In 1958, Robert F. Wagner Jr., mayor of New York City, named Taylor to the New York City Board of Education, the second black member in its history. In a three-year tenure, he attacked segregation in city schools and argued that federal aid should be denied to private schools while public schools were desperate for funds.
In 1958, Robert F. Wagner Jr., mayor of New York City, selected Taylor for the New York City Board of Education, a groundbreaking appointment as the second black member in its history. Throughout his three-year tenure, he vociferously opposed racial segregation in city schools and advocated for federal assistance to be withheld from private institutions while public schools faced severe financial difficulties.