Major Taylor: Champion of the Race

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WTIU & WFIU - Indiana Public Media

WTIU & WFIU - Indiana Public Media

4 ай бұрын

Major Taylor: Champion of the Race retraces the life and legacy of an American civil rights pioneer who set more than 20 world records in track cycling during the heart of Jim Crow America. By the time he was in his early 20s, Major Taylor had captured the world cycling championship, the American cycling crown, and had set dozens of world track cycling records - all while having to endure withering racial pressures.
The film is narrated by acclaimed opera mezzo-soprano Marietta Simpson, with jazz legend Branford Marsalis reading and interpreting written quotes from Major Taylor. Five-time Emmy Award winning composer/musician Tyron Cooper is crafting a soundtrack for the documentary.
The film features interviews with many top historians, archivists, athletes and activists, who each provide added insight in Taylor’s life and times.
For more information: visit wtiu.org/majortaylor/

Пікірлер: 69
@BlackGirlsDoBike
@BlackGirlsDoBike 4 ай бұрын
Let's Go!!
@petegarnett7731
@petegarnett7731 4 ай бұрын
As a teenager in the 1940's I had a "Major Taylor" stem. The fact that it was adjustable for length was a godsend to a kid with no money who was growing like a weed.
@juliosmith4461
@juliosmith4461 4 ай бұрын
Still have it in a basement somewhere?
@paulschofield2630
@paulschofield2630 24 күн бұрын
Fantastic to watch this Major Taylor was a great true 👍 legend really glad he's getting the recognition he deserved 👏 😊
@jllucci
@jllucci Ай бұрын
He put the first crack in the facade of Racism and did so with class.
@alicedehoff669
@alicedehoff669 2 ай бұрын
Taylor was a courageous man for his time.
@starblazers01
@starblazers01 4 ай бұрын
One of my first cycling heroes back in the 80's. 🇺🇲🙏🇲🇽
@govermentsoundsystemrootik8887
@govermentsoundsystemrootik8887 4 ай бұрын
I'm 56 year's old & been cycling since i was a mare nipper at 3/4 years of age & it wer'nt till i was 14 years old that i became aware of Major Taylor & it is most definitely because of him that i have continued & embraced my cycling endeavours to date in 2024.,from the aid & assistance from my father Raymond ( God rest he's sole, sunrise March 13th 1933 to sunset April 4th 2004 ) who gave me the dive to emulate Mr Taylor one of my dad's hero's where we built together my very first road race bike age almost 15..., i so miss my dad but from him i have installed into my son with not so much eventfulness but in my grandson high hope's as in him only being 2 year's old is as fearless as they come on he's Specialized balance bike., going to train him to be the best that he can be in whatever cycling venture that he chooses as i see in him that this is definitely a life long hobby like me that i see in him & in my grandson's favour he has in me he's Granpappy to sponsor & aid him in how far he wants to go., so far i see that he loves to jump & stuff so im teaching him how to maintain balance & abit of focus before i build him a toddler race bike for he's 4/5th year Birthday...., I owe a whole heap to Mr Taylor for what he had to endure in those racist as shit disgusting era of our times from our world's most racist country AMERIKKKLAN...!!!
@user-ly6tw2ek6f
@user-ly6tw2ek6f 4 ай бұрын
The man is finally getting his due. So excited for this film!
@wearemajortaylor
@wearemajortaylor 4 ай бұрын
One of the greatest!
@InMySoul1
@InMySoul1 4 ай бұрын
Major Taylor said that when hearing the "Star Spangled Banner" played to celebrate his triumph in Canada, he "felt even more American at that moment than [he] ever felt in America." Such is the African-American experience, sadly.
@2wheelsrbest327
@2wheelsrbest327 4 ай бұрын
Wow ! I feel very lucky to have found this What a great man Major Taylor was and whatever our colour we can all learn from his example. Aged 73 and living in the UK and been a keen cyclist for most of my life I have never heard of him before and that must tell us something. Hopefully this video will also be seen by many over more people over here and his achievements applauded by many others. Its great to see the recognition he is now deservedly getting in the USA. For the record I am white.
@user-wr8dx5tr5d
@user-wr8dx5tr5d 4 ай бұрын
I'm so glad my cousin told me about this documentary. Charles Nickson in Hurst Texas.
@MichaelLondon6
@MichaelLondon6 4 ай бұрын
Beautifully done
@Scott-ph2yk
@Scott-ph2yk 4 ай бұрын
A well produced documentary. I am a lifelong bike rider. Major Taylor's story is well known in the cycling community. Glad to see he is getting mainstream recognition which is long overdue. Next man up for overdue recognition should be Colonel Charles Young. He faced many of the same racial barriers as Taylor at West Point and in the US Army.
@capoislamort100
@capoislamort100 4 ай бұрын
What kind of bike do you have?
@Scott-ph2yk
@Scott-ph2yk 4 ай бұрын
@@capoislamort100 an old 90's vintage Merlin road bike is my daily rider.
@heidisaul5671
@heidisaul5671 4 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing his remarkable story - Heidi (Ms. Bling) Proud member of Major Taylor Houston Cycling Club and Black Girls Do Ride Houston Chapter
@johnhendricks8140
@johnhendricks8140 3 ай бұрын
GARRISON H brought me here. First time hearing about the Major Taylor this guy was exceptional, the things this man had to endure is crazy.
@E1LTSaves
@E1LTSaves 4 ай бұрын
Major Taylor the GREAT!
@evanshaw17
@evanshaw17 4 ай бұрын
This is an incredible story one of the most important stories of athletics and it’s ability to transcend race, prejudice, and the horrible aspects we have as human beings. He was an amazing person and this is a wonderful story and it’s well told. I cannot believe the comments in this section. They are so small hard and critical. It’s just disgusting frankly it’s a beautiful story and it’s quite well told good grief what’s wrong with the people who comment on KZfaq for God sake if anyone’s failed to be moved by the story, then they just shouldn’t watch it. They don’t understand the difficulties human beings have when racism, sexism, homophobia, and other things happen to people we’re all God s Children for God sakes
@revisephilosophy
@revisephilosophy 4 ай бұрын
Thank you for this documentary which was very interesting and engaging. As someone living in the UK and interested in early cycling, Major Taylor is a significant figure, but not one that I have really looked at . I have a few copies of La Vie Au Grand Air that feature Taylor and his career coincides with the popularity of track cycling that begins to be eclipsed by an increasingly established road racing programme. Especially interesting to see French cycling and boxing also embrace (but often as a curiosity) black athletes competing against white competitors.
@POHMIXES
@POHMIXES 4 ай бұрын
Can’t wait for this!!! Let’s goooooo!!
@plethoraofpinatas.
@plethoraofpinatas. 4 ай бұрын
I am white, Major Taylor means a lot to me.
@1971lemond
@1971lemond 21 күн бұрын
“THE MAN”………………..👏👊
@blairrighton6270
@blairrighton6270 4 ай бұрын
America has an amazing history of african american cyclists, don't forget about the buffalo soldiers or Nelson Vails....
@InMySoul1
@InMySoul1 4 ай бұрын
The Major Taylor statue is in front of the Worcester Public Library.
@JackMott
@JackMott 4 ай бұрын
Position is excellent, narrow bars, forearms nearly level. Minimizing frontal area. I would love to talk to him, to know what sort of equipment and position ideas he thought about.
@arthurmchugh5184
@arthurmchugh5184 4 ай бұрын
His position is too cramped, stem too short , I raced for years and way back world champion Danny Clark told me about this , took the advice because I didn't really know shit !!😊😊 his advice helped me kick ass for years 😂😂
@user-sw9um4tx7k
@user-sw9um4tx7k 4 ай бұрын
I tried to get through this fascinating documentary, but the long begging/repetitive ads just killed it for me and I just gave up. The ads went on so long the story was lost.
@Velolab
@Velolab 4 ай бұрын
It's pretty easy to speed through the fund raising.......
@yellowjacketrides
@yellowjacketrides 4 ай бұрын
Want to learn more about Major Taylor | Check out how his handwritten letters discovered in a Worcester storage unit: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/obegfM2qspyoXYE.html
@MrTwenty20video
@MrTwenty20video 2 ай бұрын
💪 🏆 bicycling
@gee2874
@gee2874 4 ай бұрын
❤🇬🇧
@tepoztlan-osbornemusic6658
@tepoztlan-osbornemusic6658 4 ай бұрын
Way too many advertisements in this video.
@kingpinronin4301
@kingpinronin4301 4 ай бұрын
Great documentary, however there are other (better) ways to solicit contributions on KZfaq. I know this is from a broadcast, but it is simple enough to cut out the overly long pleas for money, and insert a few links and lower/upper thirds, and donations links in the description. Im sure a significant portion of viewers click on something different once the pleas for money last several minutes long!
@mikebellamy8263
@mikebellamy8263 4 ай бұрын
What about his daughter? Did she have children or grandchildren who could have been interviewed?
@Velolab
@Velolab 4 ай бұрын
Karen Brown Donovan is his great-granddaughter. She is in the doc.
@mikebellamy8263
@mikebellamy8263 4 ай бұрын
Thank you. My dumb butt missed that
@user-st8ss5lu9z
@user-st8ss5lu9z 4 ай бұрын
all this doc felt like is further fueling the racial divide between white and black and fails to tell the true story of how the many white people in his life didnt see him as black but as an equal from his childhood to when he died; he was the greatest athlete of his time. a mentor for all the underdogs out there. A hero to this day. A must read is The Worlds Fastest Man by Michael Kranish which tells the entire Major story and about the people in his life that respected him as an equal. if it wasnt for them there would be no Major Taylor. Peace to our fellow humans needs to be the change!
@kimweidner7351
@kimweidner7351 4 ай бұрын
Being a woman of color and an athlete in a sport that has few blacks in it, saddens me as I have NEVER heard of this athlete. Marshall Major Taylor was incredible for the obvious, but also for being a beacon for all of us, ALL Americans - regardless of race - in showing us how to be dignified in the face of hate. I love his story, thank you for teaching me more about my people.
@rider8888m
@rider8888m 4 ай бұрын
Absolute legend!! Poor quality documentary though.
@andrewlaubi4448
@andrewlaubi4448 4 ай бұрын
Cant wait to see yours should awesome 👏
@honestreviewer3283
@honestreviewer3283 4 ай бұрын
Thank you for this. I was a competitive cyclist from the time I was 13 to 30, but I'd never heard this wonderful story. Like hockey, cycling is still a very white sport and this is sadly reflective of the prohibitive cost of entry due to all the equipment required. Now, tell me systemic racism doesn't exist. I hope this story inspires young Americans from communities of color who'd never considered cycling.
@peterconnors5259
@peterconnors5259 4 ай бұрын
I would agree that if you’re trying to be a competitive cyclist, equipment is definitely prohibitively expensive. However, if you are simply trying to get fit and casually ride, then bikes are as cheap as ever. All of my bikes are second hand and my most expensive one I bought for $300 (with Dura Ace components!) I will admit though, if you don’t know where to shop or where to find deals then yes-the sport is expensive.
@honestreviewer3283
@honestreviewer3283 4 ай бұрын
@@peterconnors5259 Yes, we're not talking casual riding here, we're talking racing. To be competitive in road, the outlay is ~$3K USD minimum for a bike, race wheels, pedals, shoes, helmet, kit, racing license, etc. It's an expensive sport, and that's unfortunately why disadvantaged groups are underrepresented.
@peterconnors5259
@peterconnors5259 4 ай бұрын
@@honestreviewer3283 wow, that’s more than I’ve ever spent on bikes, and I would consider myself a bit of a nut since I’ve bought around 8 of them. I didn’t realize the barrier to entry was that steep :o
@MrRoadcrankr
@MrRoadcrankr 4 ай бұрын
@@honestreviewer3283 Are you saying Blacks are a disadvantaged group? As a teen, I wanted a top-end bicycle. This meant working odd jobs to save the money. Your comment implies that somebody ought to just give bikes to disadvantaged people. Earlier, you called it a "white sport," which shows how litle you know. In my Socal region, I see numerous Blacks, Asians, Latinos, Whites, etc. riding nice bikes in fast group rides. It takes effort and drive to participate in "expensive" sports like this, motocross, golf, skiing, car racing, ...need I go on?
@honestreviewer3283
@honestreviewer3283 4 ай бұрын
@@MrRoadcrankr "Your comment implies that somebody ought to just give bikes to disadvantaged people." My comment implies no such thing. I am pointing out socioeconomic disparities in our society that manifest themselves in sports that have a prohibitive cost of entry. I studied the socioeconomics of poverty and racism in university (which I paid for by "working odd jobs to save the money"). Did you; or do you just base all your opinions on your direct observations, like a child? You see SOME successful people of color on rides in your expensive area, but the fact is that here in America there are very few people of color in cycling. And, no, I most certainly did not call cycling a "white sport" in the "whites only" sense you're accusing me of; I said it's a "very white sport" because the vast majority of its participants ARE white and that "this is sadly reflective of the prohibitive cost of entry due to all the equipment required." One of the best domestic pro cycling teams today is Legion of Los Angeles, led by the Williams brothers (who are Black), but their story is exceptional; like in hockey, most of their competitors are white, and this is due to the reasons I've outlined. So are YOU implying that people of color are somehow lazy and that there would be more of them in these sports if they just had more "effort and drive"? And are YOU trying to claim that systemic racism hasn't and doesn't depress communities of color in America? Because that's flat out incorrect and isn't supported by the facts ("which shows how little you know"). I bet you're a Trump supporter. Illiterate child.
@mikebellamy8263
@mikebellamy8263 4 ай бұрын
Big gap in between the time he left cycling at 31 and his death at 53. What else went on during those years besides his divorce and his failed tire design? How did he lose all his money???
@SuperRowbear
@SuperRowbear 4 ай бұрын
the book Black Cyclists goes into a little more detail about his life after racing. In part, it was a series of failed business ventures and in part, he gave a lot away...to his church and in the form of allowing people to become delinquent in their rent on his properties. There is more, however, as systemic racism has far too many tentacles to list them all in a youtube comment. :)
@mikebellamy8263
@mikebellamy8263 4 ай бұрын
@@SuperRowbear thanks, I'll look for the book.
@juliosmith4461
@juliosmith4461 4 ай бұрын
Your telling me racial conditions were that much opposite in Australia? Sounds like the old whitewashoakeedoke to me.
@krtt750
@krtt750 4 ай бұрын
Some poor research. (various diseases?) The narrative is mediocre at best, as the voice chosen was not forceful or dramatic enough. And the accompanying music was not period correct. A fair effort, with some very large gaps.
@NickBonne
@NickBonne 4 ай бұрын
Painfully obvious that most of the people featured in this have no understanding of cycling. Mark says "hang back in the pocket." Come on, dude, wtf do you think you're talking about? A quarterback? You'd think at least one of the many Hoosiers involved in making this would understand the concept of drafting; considering the world famous race track minutes from the State Museum.
@capoislamort100
@capoislamort100 4 ай бұрын
Man, you’re too much you know that. Everything is a complaint from you.
@Velolab
@Velolab 4 ай бұрын
@@NickBonne The "pocket" he's referring to is when three cyclists hold a fourth rider on the inside edge of the track, one in front-one on the side-one in back, so that the middle rider cannot sprint away from the front rider. This is planned ahead of time by the other riders and was often employed against Taylor. He learned to hang back and avoid this situation and then sprint to the line unimpeded. Maybe do a little research of your own before posting a negative comment.
@NickBonne
@NickBonne 4 ай бұрын
@@Velolab That is not what was said. Being “in” something is quite different than being “behind” it. To “hang back IN the pocket” is what was said. You describe that Taylor prevented a pocket from being formed around him, sat on the wheels, in the leading riders’ draft, and sprinted over the top at the right moment. Two completely different situations.
@Velolab
@Velolab 4 ай бұрын
⁠@@NickBonneyou’re just splitting hairs. However, I do think it would have been helpful to explain racing tactics (and what a pocket was) and how other riders worked against Taylor to prevent him from winning.
@clovergrass9439
@clovergrass9439 4 ай бұрын
We were never supposed to share the same culture.
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