Paul Laurence Dunbar High School - Washington, DC

The Historic Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Washington, DC is continually working to foster love, develop life long learners, and connectedness within the school community!

Haley Douglass was the last surviving Grandson of the late Frederick Douglass. He attended Howard University & Harvard University. He served as the 1st mayor of Highland Beach which his mother & father established. He taught science, history & coached 🏈 at Dunbar for 46 years.

Upon his retirement his tenure and contributions to Dunbar High School were recognized in their yearbook of 1952. The yearbook team wrote in part, “Dunbar will miss the quiet presence of Mr. Douglass, but will always remember his admirable qualities and his helpful influence over the school. Mr. Douglass is a cultured gentleman who is also interested in better in*******al understanding... For a number of years, he coached Dunbar’s football team and stressed among his men ideals of fair play.”
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Dr. Billy Taylor, a D.C. native as famous for his work as a jazz educator and proselytizer graduated from Dunbar HS in 1938.

Mr. Taylor grew up in DC taking piano lessons from Henry Grant — the same local legend who taught Duke Ellington to play the keys. Eventually, he became the house pianist at Birdland jazz club in Midtown Manhattan, where he played with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and numerous others.

Billy’s recording and performing career spanned more than six decades. He composed over 350 songs, as well as works for theatre, dance and symphony orchestras.

In 1958, he served as Musical Director of the first television series ever produced about jazz, The Subject is Jazz. In 1964, Billy founded Jazzmobile, bringing jazz to the streets of Harlem and ensuring that jazz became a part of New York City schools. He also hosted and programmed jazz shows for such radio stations as WLIB and WNEW in New York, and created several award-winning series for National Public Radio. In 1969, Billy became the first African American to serve as musical director for a national TV talk show, the David Frost Show, assembling arguably the best jazz band ever on TV. In the early 1980s, Billy became the arts correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt.

With over 23 honorary doctoral degrees, Dr. Billy Taylor was also the recipient of two Peabody Awards, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a host of prestigious and highly coveted prizes such as the Jazz Hall of Fame. 🔴⚫️

Eleanor Holmes Norton graduated from Dunbar HS in 1955. While a student at Dunbar High School she was elected junior class president and was a member of the National Honor Society. The Dunbar Law & Public Policy Academy is named after her.

She is an American lawyer and politician serving as a delegate to the United States House of Representatives, representing the District of Columbia since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Before her congressional service, President Jimmy Carter appointed her to serve as the first woman to chair the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She came to Congress as a national figure who had been a civil rights and feminist leader, tenured professor of law, and board member at three Fortune 500 companies.

She brought to DC unique economic benefits. Among them are senatorial courtesy to recommend federal judges, the U.S. Attorney, and other significant federal law enforcement positions for the District; up to $10,000 per year for all D.C. high school graduates to attend any public U.S. college or university and up to $2,500 per year to many private colleges and universities; a unique $5,000 D.C. homebuyer tax credit, which has sharply increased home ownership in the District and was a major factor in stabilizing the city's population; and D.C. business tax incentives, including a significant wage credit for employing D.C. residents, which has maintained businesses and residents in the District.

Among many other accomplishments Ms. Norton who taught law full time before being elected, is a tenured professor of law at Georgetown University, teaching an upper-class seminar there every year. 🔴⚫️

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The Historic Dunbar High School on Instagram: "Academy Night was a huge success! Here is a recap of how our Anthony L. Wash Sports & Management Academy (@dunbarsportsmanagement) night went! 🔴⚫️ #Since1870 #WeWorkForKids"

The Dunbar Alumni Federation (DAF) provides various financial support to Dunbar High School students and recent graduates to create brighter futures for our youth. Support the Dunbar Alumni Federation Giving Tuesday campaign TODAY!!

TOGETHER, we can make a difference!!

https://twitter.com/DunbarHSDC/status/1551014663915184128?s=03

Paul Laurence Dunbar on Twitter “DHS students will manage their own educational experiences in big and small ways.We will not police our students’ technology and force them into uniforms.Instead, we will support and guide our young people in making the best choices to reach their goals. ”