Editing Paul Laurence Dunbar (section)

===Early life===

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born at 311 Howard Street in [[Dayton, Ohio]], on June 27, 1872, to parents who were enslaved in Kentucky before the [[American Civil War]].<ref name=Alexander17>Alexander, 17.</ref> After being emancipated, his mother Matilda moved to Dayton with other family members, including her two sons Robert and William from her first marriage. Dunbar's father Joshua escaped from slavery in Kentucky before the war ended. He traveled to [[Massachusetts]] and volunteered for the [[55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment]], one of the first two black units to serve in the war. The senior Dunbar also served in the [[5th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment]]. Paul Dunbar was born six months after Joshua and Matilda's wedding on Christmas Eve, 1871.<ref name=Alexander17/>

The marriage of Dunbar's parents was troubled, and Dunbar's mother left Joshua soon after having their second child, a daughter.<ref>Alexander, 19.</ref> Joshua died on August 16, 1885, when Paul was 13 years old.<ref name=Wagner75>Wagner, 75.</ref>

Dunbar wrote his first poem at the age of six and gave his first public recital at the age of nine. His mother assisted him in his schooling, having learned to read expressly for that purpose. She often read the Bible with him, and thought he might become a minister in the [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]].<ref name="Best, 13">Best, 13.</ref> It was the first independent black denomination in America, founded in [[Philadelphia]] in the early 19th century.

Dunbar was the only African-American student during his years at Central High School in Dayton. [[Orville Wright]] was a classmate and friend.<ref>[http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/dunbar/biography.php "Paul Laurence Dunbar: Highlights of A Life"], Wright State Universities, Special Collections & Archives.</ref> Well-accepted, he was elected as president of the school's literary society, and became the editor of the school newspaper and a debate club member.<ref name="Best, 13"/><ref name="poetry">[http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/paul-laurence-dunbar "Paul Laurence Dunbar"], Poetry Foundation.</ref>