Dunbar, Paul Laurence

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) was born in Dayton, Ohio, where he attended high school as the only African-American enrolled. A gifted student, he was president of his class, as well as editor of the school newspaper and president of the literary society. He started writing poetry as a young child, and it was in that field where he gained his principal place in American literature. Dunbar was, in fact, the first African-American to gain significant acceptance as a poet. In 1898, he married poet Alice Ruth Moore, but their relationship was stormy, partly because of his growing dependence on a...