Best known for his spectacular direction of the Hampton Institute Choir (1913-31), Robert Nathaniel Dett (1822-1943) was also a fine pianist, composer, and arranger of Negro folk songs and spirituals. In 1908 he was the first African American to receive a music degree for a five-year course from Oberlin Conservatory. The Hampton Choir, under Dett's direction, was the first mixed group to sing in Salzburg Cathedral in 1930. Simpson's full account of Dett as a successful professional musician, compiled primarily as a reference work, will also interest the general reader. Includes photos, analyses, and musical examples.