Final answer:
Scott Joplin was an African American composer known for his wide range of compositions, including his opera Treemonisha. His first successful composition, Maple Leaf Rag, played a significant role in spreading the popularity of ragtime music.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scott Joplin was an African American composer and one of the great innovators of ragtime music. He is known for his wide range of compositions, which include his famous opera Treemonisha.
Joplin's music was spread through the sale of sheet music, and his first successful composition, Maple Leaf Rag, helped popularize ragtime as an American genre of music.