African American Poetry - Paul Laurence Dunbar

Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African American poet to gain national acclaim.  His legacy can be seen in the many schools, community centers, streets, and parks named in his honor.  This is an interactive, one-time course that explores the life of and selected works written by one of nineteenth-century America's most famous African American poets.  Learners also have the opportunity to view pictures of both the exterior and interior of his Dayton, Ohio home and a short video of the exterior of his Washington, D.C. home.  

The class will kickoff with a lecture-style introduction to the poet's life and early rise to fame.  Readings of three selected poems from his larger body of works will be interspersed within the lecture.  As a class, we will discuss, analyze, and identify the literary techniques, poetic devices, and themes of each work.  Students will also be challenged to identify how each poem connects directly to events from Dunbar's life, as explored in the introductory lecture.

After our poetry reading and analysis, students will view a short video that shows the exterior of Dunbar's Washington, D.C. home.  They will also have a chance to take a photo tour of Dunbar's home in Dayton, Ohio where he spent the last two years of his life.  During this course, students will have an opportunity to view rare images of Dunbar's family photos and personal items that he owned.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about Dunbar and to explore beyond our virtual classroom to see the spaces and places where he lived and wrote!