Born in London to a Sierra Leonean father and an English mother, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor studied at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford. He achieved early international acclaim at age 23 with the premiere of the first section of The Song of Hiawatha, a work that solidified his reputation as a leading composer of his generation.

His musical output was characterized by a synthesis of classical structures and influences drawn from his heritage, which earned him significant recognition during his lifetime. During three tours of the United States in the early 1900s, his success was such that he was referred to by contemporary musicians as the African Mahler.

Coleridge-Taylor's legacy continues to be examined within the context of Black British cultural history. He is currently featured in the V&A East Museum's inaugural exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, which traces his contributions alongside over a century of Black British musical evolution.