Paul Laurence Dunbar: Singer of the Songs of God and Nature

“I did once want to be a lawyer, but that ambition has long since died out before the all-absorbing desire to be a worthy singer of the songs of God and nature. To be able to interpret my own people through song and story, and to prove to the many that after all we are more human than African.” Paul Laurence Dunbar

MAWA 120: Portrait of Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born June 27, 1872 to Joshua Dunbar and Matilda Murphy. Their stories of slave life fueled his dialect poetry. Paul’s father signified the hunger enslaved individuals had for liberty and the risks they were willing to take to gain it. He had enlisted twice to fight for the freedom of those still in bondage, and Paul admired his valor.

Both Joshua and Matilda valued reading and education. Matilda began teaching Paul to read at the age of four. Although Paul’s father passed away when he was 13 years old, his mother continued to support his education in the face of economic hardship. Thus, Paul was among few African Americans who attended high school in Dayton, Ohio. He was active in debates, helped edit the school newspaper, and was both class president and poet. He was also friends with future aviator Orville Wright, who printed three issues of his newspaper, the Dayton Tattler, in 1890. In 1891, Paul graduated from Central High School as the only African American in his in class. During the graduation ceremony, his class recited Farwell Song, one of Paul's compositions.

Paul’s hopes of obtaining a job in journalism after high school were thwarted by prejudice in his native city. His job search ultimately ended in him taking a position as an elevator operator in downtown Dayton. This position did not kill his passion for writing and he continued to write poetry and stories during his breaks. Paul’s opportunity came in 1892 when an invitation to speak at the Western Association of Writers convention in Dayton led to a positive review of his work by James Newton Matthews. A year later, Paul published his first book, Oak and Ivy, with the help of the Wright brothers printing shop. He sold copies for one dollar to individuals using his elevator service.

Paul also published a series of poems in Majors and Minors in 1895 and Lyrics of Lowly Life in 1896. This latter book turned out to be one of his best sellers. His African American dialect poems in Majors and Minors garnered the praise of literary critic William Dean Howells in an 1896 issue of Harper’s Weekly. This praise had three effects on Paul: it affirmed him as a writer worthy of national and international acclaim; it increased sales of his compositions; and it boxed him into the genre of dialect composition. The first two effects enabled Paul to travel and perform his works throughout the United States and Great Britain and led to him becoming the first African American to make a living entirely from his writing. Paul became famous for illuminating the African American experience. His composition brought the trials, dreams, hopes, and ingenuity of African Americans at the turn of the 20th century to the nation and Great Britain.

MAWA 106: Paul Laurence Dunbar, bottom left

On the other hand, William Howells review also had the effect of limiting Paul’s literary genius to African American experiences in the form of dialect poetry. His primarily European American audience praised his dialect poetry as both authentic and amusing, but dismissed his ability to compose other forms of writing. Their praise and desire for dialect stereotyped Paul into one primary genre and left him feeling unappreciated as a well-rounded writer. Indeed, Paul composed many poems, short stories, novels, and other works in standard English and other dialects. He also composed works concerning European American experiences. These works, to his disappointment, were largely ignored by his European American audience as they did not think an African American could write about the concerns or life of European Americans. Consequently, large pools of Paul’s works remained in the shadows and undervalued during his life and for many decades after his death.

On March 6, 1898, Paul married writer and teacher Alice Ruth Moore. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis a year later and advised to medicate himself with alcohol, which led to him becoming an alcoholic. This, coupled with physical abuse, resulted in Alice leaving Paul in 1902. Paul died on February 9, 1906. Alice found out about Paul’s death through the newspaper. She was devastated that their mutual friend and Paul’s physician, Bud Burns, did not inform her that he was on his death bed, so that she could at least say goodbye. To her surprise, Bud Burns had died of typhoid fever the previous year. Paul died believing his estranged wife did not love him. However, Alice retained his name, and also endorsed his poems, novels, short stories, lyrics, and other writings until her death in 1935.

Paul Dunbar’s literary contributions laid the foundation for the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. He influenced Langston Hughes and was admired by activist/entrepreneur Maggie L. Walker. The above portraits of him are from her collection. Paul continues to inspire contemporary writers. His poems are still performed today by famous poets like Nikki Giovanni and Mya Angelou. Paul’s literary works, however, were not without criticism. Many African American writers did and continue to criticize his dialect poetry for fueling negative African American stereotypes. Nevertheless, Paul Laurence Dunbar's legacy endures as the first African American writer to achieve fame and welfare for works that depict the multifaceted experiences of African Americans at the turn of the 20th century. He exemplifies perseverance in the midst of racism, and his literary works must be interpreted in light of such opposition.

Years after the death of Paul’s mother, Matilda, the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society purchased their home. In 1938, the Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site became the first African American house museum. In 1992, it became a part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Visit the Dayton Aviation park page to learn more about the life and works of Paul Laurence Dunbar.

References:

https://www.nps.gov/daav/learn/historyculture/paullaurencedunbarslifestory.htm
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/daav/chap4.htm
https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/afam/2003/parks.htm
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dunbar/life.htm
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/dunbar/biography
http://www.notablebiographies.com/De-Du/Dunbar-Paul-Laurence.html
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/paul-laurence-dunbar