Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation celebrates groundbreaking cyclist

The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation celebrated the achievements of groundbreaking cyclist Kittie Knox (1874-1900), welcoming organizers, actors and riders working to elevate her story at a Sunday morning event. 

Knox transcended racial and gender barriers, becoming one of the most renowned bicycle racers of the late-19th century. She even competed here in Waltham at a 15,000-spectator cycling track that once stood where Nipper Maher Park is now. As a biracial woman wearing men’s bloomers, Knox’s ride made national news at a time when America was especially divided. 

The museum welcomed more than 75 cyclists as one of the stops on MassBike’s Kittie Knox Ride, an annual event to foster community and raise awareness of Knox’s life and career. 

“Although she sadly died at age 26, Kittie Knox’s legacy lives on as a story of strength, perseverance in the face of prejudice and the importance of keeping our history alive,” said Stephen Guerriero, the museum’s education director.

Adding to the spectacle, the organization Plays in Place performed a scene from an upcoming production of a stage adaptation of Knox’s life story. And on hand was Knox’s second cousin, Nan Millet, whose generous donation is helping to fund the full production of the play. 

Work by cycling historian Lorenz Finison, author of a chapter on Knox in “Boston’s Black Athletes: Identity, Performance, and Activism,” revealed the location of Knox’s grave — once unmarked — in Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. That site is the starting point of each year’s Kittie Knox Ride, which also stops at sites that mark events in her life story.

Many of the riders were excited to see the museum’s collection of late-19th and early-20th century bicycling items, including bikes, tools and photos. The Charles River Museum is one of the only museums with a representation of Knox on permanent display.