beyond. Today, Major Taylor's story is beginning to be shared and there is a historical marker dedicated to Taylor in Indianapolis and Worcester, two other cities where he lived.

Who Was Major Taylor?, www.majortaylorassociation.org/who.shtml.

Kranish, Michael. The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero. Scribner, New York, 2019.

Pullar, Kelsey M. Program Evaluation of the Major Taylor Project: A Bicycling and Youth Development Program, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2015.