Major Taylor: The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame

“Before Magic, before Ali, before Jesse Owens, there was Major Taylor” (Bob Roll, NBC cycling analyst and former professional cyclist).

At the turn of the century, one of the world’s most popular athletes was a black bicycle racer named Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor. Known throughout the country, he was the fastest man in America and the first African American cyclist to achieve the level of world champion. But he still faced the virulent racism and belittling treatment that was a daily occurrence for so many.

Major Taylor is the story of a truly remarkable man and athlete, from his humble beginnings in Indianapolis riding a bike and performing stunts for money to his incredible victories despite widespread discrimination—and cruelties that included having ice water thrown on him and nails tossed in his bike’s path, as well as being physically attacked during a race. 

With a foreword by three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, this spellbinding saga of fortitude, grace, forgiveness, and one man’s unyielding will to win against the greatest of odds is sure to become a classic.