Paul Laurence Dunbar was a pioneering African American poet whose works vividly portrayed the complexities of black life in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His writing, especially his use of dialect, brought both acclaim and criticism, but undeniably established him as a significant literary figure. From his arduous beginnings in Dayton, Ohio, to becoming a renowned poet, Dunbar's life was marked by both triumphs and challenges.

Early Life

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born to Joshua and Matilda Murphy Dunbar, both of whom had been slaves until the mid-1860s. Matilda, a woman of strong will and intellect, attended night classes to become literate and adept in mathematics. After her first husband, Willis Murphy, disappeared during the Civil War, Matilda relocated to Dayton, Ohio, with her children. There, in 1871, she married Joshua Dunbar, and the following year, their son Paul was born.

Joshua Dunbar imparted fascinating tales of his time as a slave to young Paul, sharing how he secretly learned to read and write, and his daring escape via the Underground Railroad. These stories left a profound impression on Paul and later surfaced in his writings. After the tragic loss of their daughter Elizabeth, Matilda concentrated all her efforts and hopes on Paul, nurturing his literary ambitions from a young age.

Despite Joshua's literacy and military service, he struggled to find work, leading to alcoholism and family discord. Matilda, in attempts to bring peace, would share stories from her plantation life, which also informed much of Dunbar's later work. Eventually, she divorced Joshua, who spent his remaining years in a soldier's retirement home, where Paul visited him frequently.

Educational Journey

Paul was the sole African American in his high school and achieved the roles of class president and poet. He gained early literary experience publishing poems in the Dayton Herald and editing the Dayton Tattler. Among his classmates was Orville Wright, who remained a lifelong friend. Despite his academic promise, financial constraints prevented Dunbar from pursuing college education, so he worked as an elevator operator, a job that provided him ample time to write, crafting numerous poems and stories, particularly in the dialect style that would later define his career.

Rise to Fame

Dunbar's talent gained recognition when he was invited to speak at the 1892 Western Association of Writers convention, an opportunity secured by his supportive English teacher, Helen Truesdell. Here, Dunbar met James Newton Matthews, whose subsequent praise for Dunbar in a published letter brought him national attention. This acclaim motivated Dunbar to publish Oak and Ivy in 1893, a collection funded by his earnings as an elevator operator. The volume’s success helped him quickly repay his printing costs.

The attention Oak and Ivy received, particularly for its dialect poems, piqued the interest of Charles A. Thatcher, a Toledo attorney, who offered to finance Dunbar's education at Harvard. However, Dunbar, focused on his literary career, declined the offer. Instead, Thatcher, along with his friend Dr. Henry A. Tobey, supported Dunbar by promoting his works and aiding him financially during tough times.

Professional Acclaim

With encouragement, Dunbar published Majors and Minors in 1895, featuring both standard English and dialect poems. William Dean Howells, a prominent literary critic, praised the collection, particularly the dialect poems, enhancing Dunbar's national profile. This acclaim led to representation by Major James B. Pond, a prestigious literary agent, who introduced Dunbar to influential publishers and secured numerous speaking engagements for him.

Dunbar's work attracted the attention of publishers, including Dodd, Mead, who offered him an unprecedented advance for his book Lyrics of Lowly Life . This compilation, drawn from his...