Scott Joplin (January 1868 - April 1, 1917) was an African-American composer and instrumentalist who became the leading exponent of ragtime music.
Motown Productions produced a Scott Joplin biographical film starring Billy Dee Williams as Joplin, which was released by Universal Pictures in 1977.
Scott Joplin was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1976, for his special contribution to American music.