PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
Dayton, Ohio (1872-1906)
Born to enslaved Africans, Matilda and Joshua Dunbar. Dunbar was a prolific poet, short story writer, novelist, writer of articles, dramatic sketches, plays and lyrics for musical compositions. Motivated by his parents storytelling and various European poets, he created poetry in standard English about life, love, nature, people he knew, the injustices of slavery and on race relations in his day. His highly skilled and graceful use of southern dialect poetry was also very popular, for its humble, yet proud wisdom and philosophy on human nature.
Beyond his literary achievements, Dunbar helped to dispel the myth that Africans in America were unable to be educated and he was also know as "Poet Laureate of the Negro race." Controversial and thought-provoking, he often praised African-Americans,
rather than attack Europeans, in much of his work. Dunbar married the writer and poet,
Alice Ruth Moore of New Orleans, they had no children.
Dunbar was a forerunner to the Harlem Renaissance era in American Literature and he inspired writers like James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston to compose in the language of ordinary folk.
Dunbar should be recognized as the fore father and first free man of color to perform the art of spoken word. He make a considerable living from his appearances, much like many spoken word poets of today.
Maya Angelou, an admirer of Dunbar titled her autobiography "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" from his most popular standard poem "Sympathy." Dunbar gained international attention before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 33. Many schools are named in his honor and his home in Dayton is a historic state landmark and museum. Dunbar was a literary genius.
Dunbar Homepage
(no poetry is listed)
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Beyond his literary achievements, Dunbar helped to dispel the myth that Africans in America were unable to be educated and he was also know as "Poet Laureate of the Negro race." Controversial and thought-provoking, he often praised African-Americans, rather than attack Europeans, in much of his work. Dunbar married the writer and poet, Alice Ruth Moore of New Orleans, they had no children.
Dunbar was a forerunner to the Harlem Renaissance era in American Literature and he inspired writers like James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston to compose in the language of ordinary folk.
Dunbar should be recognized as the fore father and first free man of color to perform the art of spoken word. He make a considerable living from his appearances, much like many spoken word poets of today.
Maya Angelou, an admirer of Dunbar titled her autobiography "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" from his most popular standard poem "Sympathy." Dunbar gained international attention before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 33. Many schools are named in his honor and his home in Dayton is a historic state landmark and museum. Dunbar was a literary genius.
(no poetry is listed)
Contact Oni Lasana Productions for your next special educational entertaiment event*!*