Retrace the life and legacy of track cycling champion, civil rights activist, and Hoosier hero Marshall “Major” Taylor—the world’s first Black sports superstar. Q&A to follow.
This WTIU-produced documentary examines the life and accomplishments of Major Taylor, the world’s first Black sports superstar and early civil rights pioneer. Taylor made his professional cycling debut in 1896 at the Six-Day Race held at New York’s famed Madison Square Garden; he was only 18 years old and had never raced professionally before, but he finished in the top ten as the only Black cyclist allowed to compete. Throughout his storied, yet largely forgotten, career, Taylor set more than 20 world speed records and was one of most famous people on three continents, all while battling segregation in Jim Crow America. Called “the fastest man in the world” by reporters, Taylor’s talent was lauded by civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, President Theodore Roosevelt, and other notable figures. Major Taylor: Champion of the Race won four regional Emmy Awards and is narrated by acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Marietta Simpson with a score by five-time Emmy Award-winning musical director Tyron Cooper, who also leads IU’s Archives of African American Music & Culture. Grammy Award-winning jazz legend Branford Marsalis provides the voice of Major Taylor. [56 min; documentary; English]
A Q&A with director Todd Gould, Leila Faraday (IU Student Foundation Riders Council), human rights and mental health advocate Nilaja Montgomery, and Kisha Tandy (IU Indianapolis Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering) will follow the screening.
"Must-see documentary." — Andrew McLemore, GearJunkie
“Such a big personality is hard to fit into a single documentary, but producer Todd Gould has done just that.” — Ron Johnson, Momentum Mag
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