Published, The Ride Journal

The Ride Journal is a literary and lifestyle magazine that covers many different aspects of bicycle culture. Published in the UK, The Ride features creative essays, photographs and illustrations from contributors who know their way around a bicycle. Personal accounts from people like Greg LeMond, Paul Howard, John Tomac, Tim Jackson, Chris Hoy, and Mark Cavendish are among the diverse stories within the journal.

Last Thursday, Ride issue number four published and I am pleased to note the magazine includes a select feature of my own on black history and our impact on the culture of bicycling. Our contributions have been significant and as many blacks have done in the past, we continue to have a lasting effect on the present and future of bicycling.

The Ride Journal is one of the best publications in circulation focusing on the art of the bicycle. It is published by Own It! and features nearly 200-pages, printed by Cambrian Printers on 50 per cent recycled paper with soya-based ink—and is available via online order and select stockists around the world.

Black History, Memorandum

Whenever Black History is mentioned in everyday conversation, on television, or in a newspaper or magazine — history is reminisced to the familiar tune of King Jr having a dream, Parks at the front of the bus, and X by any means necessary.

Black History, however, goes far beyond the names of those we learn during our childhood and it goes far beyond the struggle of Blacks that has been watered down into made for television movies on BET.

History is a narrative. A story of acts, ideas, or events that will or can shape the course of the future; and there are so many stories in Black History that have yet to truly be shared.

While doing research for a journal article, I discovered a narrative about the 25^th Infantry Bicycle Corps; the original Buffalo Soldiers. From Fort Missoula, Montana (a place familiar to me as it is home to my friends at Freeman Transport) — the 25^th made history by simply riding a bicycle.

Written as a memorandum, my recent contribution to the Freeman blog takes a brief look into how the men of the 25^th Infantry Bicycle Corps rode into Black History with the turn of their pedals.