Great Orators | 3. Marshall “Major” Taylor

Lundi, 16  Février, 2015

Verse of the Day: « En effet, le message qui vous a ete annonce et que vous avez entendu dess le commencement, c’est que nous devons nous aimer les uns les autres. »—1 Jean 3.11

Quote of the Day: "You want us to trust you? Don’t say anything!"—Blaise Pascal

« Voulez-vous qu’on croie du bien de vous ? N’en dites point ! »—Blaise Pascal

French Fun Fact: French was the official language of England for over 300 years (confessedtravelholic.com)

What’s Really Happening Over Here:

Weather – Overcast, Precip. 0%

Temperature – 41⁰F

News – MOROCCO. Violent arrest of two French journalists

More News – http://www.ouest-france.fr/

A Day In the Life:

This weekend was spent…doing homework. Big surprise, I know! I’m taking three online classes right now, and they arguably the three hardest ones – or at least the ones with the most work: BUSI 201, CRST 290, and THEO 202. My fellow Liberty students feel my pain, I’m sure. And, due to some wifi problems at the beginning of last week, I am just now catching up with the pace and working to get ahead so it doesn’t happen again.

On the other bright side, I’ve moved in with my third host family! This time they’re Americans, which, as I’ve said before is a needed breath of fresh air. Not that I don’t like France, or the people I’ve met, or the families I’ve stayed with so far – that’s not at all what I’m saying! It’s just good to be myself again. If you know me, you know that I have a ridiculous (and somewhat embarrassing; not that that’s ever stopped me) laugh, that goes off at the slightest hint of humor, and most of the time when other people don’t even think it was funny. Also, my jokes suck. And I laugh at those too. It’s just good to be able to laugh again – I mean really laugh, because I can actually tell when something is funny and why instead of waiting to see if they were laughing to know if I should laugh. I also don’t have to worry about confusing the bathroom with the dishwasher – not what it sounds like, trust me. (“VC” is bathroom and “vaisselle” is dishes, and at youth group a couple of weeks ago they asked me if I wanted to “faire la vaisselle” – they explained afterwards that they were making a joke, because they were going to do them themselves – but regardless all I heard was “VC”. To which I replied: “Uh…..non merci”. They stared at me, and laughed, and then asked if I understood, and I explained what I thought I heard, and they explained what they had actually said, and then we laughed together [genuinely], and then I got up and did the dishes anyway because I couldn’t believe what just happened.)

Oh and also, I can take normal-lengthed showers (by American standards) – at least for the week! So, like I said, it’s a breath of fresh air!

“Major” Taylor

My homage to Black History Month continues today with Major Taylor. Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor was a World Champion African-American sprint cyclist during the late 1800s. He was also outspoken about equal rights and opportunities for his people. Following is a summarized version of

Marshall "Major" Taylor

his story, as well as some of the things he said which helped open up the eyes and hearts of his oppressors.

Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor (26 November 1878 – 21 June 1932) was an American cyclist who won the world 1 mile (1.6 km) track cycling championship in 1899 after setting numerous world records and overcoming racial discrimination. Taylor was the first African-American athlete to achieve the level of world champion and only the second black man to win a world championship—after Canadian boxer George Dixon.

Taylor was the son of Gilbert Taylor, Civil War veteran, and Saphronia Kelter, who had migrated from 

Louisville, Kentucky, with their large family to a farm in rural Indiana. He was one of eight children: five girls and three boys. Taylor's father was employed in the household of a wealthy Indiana family, the Southards, as a coachman, where Taylor was also raised and educated. When Taylor was a child, his father would bring him to work. The employer had a son, Dan Southard, who was the same age and the two boys became close friends. Taylor later moved in with the family and was able to live a more advantaged life than his parents could provide.

This period of living and learning at the Southard house lasted from the time he was eight until he was 12 when the Southards moved to Chicago and Taylor "was soon thrust into the real world."

At age 12, Taylor received his first bicycle from the Southards and became such an expert trick rider that a local bike shop owner, Tom Hay, hired him to stage exhibitions and perform cycling stunts outside his bicycle shop. The name of the shop was Hay and Willits. The compensation was $6 a week, plus a free bike worth $35. Taylor performed the stunts wearing a soldier's uniform, hence the nickname "Major."

When he was 13 in 1891, Taylor won his first race, an amateur event in Indianapolis. Two years later, in 1893 at age 15, Taylor beat the 1 mile (1.6 km) amateur track record where he was "hooted" and then barred from the track because of his color.

Earl Kiser, who was nicknamed the "Little Dayton Demon," raced for the Stearns Yellow Fellow team during the same period as Taylor. Kiser became a two time world cycling champion and competed all across Europe in the late 1890s. Kiser gave support to Taylor after he was barred from most national races. Kiser petitioned to have him included and Taylor went on to become the world sprint champion in 1899 and 1900. He was the first African-American to win a world title.

Taylor participated in a European tour in 1902 where he entered 57 races and won 40 of them, defeating the champions of Germany, England and France.

Besides racing in Europe, Taylor also competed in Australia and New Zealand, although because he was very religious, never on Sunday. He always carried a catechism and began each race with a silent prayer and refused to compete on the Sabbath.

During February 1903, Taylor was competing in the Sydney (New South Wales) handicap for a $5,000 prize and the headline flashed worldwide was "Rich Cycle Race."

Although he was greatly celebrated abroad, particularly in France, Taylor's career was still held back by racism, particularly in the Southern states where he was not permitted to compete against Caucasians. The League of American Wheelmen for a time excluded blacks from membership. Other prominent bicycle racers of the era,

Taylor racing in Paris, where he was particularly beloved.

such as Tom Cooper and Eddie Bald, often cooperated to ensure Taylor's defeat. During his career he had ice water thrown at him during races, and nails scattered in front of his wheels, and was often boxed in by other riders, preventing the sprints to the front of the pack at which he was so successful.

In his autobiography, he reports actually being tackled on the race track by another rider, who choked him into unconsciousness but received only a $50 fine as punishment. Nevertheless, he does not dwell on such events in the book; rather it is evident that he means it to serve as an inspiration to other African-Americans trying to overcome similar treatment. Taylor retired at age 32 in 1910, saying he was tired of the racism. His advice to African-American youths wishing to emulate him was that while bicycle racing was the appropriate route to success for him, he would not recommend it in general; and that individuals must find their own best talent.

Words of Wisdom (From Experience)

"It is my thought that clean living and a strict observance of the golden rule of true sportsmanship are foundation stones without which a championship structure cannot be built."—Marshall Taylor in The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World

"Life is too short for any man to hold bitterness in his heart."—Marshall Taylor

"There are positively no mental, physical or moral attainments too lofty for the Negro to accomplish if granted a fair and equal opportunity."—Marshall Taylor

 “A real honest-to-goodness champion can always win on the merits."—Marshall Taylor

His tombstone reads, "Dedicated to the memory of Marshall W. 'Major' Taylor, 1878-1932. World's champion bicycle racer who came up the hard way without hatred in his heart, an honest, courageous and God-fearing, clean-living, gentlemanly athlete. A credit to the race who always gave out his best. Gone but not forgotten."

(The indented information above is a direct quote from the article on Marshall Taylor found on Wikipedia.com)

Let us follow Major Taylor’s example, and persevere through adversity without hatred in our hearts.