06/19/2026
Pedaling forward, honoring history.
Today we celebrate Juneteenth, marking the day in 1865 when freedom finally reached enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
At Pedal Power kids, we often talk about the bike as a tool for freedom. Today, we want to honor a pioneer who rode that freedom straight to the top: Marshall “Major” Taylor.
Born just 13 years after the abolition of slavery, Major Taylor became America’s first Black world champion athlete in 1899. He didn’t just race against the clock; he raced against intense racial terror, track bans, and open hostility, winning despite it.
Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the long road to freedom, celebrate Black joy, and recognize that the ride toward true equity continues- a sentiment that PPK hopes to embody not only on this day but throughout the year.
Marshal “Major” Taylor