William Grant Still

William Grant Still (May 11,1895 - December 3,1978) was a ground-breaking African-American classical composer who wrote more than 150 compositions. He was the first African-American to conduct a major American Orchestra, the first to have a symphony (his first) performed by a leading orchestra (Southern 1980), the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television. He is often referred to as the dean of African-American composers.

Further reading

• Reef, Catherine. (2003). William Grant Still: African American Composer. Morgan Reynolds. ISBN 1931798117
• Smith, Catherine Parsons. (2000). William Grant Still: A Study in Contradictions. University of California Press. ISBN 0520215435
• Still, Verna Arvey. (1984). In One Lifetime. University of Arkansas Fayetteville Press.