Paul Laurence Dunbar portrait   Save
Paul Laurence Dunbar Photograph Collection
Description: Portrait of Paul Laurence Dunbar, ca. 1895-1900. 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. Following his high school graduation in Dayton, Dunbar worked as an elevator operator while writing poetry in his free time. He built a reputation as a successful literary voice, 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. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL00515
Subjects: Dunbar, Paul Laurence, 1872-1906;; Authors, American--Ohio; African American poets; Literary Ohio;
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio);