Rebecca Walker Steele facts for kids

Rebecca Walker Steele (born October 18, 1925 – died January 12, 2019) was an American musician and teacher. She was famous for her amazing singing and for leading choirs. Steele directed choirs at Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman College.

Early Life and Education

Rebecca Walker Steele was born in Lakeland, Florida, on October 18, 1925. She showed a talent for music very early on. When she was just 4 years old, she was already performing in her grandfather's church. Her parents really wanted her to follow her musical dreams. They made sure she had the best training possible.

Schooling and College Degrees

Steele went to Rochelle High School. After that, she earned an associate's degree from Florida Memorial College. She then got her bachelor's degree from Alabama State University (ASU). There, she studied piano with a famous musician named Hazel Harrison.

She continued her studies and earned several master's degrees from Columbia University. These degrees were in singing, piano, leading choirs, and music education. In 1973, Steele earned her Ph.D. from Florida State University. Her special area of study was teaching music from many different cultures.

A Career in Music and Teaching

While living in New York City, Rebecca Steele was a very popular singer. Many people wanted her to perform. She later became the choir director at Florida A&M University (FAMU). She led one of the first choirs in Tallahassee that included students of all races.

Leading Choirs and Inspiring Students

Steele worked at FAMU from 1947 until 1976. After that, she joined the faculty at Bethune-Cookman College. She retired from Bethune-Cookman in 2013. As a choir director, her groups traveled all over the United States. They were always asked to perform because they were so good.

Rebecca Walker Steele passed away on January 12, 2019.