Cycling through Black History
The Massachusetts African-American Heritage
Bicycling Route Network
A network of 10 to 400-mile bicycling routes that will guide
individuals, families and groups on a journey through the places that
show the rich African-American history of Massachusetts; developed
through partnerships with local communities and organizations.
Rewards:
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Education
Celebration
Adventure
Tourism
Health
Schematic Map of the Major Road Routes for Biking to Visit
AA-Heritage Sites, and Ferry System
What do we do (Draft)?
• Link together known A-A heritage sites in a
larger bicycle-friendly road route and railtrail map of Massachusetts
• Stimulate and receive information on new
A-A heritage sites from local historical and
biking groups
• Link this new information to the existing
road route structure, creating new loops
and spurs
What else to we do (Draft)?
• Provide web-based
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Cue sheets for biking
Historical detail about sites
Pictures
Music
Podcasts
Links to other state’s routes
Possible alternate routes for drivers
Links to services to bicyclists along the road, B&B’s,
bike shops etc.
What sites/routes now exist?
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Marthas Vineyard
New Bedford
Nantucket
Upper Housatonic
Northampton
Boston
Cambridge
Worcester county
Marthas Vineyard
New Bedford
Florence (Northampton)
Boston
Nantucket
Upper Housatonic Region –
Western MA
Worcester County
Routes under construction
• Worcester
• Leicester
• Southbridge
New England and Beyond
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Portsmouth NH
Portland ME
Woonsocket RI
Last Green Valley CT
Upper Housatonic (CT part)
Vermont
Underground Railroad Route – Mobile AL
to Canada – Adventure Cycling
Last Green Valley, CT. Prudence Crandall, Samuel May
and other sites
Portsmouth, NH
Other Initiatives – Adventure Cycling UGRR Trail
Mobile to Canada
Inaugural Annual Ride and Celebration
West Medford – Arlington - Bedford - Concord
• Under construction – target: Spring, 2009
• West Medford –
– Slave wall
– Royall House
– William Overton home
• East Arlington – Prince Hall Cemetery
• Arlington (Menotomy) –
– Thomas Ferrit, (Mulatto Natick Praying Indian); Cuff Whittemore; David
Lamson
• Lexington Town Green – Prince Estabrook
• Bedford Old Burial Ground - Cambridge Moore, Caesar
Prescott and Caesar Jones
• Concord – Peter Salem
Slave Wall, West Medford
36 Jerome Street, West Medford, home of William
Overton, host to Riverside Cycle Club, 1893
Prince Hall Cemetery, East
Arlington
Menotomy (Arlington)
Our member, Mabray Andrews, at Bedford Old
Burial Ground, marker listing Cambridge Moore,
Caesar Prescott and Caesar Jones
Members Arlen Hall, Mary Collins and Larry
Finison with Charles Price as Prince Estabrook,
near Lexington Town Green
Cycling through Black History and
Black Cycling History
Although this is not our major focus, the
story is not complete without attention to a
special part of black history – black cycling
history.
“Colored” Bike Clubs in MA, circa
1890’s
• Riverside Club– Cambridge/Boston we’ve
identified about 30 members by name
• Albion Club– Worcester, and possibly a
“clubhouse” in Woonsocket RI
– Major Taylor
– Bert Hazard
– Bert Williams
• Douglass Club– Worcester
– Major Taylor
– George Brown
– Benjamin Walker and at least 8 others
Logo of the Riverside Cycle Club,
circa 1893-98
Clubhouse on Main Street Cambridge
Riverside Club Members and Associates,
circa 1890’s
J.D.
Allson
Joseph G.
Holmes
James
Anderson
Charles W.
Johnson
T.A.
Armstrong
Geo. C.
Lewis
T.E.
Bowser
H.
Mechins
John W.
Bowser
George
Mercer
James H.
Conover
William H.
Nott (Knot?)
Harry
Conover
William
Overton
William
Cruckendel
William
Peters
Edward
Dandildge?
N.F.
Saunders
Oliver
Dobson
Bud
Seldom
Leonard
Gordon
W.A.
Smith
Horace
Gould
James
Smith
W.R.
Grant
A.E.
Somerset
W.H.
Hamilton
Robert
Teamoh
John
Hannah
John O.
Turner
William A.
Hayes
Richard
Washington
J.W.
Hill
Willis A.
West
R.
Williams
Riverside Cycle Club
At the annual meeting of the Riverside Cycle
Club has elected the following officers for
this year: T.E. Bowser pres, W.H.
Hamilton vice pres, Geo.C. Lewis secy,
W.A. Smith treas, J. Anderson capt, W.A.
Smith 1st lieut. C.W. Johnson 2nd lieut,
W.A. Smith bugler, J.D. Allson color
bearer, N.F. Saunders reporter. The club
intends to give a few socials next month.
Boston Globe, January 14, 1894 p. 9
The Riversides
The second annual race of the Riverside Cycle Club
composed of young colored riders, yesterday afternoon
at the Back Bay, was a success. It was 4:30 when the
first race was called. The course started from the fens,
ran out to the reservoir and return. Sixteen contestants
lined up and were started. The judges [included] Robert
T. Teamoh [Teamoh was a member of the Mass. House
of Representatives, and responsible for introducing and
getting passage of a resolution denouncing the League
of American Wheelmen’s color bar of 1984]…. In the
evening a reception was held at the rooms of the club on
Main St. Cambridge. Boston Globe August 26, 1894, p 6
And integrated clubs too
Sandersdale Sunday Bicycle Club of
Southbridge MA. Not much known about
this club yet.
Sandersdale (Southbridge) Sunday
Bicycle Club, circa 1897
More of our mystery club
Cycling through Black History:
Attending Events and Spreading
the Word
We’ve passed out literature at the following events
• MassBike BikeFest, Concord, August 2007
• George Street Challenge, Worcester July 2007
• Major Taylor Century, Whitinsville, August, 2007
• Moving Together Statewide Bicycle and
Pedestrian Conference, October, 2007
• AltWheels Alternative Transportation and Energy
Festival, September, 2007
• Tribute to Major Taylor, Worcester, May, 2008
Members Marva Nathan, David Loutzenheiser and Jan
Brown at the MassBike BikeFest, August 2007
At MassBikes’ Bike Fest, August 2007
In Honor of the Major Taylor Monument
Unveiling at Worcester Public Library,
May 21, 2008
Pictures from the event
Excerpts microfilm of Major Taylor’s
scrapbook of news clippings from 18971906
Selected places in MA and New England he
trained and raced
(we have a copy of the microfilm, and a
great student project would be to go
through it for additional information)
Sculptor Antonio Tobias
Courtesy of The Major Taylor Association, Betty Jenewin photo
General Dallas C. Brown (Major Taylor’s grandson) and
Edwin Moses at the Major Taylor Monument Dedication,
May 21, 2008 Courtesy of the Major Taylor Association. Christine Peterson photo
At the unveiling, Greg LeMond, Karen Brown Donovan (an MT great
grand-daughter), Lynne Tolman and Robert Nasdor (of the Major Taylor
Association), General Dallas C. Brown (Major Taylor’s grandson), and
Edwin Moses
Courtesy of the Major Taylor Association, Christine Peterson photo
Major Taylor Monument Slide Show
• See complete slide show at
• http://www.majortaylorassociation.org/events.shtml
19th Century Social Biking Clubs and Racing Venues
Featuring Major Taylor
Boston v Philadelphia, 1897
Charles River Park & Westboro
Major Taylor wins at Hamden Park, Springfield, 1897
Westboro & Cambridge, 1899
Charles River Park Velodrome,
Where Major Taylor Raced
Rigby (So. Portland), Maine
Worcester
Worcester to Boston and Back with the
Douglass Cycle Club, June 1899?
Progress to Date
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Identified and contacted over 60 individuals with information or interest
Over 20 individuals who have attended at least one organizational meeting.
Identified existing African-American and related routes in all parts of the state and close to
Massachusetts border
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Produced a schematic map of possible routes in Massachusetts
Established collegial relationships with:
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New Bedford Underground Railroad Trail
African American Heritage Trail of Martha's Vineyard
Black Heritage Trail, Nantucket
Upper Housatonic African American Heritage Trail
Black Heritage Trail, Boston
Cambridge African American Heritage Trail
Portsmouth, NH Black Heritage Trail (spur)
Portland ME sites (spur)
Last Green Valley, CT (spur)
Underground Railroad Trail in Florence (Northampton)
Boston by Bike/Hub on Wheels Underground Railroad Trail
Museum of African American History
Mass-Bike
Major Taylor Association
Original historical research accomplished on African American bicycling in the 19th Century
Corrected historical errors via letter to the editor of the American Bicyclist to appear soon
Begun web site
Draft Website pages
Comment to
Cyclingblackhistory@gmail.com
Possible Front Page
Possible Front Page
Possible Front Page
Contact Us
Members and Interested Others
Meeting Attendees to Date
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Marva Nathan
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Priscilla Douglas
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Celeste Bernardo
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Thomas Doughton
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Mary Collins
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Karen Spiller
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Pamela Mason
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Jan Brown
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Leslie Harris
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Jason Harris
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Jane Bowers
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Ebi Okara
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Kevin Brooks
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Ann Williams
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Vivian Johnson
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David Loutzenheiser
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Mabray Andrews
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Lee Archung
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Denise Dabney
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Arlen Hall
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Larry Finison
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Alex Goldfeld
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Karen Brown Donovan
Inaugural Host at Museum of African American History
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Beverly Morgan-Welch
Invited to Meetings and Interested Others
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Karl Reid
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Kerry Buckley
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Anne Lusk
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Gordon Doty
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Lee Blake
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Jeff Robinson
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Rachel Fletcher
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Frances Jones-Sneed
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Abby Atkins
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James Hornsby
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Sue Congdon
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Josh Lehman
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Maria Finison
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Dagny Ashley
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Ajamu Brown
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Nicole Freedman
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Peter Lee
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Beth White
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Joanne Riley
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Adelaide Cromwell
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Denise Castronovo
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Craig Della Penna
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Margaret Morrisey
Sub Committees
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Organizational development
Website and electronic aids
Sites and routes
Youth
Inaugural event
Join us!
Email: cyclingblackhistory@gmail.com
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