Author Talk: Lorenz Finison: Boston’s Cycling Craze 1880-1900: A Story of Race, Sport, and Society

The author’s new book, Boston’s Cycling Craze, 1880-1900: A Story of Race, Sport, and Society,
reveals that bicycling in the 1890s was bound up in the “Ends” of
Boston, North, South, and West. A West Ender, Kittie Knox, a young
biracial seamstress, made a name for herself as a cyclist and by her
challenges to the “color bar” in cycling; Hub Cycles (Jake Berkowitz)
ran bike shops in the North and West Ends; the Bicycle Corps of African
American Company L of the Massachusetts Sixth Volunteer Regiment proudly
rode out of their Chardon Street armory to join others in the big
Boston cycling parade of 1896; and just over into the North End, the
Boston Italian Wheelmen formed, under the leadership of Gesualdo Turco
(of the Stabile family) and Gui­seppe (Joseph) Langone.   Each of these
historical figures is featured in the book, and will be part of the
presentation, followed by ample time for questions and discussion.