Review Detail

Major Taylor: World Champion was an engaging read about cyclist Marshall Walter Taylor. He arrived on the scene of Madison Square Garden’s six-day race in 1896 as the youngest contestant at eighteen years old and the sole African American among the 28 competitors.
The illustrations and text put us on the edge of our seats as he cycles around the track. We can feel the excitement of that race. He avoids those who want to hurt him because of the color of his skin. He faces hallucinations from exhaustion. Slowly the crowd goes from seeing him for his color to cheering him for his skill.
In an engaging style of writing, we see flashbacks of how Major came to be at the race that day all while he’s cycling 1,700 miles before he comes to a crashing halt thirty minutes before the six-day race ends.
The back matter gives us a more complete rundown of his life and his major successes before the invention of the automobile made the world of cycling fade. Marshall Walter Taylor is an inspiring figure in history. He faced racism but didn’t let it hold him back. Overall, this was an engaging presentation of a biography and a groundbreaking figure in integrated sports.