George Walker was a trailblazing composer of the 20th century who consistently broke new ground for Black musicians in the classical world. He began his career as a concert pianist and was the first Black instrumentalist to perform at several high-profile US venues. He was also the first Black composer to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Despite these milestones, Walker firmly rejected the idea that his race should define his music, proclaiming, “I believe that music is above race.”