As part of the Robert Owens Centenary Festival, taking place from September 17 to 19, 2025, at the Glenn Korff School of Music, Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox will discuss and perform the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar on September 18 at 11 a.m. in the UNL Westbrook Recital Hall. The program will also be livestreamed here.

The event is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information about the festival, or to register, visit the event website.

The work of Paul Laurence Dunbar is a glimpse into the culture and perspectives of Black Americans post-Emancipation but before the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century. Dunbar is recognized as one of the first influential Black poets in American literature, and his work is regarded as an impressive representation of Black life in the turn-of-the-century United States. Dunbar was the first poet – of any color – to give a poetry reading at the United States Library of Congress.

Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox is a Professor of Music and Vocal Area Coordinator at the University of Dayton. She has presented her research for the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the National Opera Association, College Music Society, Society for American Music, National Association for Music Education, International Society for Music Education, Song Collaborators Consortia, Ohio Music Education Association, and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives. She has performed Dunbar Archive repertoire recitals in venues across the United States and around the world.