Marshall Major Taylor is the first African American to win a World Championship title in cycling. A hundred years ago, when bicycle races drew crowds that filled Madison Square Garden, the biggest draw of all was Major Taylor. One of Taylor’s early breakthroughs came in 1896 when, at the age of 18, he won his first major race—the 1-mile sprint at the prestigious International Cycling Association (ICA) meet in Massachusetts. This victory marked the beginning of his ascent to becoming one of the most prominent cyclists of his time. Taylor’s success, however, was accompanied by the harsh realities of racism, as he faced hostility from both competitors and spectators. Taylor often endured discrimination, including incidents where competitors purposefully tried to injure him during races. In 1901, he won 42 of the 57 European races he entered. In 1902 he won 40 of the 57 races he entered. Taylor would end up making a fortune in the early 1900s, in prize money and appearance fees, earning about 35,000 a year which is equivalent to a million a year today. Major however spent the later years of his life struggling financially. After writing and publishing his own book he would sell his book door to door in Chicago. He would die of a heart attack in 1932 at the age of 52, buried in an unmarked grave. Former bicycle stars they persuaded Frank Schwinn of the Schwinn bicycle company to pay to have Taylor’s remains transferred to a more fitting location. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and your contributions.