The Dunbar Music Archive was established by Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox in 2014. This resource is meant to increase awareness and consumption of musical settings of texts by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dunbar the poet, author, librettist, activist, and essayist was a seminal figure in establishing a poetic voice that would influence African-American poets for generations, including those responsible for the blossoming of the Harlem Renaissance.
For translation and pronunciation information for dialect terms used in Dunbar's poetry, see the Dunbar Glossary of Dialect Terms.
This collection was produced by University of Dayton's Department of Music, the University Libraries and the University of Dayton's media production group.
The Dunbar Music Archive will be expanding through generous funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, and the University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences. Please explore the contents of this collection and stay tuned for the launch of the Dunbar Library and Archive.
Selected Poems
The Valse, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Time to Tinker 'Roun'!, Paul Laurence Dunbar
To a Dead Friend, Paul Laurence Dunbar
To the Road!, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Trouble in de Kitchen, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Twell de Night is Pas', Paul Laurence Dunbar
Two Little Boots, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Two Songs, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Vengeance is Sweet, Paul Laurence Dunbar
W'en I Gits Home, Paul Laurence Dunbar
We Wear the Mask, Paul Laurence Dunbar
We Wear the Mask (Video), Paul Laurence Dunbar
What's the Use?, Paul Laurence Dunbar
When A Feller's Itchin' to be Spanked, Paul Laurence Dunbar
When All Is Done, Paul Laurence Dunbar
When Dey ’Listed Colored Soldiers, Paul Laurence Dunbar
When Malindy Sings, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Whip-Poor-Will and Katy-Did, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Why Fades a Dream?, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Winter's Approach, Paul Laurence Dunbar
Musical Settings
A Banjo Song, Philip Hayden
A Banjo Song, Evelyn McCue Wright
A Banjo Song (baritone and piano), Gary Bachlund
A Boy's Summer Song (baritone and piano), Gary Bachlund
Accountability, Philip Hayden
