PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR (1872-1906) was one of the first black writers to gain national prominence.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, on June 27, 1872, to Matilda and Joshua Dunbar, both natives of Kentucky who had escaped from slavery, Dunbar had a love of learning and history instilled in him from his mother. Matilda and Joshua had two children before separating in 1874. Matilda supported her children by working in Dayton as a washerwoman. One of the families she worked for included that of Orville and Wilbur Wright. Having heard poems read by the family she worked for when she was a slave, Matilda loved poetry and encouraged her children to read. Dunbar was inspired by his mother, and he began reciting and writing poetry as early as age 6.
Although he was the only black student at Dayton Central High School, Dunbar participated actively. He was a member of the debating society, editor of the school paper and president of the school’s literary society. He also wrote for Dayton community newspapers. He worked as an elevator operator in Dayton’s Callahan Building until he established himself locally and nationally as a writer. He published the first African-American newsletter in Dayton, the Dayton Tattler, with help from the Wright brothers.
His first public reading was on his birthday in 1892. A former teacher arranged for him to give the welcoming address to the Western Association of Writers when the organization met in Dayton. James Newton Matthews became a friend of Dunbar’s and wrote to an Illinois paper praising Dunbar’s work. The letter was reprinted in several papers across the country, and the accolade drew regional attention to Dunbar; James Whitcomb Riley, a poet whose works were written almost entirely in dialect, read Matthew’s letter and acquainted himself with Dunbar’s work. With literary figures beginning to take notice, Dunbar decided to publish a book of poems. Oak and Ivy, his first collection, was published in 1892.
Though his book was received well locally, Dunbar still had to work as an elevator operator to help pay off his debt to his publisher. He sold his book for a dollar to people who rode the elevator. As more people came in contact with his work, however, his reputation spread. In 1893, he was invited to recite at the World’s Fair, where he met Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist who rose from slavery to political and literary prominence in America. Douglass called Dunbar “the most promising young colored man in America“.
Dunbar moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 1895, with help from attorney Charles A. Thatcher and psychiatrist Henry A. Tobey. Both were fans of Dunbar’s work, and they arranged for him to recite his poems at local libraries and literary gatherings. Tobey and Thatcher also funded the publication of Dunbar’s second book, Majors and Minors (1895), which brought him national fame and the patronage of William Dean Howells, the novelist and critic and editor of Harper’s. After Howells’ praise, his first two books were combined as Lyrics of Lowly Life and Dunbar started on a career of international literary fame. He moved to Washington, D.C., in the Le Droit Park neighborhood. While in Washington, he attended Howard University.
In 1897, Dunbar traveled to England to recite his works on the London literary circuit. His national fame had spilled across the Atlantic. After returning from England, Dunbar married Alice Dunbar Nelson, a young writer, teacher and proponent of racial and gender equality who had a master’s degree from Cornell University. Dunbar took a job at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He found the work tiresome, however, and it is believed the library’s dust contributed to his worsening case of tuberculosis. He worked there for only a year before quitting to write and recite full time.
In 1902, Dunbar and his wife separated. Depression stemming from the end of his marriage and declining health drove him to a dependence on alcohol, which further damaged his health. He continued to write, however. He ultimately produced 12 books of poetry, four books of short stories, a play and five novels. His work appeared in Harper’s Weekly, the Sunday Evening Post, the Denver Post, Current Literature and a number of other magazines and journals. He traveled to Colorado and visited his half-brother in Chicago before returning to his mother in Dayton in 1904. He died there on Feb. 9, 1906. During his life, considerable emphasis was laid on the fact that Dunbar was of pure black descent, with no white ancestors.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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Sad ending, yet still inspiring. Thanks concreteloop!
interesting! nice post!
Man he was truly hard worker for humanity, much respect.
The story of Dunbar is truly inspirational. I don’t understand why “Black History” can’t be incorporated into just “History,” however.
Speaking as an American, I will say that I wish school systems would show history from more than one perspective more often. This, I suspect, would engage students from different cultures in the learning process.
#3…
True, but white people would go above and beyond to disprove our contributions to make themselves seem superior, so it would be all in vain.
Great Story! I love literature! I wish I had a knack for writing!
I found this post very interesting. Good Look CL!
Thank You for this highlight… I’m from Dayton,Ohio and Paul Laurence Dunbar is very important to our city’s history.
There is a high school name for him in Lexington, Ky
This story makes me extremely proud. I am a graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar H.S. in Dayton OH. He is a treasure to those of us that are familiar with his life and work. Thank you for giving him props CL.
I’m hispanic/latino and gets me sick how amazing american black people are. They’re only dark for skin protection in africa. I only visit this site for Beyonce and Ciara news………
#10
Me too!!
I learned about this man while in grade school Thanks NYC educators) and don’t think I ever heard about him again in another academic setting after that. At least I was fortunate to learn about him. I don’t think a lot of our young Black kids are learning about anything other than the likes of Lincoln, Grant and Washington. They are really missing out.
very interesting story. i love these little historical tidbits.
Mostly good stuff here…he was great, even still though, he was rather self hating racewise…Alice too…she wasn’t actually Creole, just claimed to be.
I’m not being random either, Alice Ruth Moore (Dunbae Nelson) is my great great great aunt.
Glad you decided to showcase one of the greats… Indeed poetry has touched many souls… Maybe in the near future so some luv when it comes to CL poets who may visit this site…
my brother goes to that school name after dunbar
in chicago
Very nice post…I love to write and read poetry, so this post was very inspiring.
This was such a great post. Thank you J. Dakar.
Angel you all keep on doing what you do. 
He died kinda young, what was the cause of death? I’ve never heard of him prior to reading this. Not really a fan of poetry, but it’s admirable what he was able to accomplish in his time.
i actually live down the street from paul laurence dunbar street in dayton. it still has it’s original charm (his home) and the street…the brick streets & all. glad you guys covered him
great poet
I’ve been to the Paul Laurence Dunbar home in Dayton (now converted to a museum) and it really affected me. A great man.
I would say his most famous poem is We Wear the Mask, about how we as Black people are forced to act fake and not be ourselves, and not show our pain, in white society.
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,–
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!
great post, CL!
he’s one of the reasons why i wanted to become a writer.
There’s a PL Dunbar school here also in Texas. Great man and history lesson, but I wouldn’t send my dog there. Too much hood.
THIS STORY IS VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND TRULY INSPIRATIONAL 2 ME INDEED! MY GRANDFATHER IS A DUNBAR, FROM LOUISIANA WHOM I NEVER MET , AND I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT NAME WAS ODD AND ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT SIDE OF MY FAMILY. I HAVE NEVER HEARD MY DAD TALK ABOUT ANY OF THEM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE I GOT SOME DIGGIN TO DO, LOL!
GREAT JOB CONCRETELOOP!
I actually know alot about this young poet, thanks to the Baltimore City Public School System and Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High in Baltimore, Md ( home of the poets)!!!!!! His literary pieces are great reads my favorite is “In the Morning” Lias Lias Blesd tha Lawd!!!!
In The Morning
Paul Laurence Dunbar
‘Lias! ‘Lias! Bless de Lawd!
Don’ you know de day’s erbroad?
Ef you don’ git up, you scamp,
Dey ‘ll be trouble in dis camp.
T’ink I gwine to let you sleep
W’ile I meks yo’ boa’d an’ keep?
Dat’s a putty howdy-do—
Don’ you hyeah me, ‘Lias—you?
Bet ef I come crost dis flo’
You won’ fin’ no time to sno’.
Daylight all a-shinin’ in
Wile you sleep—w’y hit’s a sin!
Ain’t de can’le-light enough
To bu’n out widout a snuff,
But you go de mo’nin’ thoo
Bu’nin’ up de daylight too?
‘Lias, don’ you hyeah me call?
No use tu’nin’ to’ds de wall;
I kin hyeah dat mattuss squeak;
Don’ you hyeah me w’en I speak?
Dis hyeah clock done struck off six—
Ca’line, bring me dem ah sticks!
Oh, you down, suh; huh, you down—
Look hyeah, don’ you daih to frown.
Ma’ch yo’se’f an’ wash yo’ face,
Don’ you splattah all de place;
I got somep’n else to do,
‘Sides jes’ cleanin’ aftah you.
Tek dat comb ah’ fix yo’ haid—
Looks jes’ lak a feddah baid.
Look hyeah, boy, I let you see
You sha’ n’t roll yo’ eyes at me.
Come hyeah; bring me dat ah strap!
Boy, I’ll whup you ‘twell you drap;
You done felt yo’se’f too strong,
An’ you sholy got me wrong.
Set down at dat table thaih;
Jes’ you whimpah ef you daih!
Evah mo’nin’ on dis place,
Seem lak I mus’ lose my grace.
Fol’ yo’ han’s an’ bow yo’ haid—
Wait ontwell de blessin’ ’s said;
“Lawd, have mussy on ouah souls—”
(Don’ you daih to tech dem rolls—)
“Bless de food we gwine to eat—”
(You set still—I see yo’ feet;
You jes’ try dat trick agin!)
“Gin us peace an’ joy. Amen!”
Online text © 1998-2009 Poetry X. All rights reserved.
From The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar | Dodd, Mead And Company, 1922
That poem reminds me of something Zora Neale Hurston wrote.
Great job Concrete Loop, keep up the wonderful, positive work. This story also shows the importance of relationships too.
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