Major Taylor, Bicycle Racer is a highly readable account of one of the greatest and most neglected athletes in American history.
The book relates for young readers the story of Major Taylor, the first African American to win a major championship in any sport. Taylor was a bicycle racer at the turn of the twentieth century, a time when racing was the most popular sport in America and the world. He was one of the few black athletes allowed to compete against white rivals. He proved himself to be the fastest rider of his time, winning enormous amounts of money in the process.
Long before Jackie Robinson broke into baseball, long before Lance Armstrong made Americans take another look at bicycle racing, Major Taylor dominated a sport in a time of overwhelming prejudice. His struggle to win and his determined fight against hatred and discrimination make the hero of an inspiring tale. Written for 8-12-year-olds, the book will appeal to readers of all ages. Everyone will thrill by the vivid scenes of Taylor’s wild and breakneck races on steeply banked tracks. Everyone will be moved by his strength of character in the face of the longest odds.
If you don’t know about Major Taylor, read this book.
