This is the life story of Marshall Major Taylor, the world’s first acclaimed African American athlete. Major Taylor endured countless examples of social injustice during his reign at the top of cycling’s pyramid of success. It was an era when bike racing was bigger than baseball and the fledgling sports of football and basketball combined.

Cyclists were the highest-paid athletes in any sport and the US had more than a hundred high-banked velodromes historically reminiscent of what NASCAR represents today. In his day, Major Taylor was the world’s best-known African American in any endeavor. He was also the first openly Christian athlete whose strength of body, mind, and spirit inspired others, black and white, with his extraordinary athletic achievement. His moral impact and the lessons Major imparted 120 years ago are equally relevant today.

The author, John Kennedy Howard is a cyclist who has held world records at both ends of the spectrum of madness, speed—152 mph, and endurance—539 miles in 24 hours. He is a 3-time Olympian and coached many national and international champions from Olympic gold medal fame to the grueling Race Across America. A cycling journalist, Howard has five book titles and hundreds of articles spanning every facet of cycling.

Co-author and native San Diegan, Rene Maurer graduated from California State University San Marcos with a BS degree in Chemistry and worked as a research scientist for a manufacturing company. She developed a love for writing and the research needed to tell a factual and compelling story.

"Writing about Marshall Taylor, the challenges he faced as an African American during a racially challenged era, and the people he encountered during his life’s journey was an enjoyable and challenging experience."