​> Nov. 26, 1878: Marshall W. Taylor is born in Indianapolis.

 

> 1890: Nicknamed “Major” because of a soldier’s jacket he wears while performing cycling stunts outside an Indianapolis bike shop.

> Fall 1895: Moves to Worcester, Mass., with his racing manager.

> Nov. 16, 1898: Concludes record-setting campaign in Philadelphia with 7 world records for various distances (motor-paced).

> Aug. 10, 1899: Wins world 1-mile championship in Montreal to become the second Black world champion athlete, following boxer George Dixon.

> September 1900: Wins American sprint championship.

> October 1900-January 1901: Performs in vaudeville act with Charles “Mile-a-Minute” Murphy, racing on rollers on theater stages.

 

> 1901-1904 and 1907-1909: Competes as a superstar in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and U.S.

> 1910: Retires from racing at age 32.

> June 21, 1932: Dies in a Chicago hospital charity ward.

> May 1948: Ex-racers have Taylor’s remains moved to a more prominent spot in Mount Glenwood Cemetery in Illinois and put up a marker stating:

 

“World’s champion bicycle racer who came up the hard way without hatred in his heart.''

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