Oddly enough, all of the following events occurred within a two year span, starting in 1894 with Kittie Knox. A card carrying member of The League of American Wheelmen since 1893, Knox became a victim when The League passed a color bar in 1894, allowing only white people to obtain memberships.

A biracial, 21-year-old cyclist, Knox walked into a League meeting in “men’s” clothing and asserted her right to obtain her membership. Despite her fighting for her rights, reports say she was not re-granted her membership. She brought attention to the issues of gender and racial discrimination to the public, but, unfortunately, it took The League of American Wheelmen literally 100 years to change their name to The League of American Bicyclists in 1994.