José Silvestre White Lafitte (31 December 1835 – 15 March 1918) was a distinguished Cuban-French violinist, composer, and educator. Born in Matanzas, Cuba, to a Spanish father, Don Carlos White, and an Afro-Cuban mother, María Ecolástica Laffite, he began his musical education under the guidance of his father, an amateur violinist. By the age of nineteen, White had mastered sixteen instruments, showcasing his prodigious talent.

White's career took a significant turn when he performed his first concert in 1854 with the American pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk, who encouraged him to pursue further studies in Paris. With financial support raised by Gottschalk, White entered the Paris Conservatory in 1855, studying under Jean-Delphin Alard. He achieved remarkable success, winning the First Grand Prize for violin in 1856.

After becoming a French citizen in 1870, White returned to Cuba briefly in 1858 due to his father's illness but continued to build his reputation as a violinist and composer. Between 1861 and 1874, he lived in Paris, where he co-founded chamber ensembles and taught violin. His compositions, primarily for violin, include a Violin Concerto in F♯ Minor and the popular habanera "La Bella Cubana."

In 1875, White performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming the first soloist of African descent to do so. He later moved to Brazil, where he directed the Imperial Conservatory in Rio de Janeiro and served as a court musician for Emperor Pedro II until 1889. His support for the Cuban Liberation Army led to his exile from Cuba after a final visit in 1875.

White returned to Paris in 1889, where he remained until his death in 1918. His legacy includes a significant body of work that reflects both the romantic era and Cuban rhythms, as well as a lasting influence on violin pedagogy.