Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor the birth of Paul Lawrence Dunbar. It was the African-American poet Maya Angelou who made the verse ``I know why the caged bird sings'' widely famous, but it was Paul Laurence Dunbar from Dayton, OH, who penned that powerful poem more than a century ago. That seems to be the true story of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, as a trailblazer who paved the way for later generations of African-American poets and writers. While academics continue to debate Dunbar's stature in the pantheon of American poets, there is wide agreement that he is a seminal figure in African-American literature, the first to achieve national--and some would argue international--recognition among African Americans. Paul Lawrence Dunbar was born into meager circumstances in Dayton, OH. His birthday we honor tomorrow on June 27, 1872. He was the son of former slaves who escaped to freedom. He was raised by his mother Matilda, who had little to give him in terms of material wealth. Her job as a washer woman provided little more than food and clothing for Paul and his four brothers and sisters. Instead, she instilled in him something much greater. Paul's mother taught him the arts of song and storytelling and instilled in her son a lasting love of poetry and literature.”