Cultural capital is a theory formulated by Pierre Bourdieu (1986) that describes cultural assets that determine social prestige in an exchange system. Cultural capital is always in flux, continually transitioning across low, medium, and high-level art forms. Since the early 1920s, jazz has steadily increased its cultural capital and intellectual property as an academic art form. Miles Davis was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. With works such as "Birth of the Cool" and "Kind of Blue" considered important intellectual advances in jazz by many music critics. This article will explore Miles Davis as a highly significant figure in the transition and growth of jazz in its cultural capital through his works and important artistic collaborations. This article will explore the effect that Miles Davis had on racism in the development of jazz criticism. Jazz had its beginnings in the 1920s with New Orleans becoming a major center in its creation as a significant addition to North American culture. As a result of the diaspora of French, Spanish, and African ethnicities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New Orleans became a cultural center with an established black community. The classical influence of European settlers, as well as African and Caribbean cultural aspects, merged to create the birth of the New Orleans brass band sound, now known as Dixieland Jazz. Dixieland Jazz featured famed bandleader and musician Charles "Buddy" Bolden, who arranged music for special community events such as weddings and funerals where dancing was an integral part of the musical performance. With the beginning of the 20th century, the public wanted ne...... middle of paper ......ck of public support, he was able to elevate jazz music to art music – an intellectual piece for understanding. Davis was not only influenced by the music of his contemporaries, but was also inspired by the music of classical composers and other genres that his fellow quintet member, Bill Evans, introduced him to. The collaboration of Davis and his white pianist attracted great interest from both the public and academia. This partnership crossed many racial lines that many musicians were unable to cross. The influence of the European classical genre and the collaboration with a white musician called into question the cultural capital of jazz music and the race associated with it. Jazz music has become a prestigious musical genre and not simply the voice of the ongoing struggle for black civil rights in the United States.