Camille Roberts 1Roberts 1 2Camille Roberts 3Mr. Anthony 41st hour English IV: "A Powerful Poet" 517 November 20— 6"A Powerful P
oet" 7Paul Laurence Dunbar was a famous American poet and novelist. 8Dunbar was one of the first African American writers to gain national attention, and his works were greatly influenced by his African American heritage. 9Dunbar was born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio. 10His parents were freed slaves and his father fought during the Civil War. 11Dunbar's mother shared with him her love of poetry. When Dunbar was a boy, his mother read lines of poetry to him (Slurry 97). 12Soon, began to recite the lines and write short poems. 13During his formative years, Dunbar attended a school in Ohio that was populated mostly by white students. 14Because Dunbar excelled at writing in school, and because he helped edit his school newspaper. 15He and his classmate Orville Wright—who would later go on to invent the airplane with his brother Wilbur—published a daily newspaper together for a very brief time (110 Slurry). 16After high school, Dunbar did not have the opportunity to attend college, he worked as an elevator attendant. 17Because Dunbar's job was monotonous, thinking of concepts for his poetry. 18In 1893 Dunbar published a poetry collection titled Oak and Ivy (Zane 219). 19To spread his work, Dunbar distributed a number of copies of his collection. 20Soon, people began to take notice of Dunbar's eloquent work. 21Although Dunbar's first collection was mildly successful, he experienced financial difficulties and had to go back to work as an elevator attendant (Wong). 22Dunbar did not despair and he continued to write doggedly. 23In 1895 he printed a second collection of poetry titled Majors and Minors. 24When Dunbar published his book and when it became a successful piece of literature. 25Dunbar incorporated a number of different types of poems in this collection. 26Including some that featured a distinct African American dialect. 27Dunbar included this dialect to honor his heritage and he included it to explore African Americans' lives. 28In the years to come, Dunbar would become famous for poems that used this dialect (American Writers Almanac). 29In America during the late 1800s and early 1900s, many intolerant people. 30Dunbar tried to show the plight of African Americans; however, he also tried to celebrate African Americans' rich heritage. 31In 1896, Dunbar received a favorable review in the magazine Harper's Weekly (Wong). 32Almost instantly becoming one of the most famous writers in the country. 33Dunbar continued to write he traveled to Europe, too. 34Dunbar married Alice Moore in 1898; however, soon separated in 1901. 35When he was only thirty years old, contracted an illness called tuberculosis. 36Dunbar fought the illness for almost three years. 37During this time, he also wrote another book called Heart of Happy Hollow. 38This book was not as successful as his other works. 39Dunbar died of tuberculosis in 1906 he was only thirty-three years old (Zane 260). 40By the end of his life, Dunbar had authored twenty-two books. 41Although Dunbar was most famous for his poetry, he also wrote novels, song lyrics, and essays. 42Today, because Dunbar's poems are still being read and enjoyed. 43Paul Laurence Dunbar leaves behind an important legacy many young authors look to Dunbar and his work for inspiration. 44"Books that I Used" 45Johnson, Eliza. "Dunbar, Paul Laurence." American Writers Almanac. 1999 ed. 46Slurry, Markus. "Early Life." San Francisco, CA: Quality Books, 2001. The Life of Paul Laurence Dunbar. 87-126. 47Encyclopedia of American Writers. 2002 ed. Wong, Samantha. "Dunbar, Paul Laurence." 48Zane, Francis. Famous African American Writers. Philadelphia, PA: Reinhart and Weston, 2005. 209-63.
Click the true statements, based on what is in the passage.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in 1874.
Paul Laurence Dunbar's parents had been slaves.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was classmates with Wilbur Wright.
Paul Laurence Dunbar published a book of poetry in 1893.
Paul Laurence Dunbar got married and separated.
Paul Laurence Dunbar died of cancer.
Paul Laurence Dunbar only wrote poetry.
Paul Laurence Dunbar contracted tuberculosis.
