WINNING ENTRIES
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR: A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE AND WORKS
22ND ANNUAL DAYTON ASALH/DLAMC-DEA ESSAY CONTEST
On the River
KINDERGARTEN CLASS, Amy Moon, Lincoln School for the Arts
They produced a beautiful book with translations of each line, photographs and drawings.
Introduction by the students
We like the things we can see, hear and feel in “On the River.” We like to listen to the grown-up words and make our own pictures. We like being able to act out this poem together. We like making all the sounds! We really like knowing that Mr. Dunbar was paddling his boat on our
river.
Little Brown Baby
STEPHANIE ZELLERS, Kindergarten winner, Judy Winfield, Edison Elementary School
My favorite Paul Laurence Dunbar poem is “Little Brown Baby.” I picked this poem because I didn’t think the boogey man ate the baby. I’m glad Pappy didn’t give the baby to the boogey man.
The Seedling
ADRIANA RAMIREZ, Second grade winner, Charlotte Sharett, Horace Mann Montessori School
I chose Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, “The Seedling,” as one to study and write about because it made me feel three things. 1. A flower must have certain things to grow. 2. People must have love and kindness to grow. 3. A bud will blossom and be a great flower when it is an adult, and so will a child.
Dunbar’s “The Seedling” inspired me to write a poem, “When a Seedling Grows.”
When a seedling grows, it starts with a stem.
It pushes a little harder, and it can begin
The sunlight rises and every day it grew
But then it needed some water
And the rain was over and through.
When it was tired,
The rain began to make a shower.
Soon when it looked up,
It found itself a flower.
And if you’re a child,
You’ll fall into sweet dreams.
After a while,
You and your dreams…
You’ll be a perfect team.
In the Morning
BRI’ANNA JAMISON, Third grade winner, K-3 grade group winner, Pamela Davis, Orville
Wright Elementary School
My favorite Paul Laurence Dunbar poem is “In the Morning.” I like this poem because it sounds like my family’s life. When I read this poem, it made me think about my grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother and how they treated my mother, their mother and each other.
When I read the poem, I hear the rhyming sounds. I like this part.
“’Lias! ‘Lias! Bless de Lawd!
Don’ you know de day’s erbroad?
Ef you don’ git up, you scamp,
Dey’ll be trouble in dis camp.
Tink I gwine to let you sleep
Wile I meks yo’ boa’d an’ keep?
Dat’s a putty howdy-do.
Don’ you hyeah me, ‘Lias, you?
I like this verse because it made me think of the people that I can’t see in my family, but I can remember how they raised me.
He Had His Dream
DUSTIN LONGO, Fourth grade winner, Janet Ott, Orville Wright Elementary School
I like “He Had His Dream” because the words rhyme.
The storm cloud dark
Above his bark.
I like what he said.
The tempest will be short.
My bark will come to port.
I also chose this because I like to hear poems, so I thought I would make one.
Paul and His Dream
Paul had his dream and all through life
Worked up to it through toil and strife.
Afloat before his eyes
It colored for him all his skies.
The storm cloud dark
Above his bark.
The calm and listless vault of blue
Took on its hopeful hue.
It tinctured every passing beam.
He had his dream.
Paul labored hard and failed at last,
His sails too weak to bear the blast.
The raging tempests tore away
And sent his beating bark astray.
But what cared he
For wind or sea?
He said, “The tempest will be short
My bark will come to port.”
He saw through every cloud a gleam.
He had his dream.
Paul Laurence Dunbar: Role Model
I’ZAAH MURRAY, Fifth grade winner, Tammy Brewer, Edison Elementary School
Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio. He was four years old when he started to learn the alphabet. He was very young when he started to write poetry. Both parents encouraged him. Paul went to Central High School, and Orville and Wilbur Wright were his friends. Paul helped on the newspaper, and sometimes he put one of his poems in the newspaper.
I think Paul Laurence Dunbar is a good role model because he did things other black people couldn’t do in his day. He wrote books of poetry and essays. He traveled and spoke in other states and in England. He expressed his feelings in a poetic way.
I would like to thank Paul Laurence Dunbar for being the good person he that he was and for inspiring many people to pursue their dreams.
Paul Laurence Dunbar: Role Model (1872-1906)
CHLOE MAYFIELD-BROWN, Sixth grade winner, 4-6 grade group winner, Veronica R. Watkins, Cornell Heights Elementary School
The reason Dunbar is a good role model is three-fold.
The first is Dunbar’s character, which is best described as a popular African American man who was very smart. He was 33 years old when he died. He wrote short stories, novels, librettos, plays, essays and songs. He was popular with both blacks and whites of his day, and his works are celebrated today by many people. What’s really exciting is that Mr. Dunbar attended elementary and high school in Dayton, Ohio. He was editor of the school paper, class poet, and president of the literary society.
The second is his talent. He was gifted in poetry. He was born with a gift for creative insight and clear, concise use of language. The words in all of his poems are powerful, but I like the poem “Jealous” best. This poem has been taught to every generation in our family. My mother taught it to me. Jealousy is a very powerful emotion. Dunbar expresses jealousy in his poem.
“Hyeah come Caesar Higgins. Don’t he think he’s fine?
Look at them new riggin’s. Ain’t he trying to shine?
Got a standin’ collar an’ a stovepipe hat.
I’ll jes’ bet a dollar someone gin him dat.
Don’t one o’ you mention nothin’ ‘bout his clothes.
Don’t pay no attention er let on you knows
Dat he’s got ‘em on him, why, ‘t’ll mek him sick,
Jes go on an’ sco’n him. My, ain’t dis a trick!
Look hyeah, what’s he doin’ lookin’ t’ othah way?
Dat ere move’s a new one, Someone call him, “Say!”
Can’t you see no pusson – puttin’ on you’ airs,
Sakes alive, you’s wuss’n dese hyeah millionaires.
Needn’t git so flighty, case you got dat suit.
Dem cloes ain’t so mighty--second hand to boot,
I’se a’tryin’ to spite you! Full of jealousy!
Look hyeah, man, I’ll fight you. Don’t you fool wid me!
Third, Dunbar inspires me to write my own poems. He gives me a special feeling of total self-worth and self-fulfillment, a confirmation of who I am, and a sense of what I can become. . He was young and talented, and that encourages other young people that they can be successful, too.
I actually became aware of Dunbar’s poems in the fourth grade. I am grateful to my family and my teachers who gave me the opportunity to learn about Paul Laurence Dunbar. Role models are important, and I feel fortunate to be able to read and to learn about Paul Laurence Dunbar. It almost seems as though he is still here.
Paul Laurence Dunbar, Role Model
LYNDSEY DIGGS, Seventh grade winner, Di McDonald, St. Rita Elementary School
Paul Laurence Dunbar is an excellent choice for a role model. I use his words of wisdom to get me through rough days. I use his courageous and compassionate deeds as an example of how to treat other people. Since I love to read and write poetry, he really inspires me. It is his life story that inspires me most.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African American to garner national, critical acclaim. He attended Dayton’s Central High School, along with Orville Wright. He was the only African American in his class, but that didn’t stop him from achieving great things. He was a member of the debating society, editor of the school paper and president of the school’s literary society. Dunbar began writing and reciting poetry at the age of six. His life story inspires me because Paul Laurence Dunbar overcame many obstacles. He gives me inspiration, confidence and courage to persevere as a writer and poet.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was a modest man. He didn’t boast about his wondrous talents, but famous literary figures still took notice. When they took notice, Dunbar decided to publish a book of poems. Oak and Ivy, his first collection, was published in 1892. With Dunbar on my heart, last year I decided to get a short story of mine published. Maybe someday I’ll be as famous as Dunbar. Hopefully more people will read my stories and learn about me.
When more people came into contact with Dunbar’s works, his reputation as a writer spread rapidly. In 1893 he was invited to recite at the World’s Fair, where he met Frederick Douglass, the renowned abolitionist. When I was younger I had a fear of speaking in front of crowds. But now I just breathe and remember the amount of courage it must have taken Paul Laurence Dunbar to speak in front of crowds, especially with all of the segregation and discrimination. I have it pretty easy compared to him. Hopefully now I’ve gained enough courage to write a book, a collection of my original works of poetry.
Dunbar’s second book, Majors and Minors, propelled him to fame. William Dean Howells, a novelist and highly respected literary critic, commended Dunbar’s book. That boosted his literary career. Maybe if I get a book published, I could be well-known in the literary world.
After learning about the history of Paul Laurence Dunbar, I’ve gained a better understanding and a better appreciation for Dunbar’s contributions not only to Ohio, but to the entire world. His accomplishments were tremendous and have deeply affected American culture. He produced twelve books of poetry, four books of short stories, a play and five novels. His fabulous works have appeared in many magazines and journals. Dunbar’s death in February 1906 startled the hearts of many, but Dunbar will remain an inspiration to all people who read. He helps African Americans gain a better understanding and appreciation of their culture. These are the reasons Paul Laurence Dunbar is a phenomenal choice for a role model.
We Wear the Mask
THERON CROSBY, Eighth grade winner, 7-9 grade group winner, Karen Danielle Brame,
Omega School of Excellence
There are several reasons why I chose Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” as the subject for the 22nd Annual Dayton ASALH/DLAMC-DEA Essay Contest.
First, this poem illustrates how people have responded in the past and the present to injustices against them. The wearing of a “mask,” a look that appears happy when the person feels the opposite, protects the person’s real feelings. With the mask on, no feelings are shown. Many people believe that if they don’t show their feelings, events and/or comments will not affect them.
Second, Dunbar makes us understand that African Americans had to put on this “mask” for survival in this society. They experienced rude, cruel and even deadly comments and actions as they sought to “make it” in this society. Many still use this “mask” device today, in the twenty-first century.
Finally, Dunbar makes excellent use of descriptive language. Phrases such as “mask that grins and lies” and “with torn and bleeding hearts we smile” perfectly describe the difference between the appearance people present and their true feelings. When Dunbar uses words such as tears, tortured and vile, he makes you feel the tragedy of having to wear the mask.
Paul Laurence Dunbar was a very gifted man. For the reasons stated above, “We Wear the Mask” is one of his best poems.
Sympathy
BRITTNEY WARREN, Ninth grade winner, Tom Andrassy, Northmont High School
My favorite Paul Laurence Dunbar poem is “Sympathy.” This poem is so vivid and contains so many details that you can almost see what is happening. It is about a caged bird that wants so badly to be get out, but the cage bars him from freedom. This is my favorite poem because I can relate it so many things.
One of the things that this poem relates to is slavery. The poem is about a caged bird that will stop at nothing to be free. He even physically harms himself by throwing himself against the wire bars. I’m sure that slaves tried numerous times to escape, knowing that if they were caught they’d be beaten or worse. But still they tried over and over, hoping that eventually they would make it out, just like the caged bird. The bird tried to get out, hoping that one day he would get through that wall between him and freedom, like the prayer that “upward to heaven he flings.”
The second thing that this poem relates to is people in our society. Sometimes we are put or we put ourselves into a certain box or mold. Since everyone around us has become accustomed to that version of us, it’s hard for us to break that mold. No matter how hard we try or how many times we try, people still think of us the same way. Sometimes people are put into certain stereotypes. When we see them, we have that mindset of what they are. Regardless of whether the person and the stereotype contradict each other, we still think of the person the same way. The stereotype is a “cage.”
My last relation of this poem to our world is our fears. Fears are the “cages” of our lives. Our fears inhibit us from doing many things. For example, if I am afraid of water, I can’t go to the beach with my friends or go swimming. Being afraid to speak in front of people is another “cage.” That fear could keep you from getting a job that requires you to propose ideas in front of you fellow employees and boss. A fear can also be a “cage” that we can’t get out of.
These are the relations that I thought of when I read and analyzed this poem.
Like Dunbar
DEVIN WHITE, Eleventh grade winner, 10-12 grade group winner, Traci Davis, Colonel White High School for the Arts
Paul Laurence Dunbar is known as one of the best poets ever to have lived. The Schuster Center in downtown Dayton celebrated the life and works of Dunbar with the “In Praise of Dunbar” exhibit, a showcase of art dedicated to Dunbar, done by some of the most talented artists in Dayton. Of all the artwork showcased, James Pate’s “Spit a Verse like Dunbar” piece stood out to me in the way it vividly and gracefully illustrates Dunbar’s contribution to the hip-hop movement. I chose the artwork for its relation to the hip-hop generation, its recognition of Dunbar’s legacy and its graceful composition and presentation in the appreciation of Dunbar.
Pate’s artwork displays Dunbar’s relevance to today’s hip-hop generation with the image of Dunbar in today’s hip-hop style of clothing, as if he were here today, to represent how the style of Dunbar is evident in the style of today. This piece shows how rappers, singers and poets of today all look to the works of Dunbar as an example and as inspiration for their work. Dunbar, in his time, was revolutionary in the way he reached deep into the audience’s emotions with his powerful words and expressions. Prolific rappers and singers like Common, Talib Kweli and Lauryn Hill all emulate the reality and beauty of Dunbar in the way the reach their listeners with their messages.
Dunbar’s legacy is recognized through his influence. Ever since poets like Dunbar expressed their feelings in the eloquent way that he did, words have become a prominent art form. In today’s world, they are used as a common outlet for artistic expression. Pate shows this influence by contrasting the past and present images of Dunbar in the artwork. There is an image of the past Dunbar in the rear of the painting, which is faint compared to the image of Dunbar in the present. To me, the flamboyant and clear image of the present Dunbar represents the prominence Dunbar would have if he were a poet or rapper in the present day.
Wholly, the piece’s presentation of Dunbar is excellent in its captivity of his legacy in the theme of continuation with the poetry movement, and its never-ending and adaptive style. Paul Laurence Dunbar exemplified the meaning and emotion of today’s rappers and poets in a revolutionary way.
Paul Laurence Dunbar: Humanity Among All
SARAH DEAK, Undergraduate freshman winner, College level grade group winner, Dr. John Inglis, University of Dayton
Our world consists of different races, cultures and ethnicities, yet all come together to create one human race that, although separate in some respects, is inherently equal. Although this concept may not seem shocking in modern America, in America of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it would be met with opposition. At that time, many in America believed that white Anglo-Saxons held a place of superiority over other races. Paul Laurence Dunbar, noted African American poet and essayist, was born into this world.
In this post Civil War society, mockery and disdain still existed toward the African American race. Minstrel shows were the most popular form of entertainment, portraying blacks as childish and naïve servants to the white man and being blissfully happy to do so. The speech, dress and overall way of life of blacks were mocked daily in newspapers, stories, plays and jokes. Blacks were shown as silly puppets under the control of whites. Although the days of chattel slavery were over, blacks were enslaved by an image the world had created for them, one it seemed they would never be able to shake.
However, Dunbar rose above this image of black inferiority with his poems, short stories and essays. At one point he stated that, “blacks will not be convinced they are not citizens.” (Martin, untitled). As the only black person in his senior class, Dunbar gained acceptance from his classmates, becoming editor of the school newspaper and writing the class song. His friends included the Wright brothers, who also lived in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. An unusual pair, Dunbar and Orville Wright attended school together. Orville and his brother Wilbur helped Dunbar by printing some of his works on their printing press, while Dunbar used his poetry to gain readers for the brothers (Martin, Untitled).
Dunbar’s poetry helped him gain acceptance in the academic world, but he still hit barriers such as rejection for an editing job because it was “white man’s work.” Dunbar refused to allow these obstacles to confuse him or deter him from his work. He continued to write while working in downtown Dayton as an elevator operator, the only job that he, as a black man, could get (Martin, Untitled).
In his writings, Dunbar continually restated his belief that no human being was inferior to another. Poems such as “When They ‘Listed Colored Soldiers” and “The Haunted Oak”
exemplified common humanity among all races, showing that both blacks and whites had the same feelings and concerns. By showing a common thread of humanity between these two races, Dunbar blows away the negative image of black inferiority and creates a new image of blacks as something completely different: human.
“When They ‘Listed Colored Soldiers” contains the reactions of a black woman to the enlistment of soldiers during the Civil War. As with the war in Iraq today, it was difficult for families to let sons, brothers and husbands go to war with the knowledge that they might not return. This feeling of love and concern for the men going to war is a common human reaction. By having this reaction come from a black woman, Dunbar affirms her humanity and equality with the white women who share her sentiments. Dunbar explicitly shows this when he has the black narrator describe the sadness felt by her white master’s wife and his daughter when their beloved men go to war. Although the other women don’t say anything, the narrator understands how they feel. In addition, the narrator experiences sadness for the white master as well as for the black man she loves. Her feeling of sorrow for both the black and white men creates a unity between them. She sees the men as Dunbar would, nothing less than human beings.
In addition the women sharing emotions, the black couple acts the same way any white couple would. The man makes his love promise “to be true” to him during the war, a concern that was surely felt by the white men as well (The Complete Poems, “When They ‘Listed). Also, the woman gives her soldier-lover a Bible upon his departure. This is something that all humans instinctively do in times of trouble or worry; they turn to God for guidance and protection. A final common human reaction is the man’s reason for going to war: he is fighting for freedom. The concept of freedom is not something known only to blacks, but it is equally venerated and protected by whites as well. Dunbar uses this commonality of thoughts, actions, emotions and values to show that blacks and whites shared more than the culture of the day would imply.
“The Haunted Oak” is more gruesome, but it also tells of the universal humanity of both blacks and whites. This poem is a conversation between a passerby and a tree that has experienced a horrible incident: a lynching. Keeping the idea of human connection, Dunbar focuses on both the victim and the perpetrators of the crime. He writes that those responsible for the crime will “dread the mem’ry of your (the victim’s) face,” meaning they will feel guilt for the crime they committed (The Paul Laurence Dunbar Reader, “The Haunted Oak). Giving the emotion of guilt to the assailants allows them to become more human, not just faceless evildoers, and makes them equal to the life they took.
The judge who imprisoned the victim is given humanity because he is said to feel guilt whenever he passes by the tree on which such a horrible crime was committed. The tree itself is constantly reminded of the pain it endured from the lynching. Its trunk feels the pull of the dead man as he was hung, just as all people feel the tug of hatred at the threads of humanity whenever an inhuman action occurs. The tree is left “dried and dead,” killed by “the curse of a guiltless man.”
The reason the passerby stops at this tree also creates quite an impact. The man stops because he feels an eerie pain and grief, the same one felt by the tree when it bore the lynching. This is a pain caused by a hateful act that took place at another time, but its effects are still felt. Although the man and the tree had nothing to do with the lynching, they are still affected, just as all humanity is affected by every hateful act.
Dunbar was writing about an actual lynching of an innocent black man by a white mob, but he doesn’t state that explicitly. Thus, the lynching is sometimes seen as representative of all hate crimes. This interpretation allows all people to feel a connection to this universal act of hatred. Even today, oppressed minorities can look at Dunbar’s poem and relate to this hateful crime, a crime of white against black, but also a crime against any people persecuted because of their supposed inferiority.
With his message of humanity, connection and equality, Paul Laurence Dunbar rose above the mockery and hatred of the culture surrounding him. He showed that, because of their common humanity, no human being was completely different from another. Using his poetry as a tool, Dunbar voiced his ideas in both clear and subtle ways to prove his point, and to protect himself from the dominant culture’s distorted image of his race. He rose above the oppressive era in
which he lived with a voice of unity, humanity and love.
Works Cited
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “The Haunted Oak.” The Paul Laurence Dunbar Reader. Ed. Jay Martin and Gossie H. Hudson. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1978.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. “When They ‘Listed Colored Soldiers.” The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1924.
Martin, Dr. Herbert. Untitled. ASI 112 Class. University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio. 28 February 2006.
