Was Beethoven Black?

Learn More

[{"selector":"#anim-0d2637cf-045f-43fb-899f-89c9241cc3a9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 6.067961238287115e-7%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":7000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Ludwig van Beethoven was a pianist, composer, and one of the most admired composer in Western music's history.

Over the years, various theories about Beethoven's possible African heritage have been raised due to Beethoven's dark complexion.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a8d26bf-9cbc-4cc9-9264-68978b105154","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-925d2f6b-8b4d-4b4c-8774-60fe3e096c74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.60937%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Learn More

However, Beethoven was not Black because no evidence supports the claim.

In fact, genealogical evidence from as far as the 1400s shows that Beethoven's ancestors were Flemish.

[{"selector":"#anim-45463a85-cc0a-4269-a02e-23fc773c1700","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5ca335c-1d85-4c9b-8fe4-066206fb7b71","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(99.60937%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Learn More

However, there were a ton of unsung Black composers throughout history.

Learn More

George Bridgetower Bridgetower was an Afro-European composer and violinist who stayed in England for most of his life.

Learn More

Joseph Bologne Joseph was a virtuoso violinist, conductor, renowned champion fencer, and classical composer.

Learn More

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was an English conductor and composer born in London in 1875.

Learn More

William Grant Still William is popularly known for his first symphony called the Afro-American Symphony.

Learn More

Florence Price By the time she was eleven years old, Price had her first composition published.

More Stories

[{"selector":"#anim-bab0667e-2da8-4276-85b5-f6ebff6c232a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-257.50001%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f776887-8be7-4fc9-b1c3-bf33b9f5eb24","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5dce8191-d12a-4bf6-bac0-e0d85a0ccbaf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36853361-891d-4837-9061-ca0d7d0801ff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-257.50001%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ffb6d44-7f32-453c-8f52-9052ef1e3129","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d019485-b0b0-4496-9b35-aaade7416cf9","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f91ce85-fbd6-43e5-8d7a-b6277cee8aee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-358.87854%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ae4264e-42e9-46c7-8d17-268395ee04fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eae0518a-7475-4809-ae1b-f12af7b7378c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79739ebf-0fe7-4c11-bb02-ac581ed75ea8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-410.11238%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3b5df40-6e8e-44d1-a018-a8d8ac06fb5f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d4bec606-dd48-41b2-971b-8630bb9dcbec","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f188d87c-a9fa-4dc9-a561-d813b905b21b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-330.00002%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d72e1038-9298-4ca2-96c8-fab78b5e182c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b304ae46-0e3f-4f36-8cbd-8da56fa2bbda","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b421a03-724d-4111-9ccf-6fc04ac0612c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-88bb0a3e-4b3b-41e2-b14c-1d13ba2e033f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.02565%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f33e35c-c311-4c2d-b496-469a7f1ae82e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5ffbd52-9502-4ae5-bcbc-ce1648b8dd41","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81f66dff-43eb-45c1-bfdc-0b9ca643ad71","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5b780c3-81e6-442c-9f7f-daa6ff332567","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04fc08dd-4be4-4c4e-8672-88605cf4d8d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-694a6f36-83a7-4a60-8c19-097d338f0337","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":700,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-61d22e4c-666a-4678-9b0f-b86886b325f5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1cb46338-34b7-41b1-b278-8004c5c7bf2e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c572ccc-c795-4341-9355-1a4eae6948d1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":900,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Hardest Musical Instruments Greatest Violinists Best Orchestras in the world Facebook YouTube

Was Beethoven Black?

A radical new idea has taken the internet by storm.

Learn More

Over the years, various theories about Beethoven's possible African heritage have been raised due to Beethoven's dark complexion.

Learn More

Learn More

In fact, genealogical evidence from as far as the 1400s shows that Beethoven's ancestors were Flemish.

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

More Stories