The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World: The True Story of America's First Black World Champion

by Major Taylor

"Born in 1878, bicycle racer Marshall "Major" Taylor became the first Black sports star to become a global celebrity when he won the world cycling championship in 1899. Throughout his bike-racing career, he won awards and set records on and off the track. But in his native United States, he faced racist discrimination and violence at every turn, causing him to spend most of his time in Europe where fans saw his vale. After he retired from racing, he wrote and published his autobiography and traveled the world promoting it. Written in the 1920s, his story feels fresh, contemporary, and readable. His life was too short, but his legacy lives on in the many organizations and clubs that bear his name, and generations of new cyclists who look up to him. His intelligence, good humor, and global perspective shine through on every page in this candid account of a remarkable life. This new edition features a foreword by bicycle advocate Adonia Lugo, author of Bicycle / Race"--

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2023

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why the hell hasn't this been made into a bu ch of movies????

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Major Taylor's story is a fascinating peek into the world of cycling, sport, and race relations in the late 1890s-early 1900s, but his autobiography almost exclusively discusses his life on the track. Many of the chapters are merely a summary of a particular racing season and recounting of races that stood out to him so it gets somewhat repetitive.