According to the University of Dayton Paul Laurence Dunbar, the son of two freed slaves from Kentucky, “was the first African American to gain national eminence as a poet."

"The Haunted Oak" was written just 6 years before passing away at the age of 33 from health complications. The poem is written from the perspective of an oak tree where a black man was unjustly lynched, and the tree finds itself haunted by the pain of the man.

Sadly, this poem reflects one of the darker periods of American History where this type of thing was common place. On this Halloween night, may we find a brighter light that can often be found as we peer in to the darkest reaches of our own history to confront and learn from it.

**BEST APPRECIATED WITH HEADPHONES**

Intro Music:

Title: “Dark Classics Piano Progression”

Creator: Jonathan Hamlett

Source: Direct Permission

License: Direct Permission

Title: “Dark Smile”

Creator: Crowander

Source: Free Music Archive (https://freemusicarchive.org/music/crowander/atmosphears-experimental-atmos/09-dark-smilemp3)

License: CC BY-NC 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

Title: “Thunderstorm - highlights”

Creator: Thalamus Lab

Source: freesound.org (https://freesound.org/people/Thalamus_Lab/sounds/234079/)

License: CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

Musical Score

Title: "Dark Classics VI"

Creator: Jonathan Hamlett

Source: Direct Permission

License: Direct Permission

Outro Music:

Title: “Dark Classics in Reverse”

Creator: Jonathan Hamlett

Source: Direct Permission

License: Direct Permission