Ivy" were printed in "Majors and Minors. (Revell, p.224). It’s publishing was financed by his friends Dr. Henry A. Tobey and Charles H. Thatcher, an attorney. "Majors and Minors" caught the attention of a famous literary critic William Dean Howells. Howells’ favorable review of Dunbar in the Harper’s Weekly made him nationally known overnight (Columbus). Howells pointed out that in history Negros have been gifted and successful in music, oratory, and many of the other arts, but "Majors and Minors" was the first 4instance of and African-American who had evinced innate distinction in literature (Poupard). Following Howells’ review, New York publishing firm "Dodd-Mead and Company combined Dunbar’s first two books and published them under the title "Lyrics of a Lowly Life" , for which the Howells wrote the introduction (Howard). Dunbar often traveled to England to recite his works. After returning from a recitation in 1898, he married Alice Ruth More, a young writer and teacher. After marriage, Paul took a job at the Library of Congress in Washington DC , where he worked for a year (Columbus). In 1899, a selection of Dunbar’s earlier poems was assembled and dedicated to Alice Dunbar. It was called "Lyrics of the Hearthside" (Revell 11). The tedious work at the Library took its toll on his health and aggravated a steadily worsening case of tuberculosis. Dunbar was forced to quit his work at the Library of Congress and although he was supposed to rest, devoted all his time to writing and giving recitals. In 1902 Paul and Alice decided to separate (Howell). Dunbar drank alcohol to ease the pain of tuberculosis and his depression, but became addicted (O’Neill 473). To get away from things in the city, he traveled to Colorado to visit his half-brother before returning to live with ...
