Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)
Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of America’s first nationally recognized Black poets, admired for his genius with language and his ability to capture the depth of human experience. Born in Dayton, Ohio, he became known for works like “We Wear the Mask” and “Sympathy”—the latter inspiring Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Through his poetry, novels, and stories, Dunbar gave dignity to African American life and influenced generations of writers.
In 1929, when Little Rock prepared to replace the overcrowded Gibbs High School, the community rejected the proposed name “Negro Industrial High School.” Instead, they chose to honor Dunbar, affirming a commitment to scholarship and cultural excellence. The new school opened as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and its legacy continues today as Dunbar Middle School.
The campus also honors Florence Price, the renowned composer who lived in the Dunbar Historic District and often set Dunbar’s poems to music. In 2022, the school’s auditorium was named in her honor, ensuring that her contributions to music and culture remain celebrated alongside Dunbar’s literary legacy.
Fast Facts: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Born: June 27, 1872 – Dayton, Ohio
Died: February 9, 1906 – Dayton, Ohio
Known For: Poet, novelist, short story writer
Famous Works: We Wear the Mask, Sympathy, Lyrics of Lowly Life, The Sport of the Gods
Connection to Little Rock: In 1929, a new high school was named Paul Laurence Dunbar High School after the community rejected the proposed name “Negro Industrial High School.”
Legacy: Inspired generations of writers — including Maya Angelou — and had his poems set to music by composer Florence Price.
Poet • Novelist • Pioneer of American Literature
Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872, in Dayton, Ohio, and passed away on February 9, 1906, at just 33 years old. Despite his short life, he became one of the most celebrated poets of his generation and the first African American writer to achieve national fame. His words carried dignity, depth, and brilliance, giving voice to themes that still echo in American life today.
His Genius and Works
Dunbar’s genius lay in his ability to move seamlessly between forms and audiences. He wrote novels, short stories, essays, and plays, but it was his poetry that captured hearts across the country.
Some of his most enduring works include:
“We Wear the Mask” (1895) – A profound meditation on identity and resilience.
“Sympathy” (1899) – Containing the famous line “I know why the caged bird sings”, which later inspired Maya Angelou’s memoir.
Lyrics of Lowly Life (1896) – The collection that brought him national recognition.
The Sport of the Gods (1902) – A powerful novel exploring migration and family struggle.
Dunbar wrote both in standard English and in African American dialect, mastering both with equal grace. His work was admired by writers such as Frederick Douglass and William Dean Howells, and his influence laid the foundation for the Harlem Renaissance.
Dunbar in Little Rock
In the late 1920s, Little Rock’s Black community faced a turning point. M. W. Gibbs High School, which served African American students, was overcrowded and inadequate. Plans were made for a new facility, initially to be called “Negro Industrial High School.”
The community rejected this. Leaders like attorney W. A. Booker argued that Black students deserved a true college preparatory education — and a name that honored excellence and scholarship.
In 1929, the new school opened instead as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. This decision was more than symbolic — it was a declaration of dignity and ambition. By naming the school after Dunbar, Little Rock aligned itself with the highest traditions of African American literature and culture.
Today, the campus lives on as Dunbar Middle School, continuing to carry his name forward.
Florence Price and the Dunbar Connection
The Dunbar campus also honors another towering figure: Florence Beatrice Smith Price (1887–1953), the groundbreaking composer who lived in the Dunbar Historic District. In March 2022, the school’s auditorium was officially dedicated as the Florence Price Auditorium.
In 1933, Price made history when the Chicago Symphony performed her Symphony in E minor — the first such performance by an African American woman composer.
She also composed art songs using Dunbar’s poetry, including The Caged Bird.
Her husband, Thomas J. Price, was an attorney trained at Morehouse College. As Rae Linda Brown notes in The Heart of a Woman: The Life and Music of Florence B. Price, his early law work connected him to a Black judge in Washington, D.C., who lived next door to Paul Laurence Dunbar — a striking reminder of how lives and legacies intertwined across generations.
The Legacy Continues
The threads of Dunbar’s legacy extend far beyond his lifetime. His poem “Sympathy” inspired Maya Angelou, an Arkansas native from Stamps, to title her classic autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
In this way, Dunbar’s words linked to Angelou’s, and together they carried the voice of Black excellence, endurance, and artistry across centuries.
The choice to name Little Rock’s school after Paul Laurence Dunbar was a turning point — a moment when a community chose to honor genius, scholarship, and culture. Today, his legacy still lives in the classrooms, stages, and stories that bear his name.