On October 9, 1901, Paul Laurence Dunbar made a rent payment for his home on Spruce Street N. W. in Washington, D. C.
Received from Paul L. Dunbar
Twenty-three and 50.100 Dollars
for rent of dwelling No. 321 Spruce St. N. W.
for month ending Oct. 31st 1901
$23.50
Ralph. W. Lee
Rent payment receipt, October 9, 1901. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 2).
Paul first moved to Washington in the fall of 1897 when he began working at the Library of Congress. He told his fiancée Alice Ruth Moore he was unsure if it would be better to live in an African American neighborhood in the Northwest, or rent a home closer to the Library in the Northeast. At the time, more than 30% of the population in Washington was Black (compared to less than 3% in Paul's home state of Ohio).
I am debating now whether to take a house among colored people in the N. W. which is far from my work and costs 25 a month, or one in the N. E. away from colored people (that is generally) nearer my work and costing about $20.00. The advantage of being in the northwest is that we are always near a crowd of the folks, often too near. I am not sure just what to do.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Ruth Moore, October 24, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 5).
Paul chose to rent a house at 1934 Fourth Street N. W. His neighbors were prominent in Washington's Black society, such as judge Robert Terrell and Mary Church Terrell, and members of the Frederick Douglass family. Paul's mother Matilda moved from Dayton to live with him, and he wrote to her about what she should bring.
All I can say is, I am not a millionaire. You know I had forty-four dollars to pay out in a lump this month. My board and lodging cost me 22.00 dollars and my house rent twenty. You need not bring the stoves as my house has all the modern improvements. I am going to have rugs for the dining room and parlor floors.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Matilda Dunbar, November 9, 1897. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 1).
Paul suffered a health crisis in the spring of 1899 and the Dunbars left Washington with no intention of returning. Paul convalesced in the Catskill Mountains of New York and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. His health improved and he decided to return to the East. Upon leaving Colorado, Matilda lived with relatives in Chicago, Paul went to New York City and Alice returned to Washington. In the fall of 1900, they were reunited in Washington.
I am hoping we can soon find a house and get settled. It will be nice when we are all together again.
Alice Moore Dunbar to Matilda Dunbar, August 30, 1900. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 2).
Paul Laurence Dunbar arrived in the city last evening from Chicago, where he gave a reading Wednesday night. He is on his way to Washington, D. C., his home, but will stop over in Dayton, O., his former home, where he will read tonight. Mr. Dunbar's mother is accompanying him to Washington.
"The Colored Poet. Paul Laurence Dunbar in the City on His Way East." Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, Indiana). October 26, 1900.
Dayton, O.
The reading last night was a great success except financially as I only got $29.00 out of it. Ma is here with me and we are both anxious to be home. I want to see you, dearie, very much.
Paul Laurence Dunbar to Alice Moore Dunbar, October 27, 1900. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
Charlotte Grimke, a prominent Black author and educator who also lived in Washington, warned Alice it would be challenging for the Dunbars to find a new home in the city.
I was very glad to receive the dispatch yesterday, and to know that you had arrived safe in Washington. I hope you have quite recovered from the fatigue of your journey, and that you and Mr. Dunbar are quite well. You have my sympathy in the trying quest for an abode which lies before you. Try not to get over-tired and thus lose the good effects of your sojourn among the hills.
Charlotte Grimke to Alice Moore Dunbar, August 31, 1900. Paul Laurence Dunbar Papers, Ohio History Connection (Microfilm edition, Roll 8).
After returning to Washington, the Dunbars had three different addresses: 2236 Sixth Street N. W., 418 Elm Street N. W. and 321 Spruce Street N. W., where they remained until Paul and Alice separated permanently in January 1902.