Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first nationally recognized African American poets. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky, Dunbar wrote prolifically in both standard English and African American dialect. He published his first collection of poetry at age 20 and went on to write twelve books of poetry, five novels, and four collections of short stories. His work addressed the conditions and aspirations of Black Americans during the post-Reconstruction era. He was the only Black student at Dayton Central High School, where he edited the school newspaper and was class president.