Image of Alice Dunbar Nelson

Timeline

Lifetime: 1875 - 1935 Passed: ≈ 88 years ago

Title

Poet, Journalist

Country/Nationality

United States
Wikipedia

Alice Dunbar Nelson

Alice Dunbar Nelson was an American writer, poet, journalist, and political activist, born on July 19, 1875, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance and known for her works that explored the experiences of African Americans and women during the early 20th century.

Dunbar Nelson was an advocate for social justice and equality, and her writing often reflected her political and social beliefs. She believed in the power of education and was committed to uplifting the Black community through her work. She was a feminist and fought for women's rights, including the right to vote.

Dunbar Nelson's most famous works include her short stories, poems, and essays, which were published in prominent literary journals such as The Crisis and The Messenger. Some of her notable works include "The Goodness of St. Rocque," "Violets and Other Tales," and "The Stones of the Village."

Her writing often explored the themes of race, gender, and class, and she was known for her powerful descriptions of African American life. Her work was influential in shaping the literature of the Harlem Renaissance, and she was an important voice in the movement.

Dunbar Nelson was also a prominent journalist and editor. She worked for several African American newspapers, including the Wilmington Advocate, the Washington Eagle, and the New Orleans Daily Crescent. She used her platform to advocate for social change and bring attention to important issues affecting the Black community.

Dunbar Nelson passed away on September 18, 1935, at the age of 60. She is remembered as an important figure in African American literature and an advocate for social justice and equality. Her work continues to be celebrated and studied today, and she is remembered for her powerful contributions to the literary and political landscape of her time.

One interesting fact about Dunbar Nelson is that she was married to Paul Laurence Dunbar, a famous poet and writer who was one of the first African American literary figures to gain national recognition. The couple's marriage was short-lived, but they remained close friends until Dunbar's death in 1906.

Books by Alice Dunbar Nelson

The Dunbar Speaker and Entertainer Cover image

The Dunbar Speaker and Entertainer

Essays
History Influential Justice Freedom Gender Race Experiences Peace Speeches

The book contains a variety of works, including speeches that Dunbar Nelson gave at events such as the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, poems that explore themes of race and gender, and essays that advocate for social justice and e...

Book of American Negro Poetry Cover image

Book of American Negro Poetry

The Book of American Negro Poetry is one of the earliest and most essential anthologies of African-American verse ever brought to print. Edited by writer and diplomat James Weldon Johnson, this collection was published with the hope of bringing to th...

Violets And Other Tales Cover image

Violets And Other Tales

This is a collection of the author's short stories and poems where she writes about the collective experience of African American women, and African Americans in general. But she is sharpest when she pushes back against the notion that women must acc...

Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence Cover image

Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence

It seems eminently fitting and proper in this year, the fiftieth anniversary of the Proclamation of Emancipation that the Negro should give pause and look around him at the things which he has done, those which he might have done, and those which he...

Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories Cover image

Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories

These stories focus on the Creole society of New Orleans and in the process reveals issues facing black Americans at the end of the nineteenth-century. - Summary by Jim Locke