This Saturday, the Fauquier NAACP, along with the Warrenton community, will celebrate their 125th consecutive Black Lives Matter vigil at the Historic Warrenton Courthouse.

Several months ago, the PW Perspective covered their 100th vigil, which started as a response to the Freedom Summer movement of 2020 to protest police brutality and systemic racism. As it continues to grow, more organizations are lending their voices in support of justice. This past week, the Major Taylor Club of Virginia (MTCCVA) and the Prince William Cycling Clubs, riding in support of the Cycle 4 Life Foundation, stopped by the vigil.

Who Was Major Taylor?

According to their website, American bicycle racer Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor (1878-1932) was the world’s first black sports superstar. He was world cycling champion in 1899, American sprint champion in 1900, and set numerous track cycling records. Nicknamed “Major” in his youth in Indianapolis and later known as “the Worcester Whirlwind” after his adopted hometown in Massachusetts, he was the second African-American world champion in any sport (after Canadian-born bantamweight boxer George Dixon of Boston won his title in 1891). In the Jim Crow era of strict racial segregation, Taylor had to fight prejudice just to get on the starting line. He faced closed doors and open hostility with remarkable dignity. In his retirement, he wrote his autobiography, “The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World.”

The vigil will be taking place at 10am on Saturday.