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:– 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 rail-trail 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 – 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?

• 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

• 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 WordWe’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, 2008Pictures from the eventExcerpts microfilm of Major Taylor’s

scrapbook of news clippings from 1897-1906

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• 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– 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

• Produced a schematic map of possible routes in Massachusetts• Established collegial relationships with:

– 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• Marva Nathan • Priscilla Douglas• Celeste Bernardo • Thomas Doughton• Mary Collins • Karen Spiller • Pamela Mason • Jan Brown • Leslie Harris • Jason Harris • Jane Bowers • Ebi Okara • Kevin Brooks • Ann Williams • Vivian Johnson • David Loutzenheiser• Mabray Andrews • Lee Archung • Denise Dabney • Arlen Hall • Larry Finison • Alex Goldfeld• Karen Brown Donovan

Inaugural Host at Museum of African American History• Beverly Morgan-Welch Invited to Meetings and Interested Others• Karl Reid • Kerry Buckley • Anne Lusk • Gordon Doty • Lee Blake • Jeff Robinson • Rachel Fletcher • Frances Jones-Sneed • Abby Atkins• James Hornsby • Sue Congdon• Josh Lehman• Maria Finison• Dagny Ashley• Ajamu Brown• Nicole Freedman• Peter Lee• Beth White• Joanne Riley• Adelaide Cromwell• Denise Castronovo• Craig Della Penna• Margaret Morrisey

Sub Committees

• Organizational development

• Website and electronic aids

• Sites and routes

• Youth

• Inaugural event

Join us!

Email: cyclingblackhistory@gmail.com

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