Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, to Joshua and Matilda Dunbar, natives of Kentucky. Both of Dunbar’s parents were former slaves who had escaped to freedom. Joshua served in the 5th Massachusetts Infantry and the 5th Massachusetts Colored Calvary Regiment during the Civil War (Addison). Joshua and Matilda had two children before they separated in 1874.

Dunbar had a great home life! His mother was dedicated with inspiring him to achieve greatness. Matilda would tell Paul stories before he went to bed each night (Sci). These stories dealt with plantation life and the problems with his everyday life, and these stories were a great inspiration for Paul’s writings. Some of Dunbar’s poems are written in Southern dialect to reflect his mother’s storytelling, Paul had a habit of listening to other people’s speech pattern (Sci). Paul’s wife, Alice Ruth Moore, who he married in 1898 and later divo

Dunbar had the help of many people throughout his life. He might not have made it this far if it wasn’t for those great individuals. The Wright Brothers had a magnificent impact on Paul. With the help of the Wright Brothers, Dunbar published the newsletter, Dayton Tattler. Being friends with the Wright Brothers throughout school and adulthood has now made Paul an even greater success. While the Wright Brothers were making history at Kitty Hawk in 1903, Dunbar was being celebrated in the U.S. and Europe for his work as a poet and author (Gregg). Dunbar was just as celebrated as the Wright’s were.

Paul is a very famous poet because of all the work he did throughout his life. He was a poet who wrote using the dialect of his people, and African American folk language. Dunbar wrote many poems about racial discord and

Depression caused from Paul’s separation from his wife, Alice, and declining health drove him to alcohol. Paul suffered from tuberculosis and died on February 9, 1906, due to this disease. When Paul became too sick to do a lot of things, he moved back to Dayton to live with his mother. There he died and his mother remained until her death in 1934.

tone for many other artists. Paul became famous for his great writing technique and his ability to evolve normal life situations into his poetry. Dunbar is able to touch the heart by telling the truth. I think that Paul Laurence Dunbar is an exalted and brilliant man. He has contributed so many things to the Dayton society and many others. Dunbar was just an ordinary person until he took a chance, and succeeded at that chance. A chance at writing is a chance at fame.

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