Dunbar High School History

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is the only historically African-American high school in Dayton. Dunbar is rich in excellence and tradition. It was created to educate African-American youth and to employ teachers of color. Dunbar High School graduated its first class in 1936. Many of those pioneer graduates went on to become college graduates and productive citizens, locally and nationally.

The original site of Dunbar High School on Summit Street, which later became MacFarlane Middle School, has now been razed.  Paul Laurence Dunbar High School continues to promote high academic achievement and social responsibility.

Cultural diversity is celebrated within a challenging learning environment where possibilities for success abound.  Dunbar High School can boast many prestigious alumni. Among the notable alumni, several Dunbar graduates returned to teach at their alma mater; e.g. current health teacher and athletic director, Frances Winborn and James Lacking Language Arts Teacher and Football Coach. Others are:

• C.J. McLin - Ohio State Representative

• Bernard Carter - Judge Dayton City Courts

• Robert Blackburn - Ohio Senator

• Robert Duncan - Bailiff Dayton City Courts

• Rhine McLin - Former Mayor of Dayton

• Dan Wikinson - NFL

• Daequan Cook - NBA Miami Heat (www.daequancook.org)

Many other graduates of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School have made and will make Dunbar High School and Dayton, Ohio proud.