Dunbar High School’s storied athletic program has produced an overwhelming number of city and state championships across all sports programs, including baseball, basketball, boxing, cross-country, fencing, football, softball, tennis, track and volleyball. Orginally, the Dunbar building located at 215 S. Summit Street was to open as a junior high school for Negro students in 1933. At the time, it was the first school to allow “open enrollment” by any grade-eligible student throughout the Dayton Public School district. Because of its immediate popularity, the school’s original junior high-only designation was abandoned one week before school started and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School opened with an enrollment of more than 850 students in grades 7 through 10. Frederic C. MacFarlane (Dunbar’s first principal), designated Stanglaws Slater as head of the physical education department and head coach of all three sports (football, basketball and track). Upon his appointment, Coach Slater selected the Wolverine as the school’s mascot and chose the original colors of maize and blue in honor of his alma mater the University of Michigan. In the beginning, there was no athletic competition with white high schools either in or out of Dayton for the school and at the time athletes of that era wore hand-me-down uniforms and traveled hundreds of miles to get to games, using any means of transportation available. Games were played against segregated schools in Covington (Kentucky), Lousiville (Kentucky), Evansville (Indiana), Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis (Indiana). On October 14, 1933, Dunbar made its football debut playing Lincoln-Grant (another all-Negro team) from Covington, KY. Dunbar’s first football team included Luther Craft, Charles Stokes, Theodore Christian, John Clark, Ernest Crawford, Russell Brown, John Pullins, Edward Rice, Bill Farrell, Elmer Sallee, Joe Clark, Bill Woods, Carvin Crowe, Lofton Hill, Dog Brown, Sterling Brown, J.H. Regulus, Randolph Blackburn, S.D. Johnson, John Twiley, J.C. Young, James Green and others. The same athletes made up the roster for both the basketball and track teams. Dunbar first sought admission into the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and to enter in the Montgomery County Tournament as a Class B School in 1934. Not surprisingly during this segregated time, both requests were quickly denied. As a result, Dunbar had no other option but to continue traveling outside the area and state playing against all negro schools. The school’s first real breakthrough to join OHSAA occurred when David D. Albritton, a former Ohio State Olympian and 1936 Silver Medal winner in Berlin, joined the faculty and was soon to build his reputation as a track coach. In May of 1947, the Dayton Public Schools Athletic Board granted Dunbar a membership to the league joining existing members Stivers, Roosevelt, Kiser, Fairview, Chaminade and Wilbur Wright. In the fall, the football team played Fairview and Wilbur Wright for the first time. Albritton’s 1948 track team won the state championship and in 1949, the Dunbar basketball team won the city league championship. The early success of these three progams quickly established Dunbar's reputation as one of the most successful high school programs not only in the city, but throughout the state. Coach Jack Hart’s football team shared the Public League Championship with Roosevelt in 1950 and 1957. After winning back-to-back City Championship Titles in 1949 and 1950, the Boys Basketball Team shared the title with Wilbur Wright in 1955. Albritton’s track teams continued to shine winning seven straight City Championship Titles between (1947-1953). The 1960 era was one of the best for Dunbar Athletics, with the Boys Track Team winning back-to-back State Championships in 1963/1964 (led by standout Craig Wallace who tied the national high school record in the 200-yard dash) and the Football Team winning back-to-back City Titles in 1961/1962 and 1967/1968. Under Coach Ben Waterman, the Boys Basketball Team won two City League Titles in 1965/1968. The basketball team continued its success going into the 1970s under new Coach George Galloway, by winning another City League Title and advancing to the State Championship Finals in 1971 where they were defeated by Columbus East (76-63). The football team finished in a three way tie with Patterson and Wilbur Wright that same year. Dayton Public Schools approved basketball and track for girls in 1973. Up to that point, only sports available for women were volleyball, gymnastics and fencing. Dunbar's Beverly Crusoe was one of the first women from the Dayton City League to have an opportunity to particpate in Interfollegiate Athletics. She went on to become an All American Basketball player at the University of Dayton and played professionally overseas. From 1976 to 1982 Dunbar Athletic Program was severly impacted by the Forced Desegragation Plan implmented by the Dayton Public School District. The plan paired Dunbar (located on the west side of Dayton) with Belmont (located on the east side of Dayton in a predominanetly white neighborhood). Both school districts were split up and students in the 9th/10th grades were bused cross town from designated neighborhoods on a rotating basis each year. Dunbar lost alot of good athletes during this period and did not win another City Championship until 1980 when Dutch Collins led the Boys Basketball Team to the title. In 1981, Lisa Capers set a state record in the 400 meters at the state meet in Columbus and became the first female Dunbar athlete to win a State Track Title. Roth High School closed its doors at the end of the 1982 school year and Dunbar was the biggest beneficiary. The majority of athletes from both the Roosevelt and Roth districts would now call Dunbar its home. It didn't take long for the benefits to be noticed as Dunbar went on a run and won five straight State Championships between (1987-1991). The first came in 1987 with the boys basketball team, coached by Mike Haley who had won three state titles at Roth, defeated Canton McKinley (70-65) to win the school's first state basketball title. The team was led by three All-State players Kirk Taylor (State Tournament MVP), Mark Baker and Mike Haley, Jr. In 1988, the boys track team would win its first of three consecutive titles (1988, 1989 and 1990). The team was coached by Ohio Track & Field Hall of Fame Coach Randy Waggoner who won back-to-back state titles at Roth in 1981 and 1982. The team was led by by Chris Nelloms who won four consecutive state titles in the 400 meters. In the 1988 state meet Nelloms qualified for the Olympic Trials with his blazing 45.8 timing in the 400. At age 17, he was the youngest athlete eligible for the trials. Chris saved his best for his senior year when he set two national high school records with a 45.5 clocking in his specialty race (400 meters) and he went 13.3 in the 110-meter-high hurdles. Coach Waggoner teams also won three team titles in the Mansfield Relays, one of the most prestigious high school meets in the country. During this same period, Coach Tom Montgomery's football teams won five straight City Team Titles. His teams featured many outstanding players, but none more than future Ohio State Consensus All-American and NFL #1 Draft Pick Dan Wilkinson. Coach Montgomery also coached the Girls Basketball Team and won the State Championship in 1991. The team, led by First Team All-State selection LaTasha Glanton, defeated Urbana (86-76) in overtime to claim the title. At the time, this was only the second state championship won by a female team in Dayton City League History. Another historic moment occured in 1994-1995, when Danielle Tweety became only the sixth female in Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) history to win back-to-back state championship titles in the 100 Meter Dash. She finished with a time of (12.15) in 1994 and a time of (11.88) in 1995. Thereafter, Dunbar athletic programs continued their winning ways, but would not win another state title until 2006. Coach Peter Pullen who had great success with the Girls Basketball Program was now heading the Boys Program. He won back-to-back state titles in 2006 & 2007, joining only a handful of coaches from around the state to accomplish such a feat. His 2006 Team led by McDonald's All-American and future NBA First Round Draft Pick Daquan Cook defeated Wooster-Triway (73-46) to win the school's second State Championship Basketball Title. The 2007 team defeated Upper Sandusky in a very competitive and exciting game by a score of (87-85). The 1997 team was led by another NBA First Round Draft Pick Norris Cole. Cole went on to play for seven seasons in the NBA and won back-to-back NBA Championships with the Miami Heat. Coach Pullen won his third State Championship in 2010, after defeating Port Clinton (64-50) and his fourth in 2012 with a win over Elida (54-52). The 2010 team was led by Geron Johnson (1st Team All-State) and Ryan Bass (Honorable Mention All State). Pullen's 2012 team finished the season in historic fashion by completing a perfect (24-0) season and becoming only the sixth team in Ohio high school basketball history to do so. The 2012 Wolverines were led by Gary Akbar (State MVP), Andre Yates (Honorable Mention, Deontae Hawkins and freshman sensation A. J. Harris). Between (2012-2017) the Boys Track Team under the direction of Coach Sidney Booker won four OHSAA State Titles in six years. Booker's 2012 team was the first to claim a title, scoring (49 points) to Runner-Up Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's (46 points). The team scored points in seven events and won the mile relay with a winning time of 3:15.92. Members of the mile relay team were Ira George, Eric Blair, Michael Ohiembor and LaTrell Turner. His teams won back-to-back State Championship Titles in 2014 & 2015. The 2014 team scored (47 points) to Runner-Up CVCA (46 points) with outstanding performances from both the 4x200 Meters & Mile Realy Teams and Brian Bell in the 800 Meters. The 4x200 Meters Relay team had the only first place finish with a winning time of 1:28.03. Members of the 4x200 relay team were Juan Scott, Rion Harrison, Terryon Willis and Curtis Boyd. With the majority of the State Championship Team returning from 2014, the Wolverines ran away with the title in 2015 scoring (64 points) to Runner-Up Lake Catholic (40 points). The team placed in eight events and repeated as 4x200 Meter Relay champs and got a stellar performance from Brian Bell and Juan Scott. After finishing second in the event in 2014, Bell came back to claim the 800 Meter title with a winning time of 1:54.2. He also finsihed 4th in the 1600 Meter Run and was a member of the 3200 Meter Relay (finished 4th) and Mile Relay Team (finished 3rd). The 4x200 Meter Relay Team clocked a winning time of 1:28.24 and included two members from the 2014 Team (Terryon Willis and Juan Scott) Keyshawn Jones and Javonta Brown. Juan Scott also finished second in both the 110 Meter and 300 Meter Hurdles and was on the Mile Relay Team that finished third. In 2017 the Wolverines placed in eight events and won the school's eleventh state track title, scoring (33 points) to Runner-Up Warrensville Heights (30 points). The 4x200 Meter Relay Team finished with a time (42.41) and was the only first place finishers for the team. Members of the tean included Jerry Averette (Jr.), Jalani Allen (Jr.), Keyshawn Jones (Sr.) and Tavion Thomas (Jr.). Overall, the Wolverines captured (16) State Championships, along with (12) Football, (26) Basketbal (33) City League Track Titles. It is also particularly important to note that the school produced several successful & distinguished alumni, faculty, staff, athletes and coaches. Undoubtedly, the most accomplished feat of the Dunbar Athletic Program was its 2012 Boys Basketball State Championship Team that finished with a perfect (26-0) undefeated season.