Description: Portrait of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar with his mother, Matilda Dunbar, Dayton, Ohio, ca. 1890-1900. Josephine Watkins Lehman, known to Dunbar as "Aunt Bam," was the daughter of Dunbar's high school principal and mentor, William Watkins. She is credited with taking this photograph. Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL01055
Subjects: African American women--Ohio; Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Matilda Dunbar, mother of Paul Laurence Dunbar, sitting in a rocker with her cane, ca. 1900-1930. A former slave from Kentucky, Mrs. Dunbar taught her son a love of songs, storytelling, poetry and reading. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02776
Subjects: African American women--Ohio; Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Matilda Dunbar sitting in a rocker, holding a book, ca. 1900-1930. A former slave from Kentucky, Mrs. Dunbar taught her son, Paul Laurence Dunbar, a love of songs, storytelling, poetry and reading. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02777
Subjects: African American women--Ohio; Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Paul Laurance Dunbar (1872-1906), an African American poet, lyricist, and author from Dayton, Ohio, ca. 1890. Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. He served briefly as the editor of the Dayton Tattler, a newspaper produced primarily for Dayton's black community and published by Dunbar's classmate, Orville Wright. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02738
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Portrait of author Paul Laurence Dunbar, ca. 1904, reproduced on a postcard. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05252
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Cabinet card portrait of author Paul Laurence Dunbar as a young man, ca. 1890. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05253
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Cabinet card portrait of author Paul Laurence Dunbar as a young man, ca. 1890. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05254
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Cabinet card portrait of author Paul Laurence Dunbar as a young man, ca. 1890. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05255
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of author Paul Laurence Dunbar on horseback, ca. 1890-1906. A note written on the back of the photograph indicates that the horse may have inspired Dunbar's poem "Dat Ol' Mare O' Mine." Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05260
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio; Horses
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Photograph of Paul Laurence Dunbar and a man identified as Mr. Whack at the home of Major Pond, August 1, 1896. Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05261
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: Broadside advertising a reading given by poet and author Paul Laurence Dunbar at the Lyceum Theater in New York City, ca. 1890-1906. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05264
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: New York City (New York)
 

Description: Author Paul Laurence Dunbar, pictured in the center of the back row, with friends, ca. 1890-1906. A note on the back of the photograph describes the men and women pictured as Dunbar's "English friends and advisors." Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872 to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, both former slaves, and was encouraged by his mother in poetry and his schooling from an early age. He attended Dayton Central High School and was the sole African American student at that time. Following his high school graduation, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice and writer of dialect poetry, and was the first African American poet to receive critical acclaim for his work. Dunbar authored twelve collections of poetry, five novels, one play, and a large number of newspaper articles before his death from tuberculosis on February 9, 1906. He is buried in the Woodland Cemetery in Dayton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05267
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906; African American poets; American poetry--Ohio; Literary Ohio
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)