Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a renowned Black British composer and conductor who lived from 1875 to 1912. He was born in London to a Sierra Leonean father and an English mother. Coleridge-Taylor showed musical talent from a young age and went on to study at the Royal College of Music.

One of Coleridge-Taylor's most famous works was his composition "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast," a choral work based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha." The piece was a major success and brought Coleridge-Taylor international acclaim. He was one of the most celebrated composers of his time, often referred to as the "African Mahler" because of his ability to infuse European classical music with African and African American themes.

Coleridge-Taylor was a prominent figure in the early 20th-century British music scene and advocated for the recognition of Black composers and musicians. He was a trailblazer for Black classical musicians and composers and remains an important figure in Black history for his contributions to the world of music.