Born in Dayton, Ohio, on June 27, 1872, Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African American literary figures to garner critical acclaim on a national scale. Although he lived just thirty-three years, Dunbar's contributions in a variety of genres left a legacy that endures today.
In 1975, Mr. William Shepard presented Special Collection and Archives with a nearly complete, inscribed collection of Dunbar's first edition books. The collection originally belonged to Dr. Henry Tobey, Mr. Shepard's grandfather and Dunbar's frequent patron. Mr. Shepard's gift honors Paul Laurence Dunbar's literary legacy and connection to Dayton.
Wright State University's main library was renamed in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar on May 2, 1992. The remembrance recognizes Dunbar's significant literary contributions, importance to Dayton, and friendship with Wilbur and Orville Wright for whom the University is named. The poetry, songs, biography, and timeline you find here enhances exploration of Dunbar's work and life, and extends Dunbar's legacy to a new generation of readers.
-
Joggin' Erlong
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Joggin’ Erlong was the final collection of Dunbar’s poetry published during his lifetime. His health continued to decline after his diagnosis with tuberculosis. Separated from his wife in 1902, Dunbar eventually returned home to Dayton to live with his mother, Matilda. Much of his later work between 1902-1906 reflects his increasingly ill health.
-
Howdy Honey Howdy
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Illustated with photographs by Leigh Richmond Miner, Howdy Honey Howdy contains many previously published poems by Dunbar. One difference from previous covers is the photograph of a woman in a doorway, hand extended, as if welcoming the reader and inviting one to enter.
-
Candle-Lightin' Time
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Candle-Lightin' Time is another illustrated publication, containing photographs taken by Leigh Richmond Miner of the Hampton Institute Camera Club. Further decorations were created by Margaret Armstrong.
-
Poems of Cabin and Field
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Illustrated with Photographs by the Hampton Institute Camera Club and Decorations by Alice Morse.
-
When Malindy Sings
Paul Laurence Dunbar
When Malindy Sings is illustrated with photographs taken by the Hampton Institute Camera Club, and also features decorations created by Margaret Armstrong. The title for this book comes from one of Dunbar's most well-known dialect poems, one which emphasizes the more soulful aspects and the heartfelt, impromptu music of many of his poems. The poem was inspired by his mother Matilda's habit of singing in the kitchen and was first published in 1896.
-
Majors and Minors
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Majors and Minors reflects the dual styles of Dunbar's poetry. The "major" poems were works written in standard English, while the "minor" poems were his dialect poems. However, it was the "minors" section which caught the attention of reviewer William Dean Howells, editor of Harper's Weekly. Howells' review of the book singled out and praised Dunbar's use of dialect, bringing national attention to those works to the detriment of his poetry in standard verse.
-
Oak and Ivy
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Oak and Ivy was Dunbar's first published volume of poetry. He self-published the book and sold it for $1 to the people who rode in the elevator he operated in the Callahan Building in downtown Dayton. Dunbar also took the book to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, where he worked for Frederick Douglass in the Haitian exposition.
