The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1917-03-01
DUNBAR'S MOTHER SPEAKS.
Tells Washington Audience of Strug.
giles and Successes of Famous Poet.

'ShS washington AUDIENCE OF Stru9-
giles and Successes of Famous Poet.
Washington.-Mrs Matilda S. Dun
bar of Dayton. O.. mother of Paul Lau-
renee Dunbar, the famous colored poet,
was greeted at Lincoln Temple Congre-
gational church, Eleventh and Il
streets, northwest, by an audience that
packed that editice to the DOORS In
simple language and quiet eloquence
and unaffected humor that held the in
tereSt of all to the end Mrs. Dunbar
told the life story of her beloved boy,
reciting step by step his rise from the
post of elevator conductor in Dayton
office building 10 the honored estate of
poet, author, playwright and composer
of lyrics for operas.
Young Dunbar made many stanch
friends, but it appears that three of
them, William Dean Howells, Freder-
lex Douglass and Booker T. Washing
ton, stood out prominently as the men
who helped him most sigually at crit
ical stages of his struggle upward.
The poet, still young man, died of
tuberculosis few years ago ut his
home in Dayton. For quite a period
he was a resident of Washington and
was employed at the Congressional Ii
brary. While on her present visit here
Mrs. Dunbar attended the dedicatiOG
ceremonies Of the Dunbar High school,
named in honor of her son, and of
which fact she is pardonably pr aud.
She goes from here for visit 10 rela-
tives in Chicago, and as a tribute OF
respect and courtesy the District of
Columbia Federation Of Colored Wo-
mems Clubs, under the auspices of
which she spoke Tuesday night. hand
ed her a purse of $50 to help to defray
the expense of the trip.
Mrs. Dunbar was felicitously intro
duced to the audience by Miss Marie
A. ID. Madre, president of the Colored
Women's federation, who, mindful of
the fact that many white persons were
present, referred gracefully to the uni
versatility of Dunbar's productions He
was not a poet of the colored people
nor of the white people. He was the
poet of all the people, of all humanity.
and his sentiments that built larger
and nobler lives will endure for all
eternity.
A notable feature of the meeting
was the appearance and address of
Sergeant Daily Farrior. battle scar
red veteran of the Tenth cavalry, Unit
ed States army, one of the few sur
vivors of the historic massacre at Car
RIAL where several troops of the cav
airy, under the gallant Captain Boyd.
met practical humiliation at the hands
of ambushed Mexicans. Sergeant Far
rior gave a graphic recital of the ter
rible story and how he and a few stray
Cling comrades managed after days to
reach their friends at the American
line in Texas. His shattered wrist
gave mute but convincing testimony
of his active participation in that mem
orable fight He has been appointed
to a position in the war department in
this city This was his first public
speech. He acquitted himself admir-
ably.
Others who spoke were LaYant
Dodge. professor emeritus of Greek
and science, Berea college. Kentucky
junior vice commander in chief of the
Grand Army Of the Republic; Mrs. Julla
Mason Layton. secretary of the District
federation; George Topham. George
Little, Mrs. Holland Powell who pre-
sented the purse to Mrs. Dunbar in
the name of the federation; Rev Hol
land Powell and Rev. G. III. Stepteau.
Music. including the sextet from "Lu-
cia," was rendered by the choir of
Asbury NJ. E. church. led by X. w
Johnson, with Mrs Essie Jarvis at
the piano
The meeting of the federation was
held with the Bethel Literary and His
tOrical association by courtesy of a. S.
Pinkett president of the literary as
ISOLATION. who opened the proceedings
and presented Miss Marie A. D. Madre
as mistress OF ceremonies for the
evening.