Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American Civil War, Dunbar began writing stories and verse when he was a child. He published his first poems at the age of 16 in a Dayton newspaper, and served as president of his high school's literary society.

Dunbar's popularity increased rapidly after his work was praised by William Dean Howells, a leading editor associated with Harper's Weekly. Dunbar became one of the first African-American writers to establish an international reputation. In addition to his poems, short stories, and novels, he also wrote the lyrics for the musical comedy In Dahomey (1903), the first all-African-American musical produced on Broadway in New York. The musical later toured in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Suffering from tuberculosis, which then had no cure, Dunbar died in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 33. Much of Dunbar's more popular work in his lifetime was written in the "Negro dialect" associated with the antebellum South, though he also used the Midwestern regional dialect of James Whitcomb Riley. Dunbar also wrote in conventional English in other poetry and novels and is considered the first important African American sonnet writer. Since the late 20th century, scholars have become more interested in these other works.

Biography

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American Civil War. His father served in the Union Army, and his mother moved to Dayton after being freed. Dunbar began writing poems as a child and published his first at age 16 in a local newspaper.

Dunbar attended Central High School, where he was the only African-American student and became president of the school’s literary society. He published his first poems in 1888 and later worked as an elevator operator. With help from friends, he published his first book of poetry in 1893. He went on to write many poems, short stories, and novels, earning recognition for his work. He also wrote lyrics for a successful musical called In Dahomey. Sadly, Dunbar faced health problems and passed away from tuberculosis in 1906 at the age of 33. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery in Dayton.

Literary style

Dunbar's writing stood out for its careful craft in both formal poetry and dialect poetry. He often worked with Carrie Jacobs-Bond, whose music matched his words well.

Dunbar used both standard English and African-American dialect in his poems. Though he sometimes felt pressured to focus only on dialect poetry, he believed his natural speech included dialect and loved writing about Black experiences. Writers like Mark Twain and Joel Chandler Harris also used similar styles before him. His work showed a range of expressions, from serious themes to joyful moments.

Critical response and legacy

Dunbar became the first African-American poet to earn national recognition. The The New York Times praised him as "a true singer of the people – white or black." Famous writer Frederick Douglass admired Dunbar greatly.

His work has inspired many artists. Composer William Grant Still used Dunbar’s poems in his Symphony No. 1 in A-flat, "Afro-American", the first symphony by an African American performed by a major orchestra. Writer Maya Angelou named her famous book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings after a line from one of Dunbar’s poems.

Today, many places honor Dunbar’s memory. His home in Dayton, Ohio, is preserved as the Paul Laurence Dunbar House. Schools, libraries, and parks across the United States carry his name.