JOHN TAYLOR

INTRODUCTION

• Taylor was born November 3rd,in Washington DC
• An interest fact is that Taylor was the only African American on his track team in high school
• Taylor went to Wharton school of finance at the university of Pennsylvania but then withdrew from school and then returning in the fall in the school of veterinary medicine
• Taylor died December 2nd, 1908 from typhoid pneumonia

TIMELINE

• In 1904 at the intercollegiate association of amateur athletes of America championship, Taylor won the 440 yard run breaking the record with a time of 49 seconds.
• In 1907, after returning to track a year earlier, Taylor competed in the IC4A championship and won the 440 yard race at the amateur athlete union with a time of 48 seconds.
• In 1908 Taylor competed in the Olympics. He ran the 1600 meter relay, he ran 3rd (or 400 meter leg) and became the first Africa America to win a gold metal at the Olympics.

HIGHLIGHT (1)

• Taylor was the captain of his high school (central high) team.
• Taylor had the longest stride of his team with a length of 8 feet and 6 inches.
• In 1907 Taylor won the indoor championship on the 600 meter race

HIGHLIGHT (2)

• After being trained by Michael Murphy at the university of Pennsylvania, Taylor won the 440 yard race with a record of 48 seconds.
• That following year at the university, Taylor was recruited by Irish American athletic club.
• While in the Irish American athletic club, Taylor won another 440 yard race at the American amateur Union championship.

HIGHLIGHT (3)

• Landed spot in the Olympic Games of 1908 by winning the 400 meter race during the Olympic trials with a time of 49-4/5 seconds.
• Taylor became first African American to represent American in the Olympics.
• He ran the 400 sprint medley and won the gold metal in the games.

Character traits
Character traits that describe John Taylor are that he was highly respected and an honest man. Some evidence that proves that he was respected by many are that when he was at the university of Pennsylvania, he was invited into the sigma pi phi,a fraternity that was extremely limited. To be invited into this group was a high honor, especially since Taylor was a sophomore at this time (the forgotten athlete). Evidence that proves that Taylor was honest is that when he ran a race against an opponent during the Olympics, everyone thought he would've been dominate in the race but he admitted that the opposing teammate had beaten him (the forgotten athlete).

John Taylor was an African American but he did what he loved ,running track, and kept getting better. Since he didn't give up on his dreams he became the first African American to go to the Olympics and win a gold medal. A quote that John Taylor could relate to would be what H. Jackson Brown Jr. Once said which was "Never give up on what you really want to do.The person with big dreams is more powerful than the ones with all the facts."

A LIFE LESSON

• Researching about John Taylor has taught me that no matter who you are or what your race is that you can do anything.
• The quality that Taylor possessed was perseverance, even though people told him he couldn't do it,he kept trying arms getting better at track
• In Taylor's life he went a long way just by starting out on the track team at his high school. A lesson to learn from his experiences is to not give up hope ,no matter how long it takes to accomplish your dreams.

REFERENCES

• http://www.blackpast.org/aah/taylor-john-baxter-jr-1882-1908
• http://www.archives.upenn.edu/people/1800s/taylorjb.html
• http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/biographies/a/John-Baxter-Taylor-First-Af...
• http://bleacherreport.com/articles/171264-the-forgotten-olympian-the-story-...
• http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/hjacksonb629144.html?src=t_never...