Awarding Marshall ``major'' Taylor with A Congressional Gold Medal

Floor Speech

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Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Marshall ``Major'' Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act, the highest honor this body can bestow upon an American.

Major Taylor was the greatest athlete of his era, America's first sports superstar, and a world champion, but he has been left out of our history books. We need to bring him out of the shadows and recognize his greatness both on and off the track.

Not only did Taylor set world records and dominate his sport, but he did so while facing down racists and bigots in the Jim Crow era.

Race organizers would try to exclude him from events. Other cyclists would viciously insult him and even did physical harm.

Despite it all, the son of a Union soldier rose above it, setting record after record and becoming a world champion.

Even when compared to today's athletes, Major Taylor is among the greatest cyclists of all time. It is time that Congress recognizes his greatness and award him a Congressional Gold Medal.

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