Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was a seminal American poet in the late 19th and early 20th century. As the first African-American to gain major praise for his poetry, Dunbar represents the beginning of one of America's greatest literary traditions. Dunbar's work would go on directly to inspire the authors of the Harlem Renaissance who would succeed him in the 20th century, most notably Langston Hughes. Dunbar would exemplify what Hughes would later outline in his essay "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain" as the great struggle of the African-American poet, the struggle to be recognized not as a "black poet" but as "a poet who is black." Dunbar was not only America's first black poet, he was also the first to protest for equal recognition. Throughout his life, Dunbar struggled to be recognized as a poet belonging to the same tradition as Keats and Shakespeare.
Dunbar would largely fail to convince the white critics and patrons of his day to treat him with the respect and admiration that he deserved. However, his contributions to American poetry extended beyond his political committment. Echoing Frederick Douglass, Dunbar would attempt throughout his life to "agitate, agitate, agitate"; but he was also deeply concerned with the art of his craft, and became the first poet to use African-American dialects in poetry as a means to more than just comedic ends. Dunbar largely split his career between writing standard English poetry and "dialect poems", and although he detested being forced to write in dialect in order to get published, he would also inspire generations of black writers to use dialect and Afro-American idioms as materials for the creation of great works of art. Dunbar's influence in this regard extends beyond the Harlem Renaissance into the present day. Contemporary poets, black and white, ranging from writers as diverse as Hughes and Maya Angelou to John Berryman have acknowledged their debt to Dunbar. Some critics argue the he deserves to be enshrined alongside Whitman and Dickinson in the pantheon of 19th century American poets.
Life and Work
Born in Dayton, Ohio to parents who had escaped from slavery, Dunbar's father was a veteran of the American Civil War, having served in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry Regiment, while his mother, an escaped slave, worked oddjobs to make ends meet. His parents instilled in him a love of learning and history, and his mother in particular encouraged him to study poetry; as a slave, she had had opportunities to eavesdrop on her masters while they read works of literature aloud, and the experience had kindled in her a life-long love of poetry. After Dunbar's parents separated, his mother worked hard to support him through school. Dunbar was the only black student at Dayton Central High School, but he participated actively as a student. During college, he was both the editor of the school newspaper, class president, as well as the president of the school literary society.
He wrote his first poem at age 6 and gave his first public recital at age 9. Dunbar's first published work came in a newspaper put out by his high-school friends, Wilbur and Orville Wright, who owned a printing plant. The Wright Brothers later invested in the Dayton Tattler, a newspaper aimed at the black community that was edited and published by Dunbar.
His first collection of poetry, Oak and Ivy, published in 1892, attracted the attention of James Whitcomb Riley, the popular "Hoosier Poet". Both Riley and Dunbar wrote poems in both standard English and dialect. His second book, Majors and Minors (1895) brought him national fame and the patronage of William Dean Howells, the novelist, critic and editor of Harper's Weekly. As a result of Howells' praise, his first two books were combined as Lyrics of a Lowly Life, launching Dunbar on a career of international literary fame that was cut short by his early death.
He moved to the Le Droit Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C. While in Washington, he attended Howard University.
His wife Alice Moore Dunbar was a famous poet as well. A graduate of Dillard University, in New Orleans, with a master's degree from Cornell, Moore's most famous works include a short story entitled, "Violets". She and her husband also wrote books of poetry as companion pieces. An Account of their love, life and marriage was depicted in a play by Katherine McGhee titled Oak and Ivy
He kept a lifelong friendship with the Wrights, and was also closely associated with Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. In 1893 he was invited to recite at the World's Fair; Frederick Douglass was in the audience, and afterwards remarked that he thought Dunbar to be "the most promising young colored man in America." Dunbar was honored with a ceremonial sword by President Theodore Roosevelt.
He wrote a dozen books of poetry, four books of short stories, five novels and a play. His essays and poems were published widely in the leading journals of the day. His work appeared in Harper's Weekly, the Sunday Evening Post, the Denver Post, Current Literature and a number of other publications. During his life, considerable emphasis was laid on the fact that Dunbar was of pure black descent, with no white ancestors.
Dunbar's work is known for its colorful language and use of dialect, and a conversational tone, with a brilliant rhetorical structure.
Dunbar traveled to England in 1897 to recite his works on the London literary circuit. After his return, Dunbar took a job at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. In 1900, Dunbar was diagnosed with tuberculosis, and moved to Colorado with his wife on the advice of his doctors. Dunbar's health continued to worsen, however, and to combat the pain he began to drink heavily, a problem which would ultimately result in the dissolution of his marriage. Depressed over the loss of his wife and his worsening health, Dunbar became a full-fledged alcoholic and his health became ever grimmer. Dunbar died at age thirty-three on February 9, 1906, and was interred in the Woodland Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio.
In 1975 the U.S. Postal Service issued a 10 cent commemorative stamp in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Dunbar in Standard English, and Dunbar in dialect
Some of Dunbar's work was written in conventional English, but others appeared in Dialect, and he never escaped the suspicion that there was something demeaning about producing a dialect poem despite its evident popularity.
He is quoted as saying "I am tired, so tired of dialect. I send out graceful little poems, suited for any of the magzines, but they are returned to me by editors who say, Dunbar, but we do not care for the language compositions".
For benefit of the modern reader who has not seen a dialect poem, here are two short similar stanzas — one in standard English, another in dialect. It should be evident that Dunbar was a fine poet of standard English.
What dreams we have and how they fly Like rosy clouds across the sky; Of wealth, of fame, of sure success, Of love that comes to cheer and bless; And how they whither, how they fade, The waning wealth, the jilting jade — The fame that for a moment gleams, Then flies forever, — dreams, ah — dreams!
(From Dreams)
"Sunshine on de medders,
Greenness on de way;
Dat's de blessed reason
I sing all de day."
Look hyeah! What you axing'?
What meks me so merry?
'Spect to see me sighin'
W'en hit's wa'm in Febawary?
(From A warm day in winter)
External links
- University of Dayton's Paul Laurence Dunbar biography
- Paul Laurence Dunbar state historical site
- Dunbar's home is also part of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park which includes both the Wright Brothers bicycle shop and Dunbar's home (with a Wright bicycle they gave him).
- Dunbar's Legacy of Language, an NPR story marking the 100th anniversary of Dunbar's death, and including poetry reading.
- Works by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Project Gutenberg
- The Life and Works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar by Lida Keck Wiggins, issued by Winston-Derek in 1992 ISBN 1-55523-473-9
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