Harry T. Burleigh was an influential American composer, arranger, and baritone singer who lived from 1866 to 1949. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, he became a pivotal figure in American music by adapting spirituals into classical forms, making these traditional melodies accessible to classically trained performers. His work significantly impacted the development of a distinct American musical identity. Notably, he introduced the composer Antonín Dvořák to Black American music, which helped inspire the composer's famous works that utilized pentatonic scales and spiritual-inspired themes.