Erie in Erie County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Harry T. Burleigh
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 12, 2026
1. Harry T. Burleigh Marker
Erie's most well-known composer, Harry Thacker Burleigh helped to bring black spirituals to the world of classical music.
Burleigh was born in Erie in 1866. He had a deep baritone voice and went on to attend the National Conservatory of Music. There, he sang traditional songs his grandfather, Hamilton Waters, taught him. He soon befriended the school's director, composer Antonνn Dvořαk.
His arrangements of songs, like "Swing Low Sweet Chariot," "Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler," and "Deep River," had a profound influence on western music. By being one of the first to help translate the feeling and spirit of the black experience to academia, Burleigh's impact reaches virtually every facet of the American songbook.
Burleigh passed away in 1949 at the age of 82. His childhood home stood at 137 East 3rd Street, between French and Holland Street.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.
Location. 42° 6.755′ N, 80° 4.333′ W. Marker is in Erie, Pennsylvania, in Erie County. It
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast, on the Great Lakes, in the Mid-Atlantic, in Appalachia, and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Colonel Philip Cochran (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Erie County World War II Memorial (about 600 feet away); Korean War Memorial (about 700 feet away); Flag Display (about 800 feet away); Northwest PA Purple Heart Memorial (about 800 feet away); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sr. Bernard Sheridan
Photographed by Bradley Owen, July 12, 2026
2. Harry T. Burleigh Marker
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 13, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 13, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.
