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Black History Quiz Questions

See questions and answers about events, figures, and turning points in black history.

40 questions available

All Black History Quiz Questions

40 questions available

1. Who was the first African American woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature?

  1. Maya Angelou
  2. Alice Walker
  3. Zora Neale Hurston
  4. Toni Morrison
Correct answer: Toni Morrison
Explanation: Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, becoming the first African American woman to achieve this honor. Her works often explore themes of identity, community, and the African American experience, making her a pivotal figure in American literature.

2. What was the primary goal of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States during the 1960s?

  1. To increase military presence abroad
  2. To end racial segregation and discrimination
  3. To promote economic growth in urban areas
  4. To expand voting rights for all citizens
Correct answer: To end racial segregation and discrimination
Explanation: The Civil Rights Movement aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans, particularly in the South. It sought to secure equal rights and treatment under the law, impacting legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

3. Which landmark Supreme Court case declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional?

  1. Loving v. Virginia
  2. Plessy v. Ferguson
  3. Roe v. Wade
  4. Brown v. Board of Education
Correct answer: Brown v. Board of Education
Explanation: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) was a pivotal Supreme Court decision that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson's 'separate but equal' doctrine, ruling that racial segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

4. What was the significance of the Harlem Renaissance in American history?

  1. It was a social movement advocating for integration.
  2. It was a cultural movement that celebrated African American art and literature.
  3. It was a political campaign for African American voting rights.
  4. It was an economic initiative to support African American businesses.
Correct answer: It was a cultural movement that celebrated African American art and literature.
Explanation: The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement in the 1920s that celebrated African American art, music, and literature, significantly influencing American culture and identity. Key figures included Langston Hughes and Duke Ellington, who contributed to a redefinition of how America viewed African Americans.

5. Who was the first African American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

  1. Robert L. Carter
  2. Clarence Thomas
  3. Thurgood Marshall
  4. William H. Hastie
Correct answer: Thurgood Marshall
Explanation: Thurgood Marshall served as the first African American Supreme Court Justice from 1967 to 1991. His legal career was marked by his advocacy for civil rights, most notably as the lead attorney in Brown v. Board of Education, which helped dismantle segregation in American schools.

6. What was the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln?

  1. It declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free.
  2. It ended the Civil War.
  3. It abolished slavery in all U.S. states.
  4. It granted citizenship to all African Americans.
Correct answer: It declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free.
Explanation: The Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1, 1863, declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free. While it did not abolish slavery nationwide, it marked a significant turning point in the Civil War, changing the character of the conflict and allowing for the enlistment of African American soldiers into the Union Army.

7. Which influential African American leader advocated for the 'Back to Africa' movement in the early 20th century?

  1. Marcus Garvey
  2. Frederick Douglass
  3. Booker T. Washington
  4. W.E.B. Du Bois
Correct answer: Marcus Garvey
Explanation: Marcus Garvey was a prominent leader who advocated for the 'Back to Africa' movement, encouraging people of African descent to return to their ancestral homeland. His efforts aimed to foster a sense of pride and unity among Black people worldwide, emphasizing self-reliance and economic independence.

8. Which event is considered a pivotal moment in the Black Lives Matter movement?

  1. The election of Barack Obama as President.
  2. The founding of the NAACP.
  3. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
  4. The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Correct answer: The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Explanation: The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 is considered a pivotal moment in the Black Lives Matter movement, highlighting systemic racism and police violence against African Americans. The incident sparked widespread protests and increased awareness of issues related to racial injustice.

9. Who delivers the famous "I have a dream" speech?

  1. Nelson Mandela
  2. Malcolm X
  3. Barack Obama
  4. Martin Luther King Jr.
Correct answer: Martin Luther King Jr.
Explanation: The famous "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

10. What is the harlem renaissance?

  1. Economic liberation movement in Wall Street
  2. Rebuilding project in Harlem
  3. Political campaign for abolishing slavery
  4. Afro-American artistic movement
Correct answer: Afro-American artistic movement
Explanation: The Harlem Renaissance was an artistic and cultural movement centered in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan during the 1920s and 1930s. It brought together some of the greatest African American talents across various art forms, from music, to dance, from art, to fashion, literature, and more.

11. Malcolm X's father was a follower of _____, who promoted Black nationalism and Pan-Africanism.

  1. Frederick Douglass
  2. Martin Luther King Jr.
  3. Elijah Muhammad
  4. Marcus Garvey
Correct answer: Marcus Garvey
Explanation: Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and promoted the "Back to Africa" movement. His ideas influenced Malcolm X's father and later Malcolm X himself.

12. Which of these were prominent figures in the Harlem Renaissance?

  1. Duke Ellington
  2. James Baldwin
  3. Ray Charles
  4. Maya Angelou
  5. Zora Neale Hurston
  6. Langston Hughes
Correct answers: Duke Ellington, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes
Explanation: Langston Hughes (poet), Zora Neale Hurston (writer), and Duke Ellington (musician) were central to the 1920s-30s Harlem Renaissance. Maya Angelou, Ray Charles, and James Baldwin came later, in the 1950s-60s.

13. Which West African empires were known for their wealth and gold trade?

  1. Ghana
  2. Songhai
  3. Zulu
  4. Axum
  5. Mali
Correct answers: Ghana, Songhai, Mali
Explanation: Ghana, Mali, and Songhai were wealthy West African empires controlling gold and salt trade routes. The Zulu Kingdom was in southern Africa, while Axum was in East Africa (Ethiopia).

14. Which empire controlled the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade from Timbuktu?

  1. British Empire
  2. Ottoman Empire
  3. Songhai Empire
  4. Portuguese Empire
Correct answer: Songhai Empire
Explanation: The Songhai Empire controlled Timbuktu, a center of Islamic learning and trade.

15. The Black Panther Party's free breakfast program for children was later adopted by the federal government

  1. True
  2. False
Correct answer: True
Explanation: True. The Panthers fed over 20,000 children daily by 1969. This program's success pressured the government to expand federal breakfast programs.

16. Which country was founded by freed American slaves in 1822?

  1. Haiti
  2. Liberia
  3. Ghana
  4. Sierra Leone
Correct answer: Liberia
Explanation: Liberia was established by the American Colonization Society for freed slaves. Its capital, Monrovia, was named after U.S. President James Monroe. The country declared independence in 1847.

17. Knonw for their elaborate obelisks, The Kingdom of Aksum was located in modern-day _____.

  1. South Africa
  2. Morocco
  3. Nigeria
  4. Ethiopia
Correct answer: Ethiopia
Explanation: Aksum (100-960 CE) in Ethiopia was one of the great powers of the ancient world. It was among the first states to adopt Christianity and developed its own alphabet.

18. Who became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award in 1940?

  1. Lena Horne
  2. Ethel Waters
  3. Hattie McDaniel
  4. Dorothy Dandridge
Correct answer: Hattie McDaniel
Explanation: Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for playing Mammy in "Gone with the Wind." She had to sit at a segregated table during the ceremony due to racial restrictions.

19. Who founded the Tuskegee Institute in 1881?

  1. George Washington Carver
  2. Booker T. Washington
  3. Frederick Douglass
  4. W.E.B. Du Bois
Correct answer: Booker T. Washington
Explanation: Booker T. Washington founded Tuskegee Institute (now University) in Alabama. Born into slavery, he became a leading educator and advocate for vocational training for African Americans.

20. The Haitian Revolution was the only successful slave revolt that established an independent nation.

  1. False
  2. True
Correct answer: True
Explanation: True. Led by Toussaint L'Ouverture and completed by Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the revolution defeated French, Spanish, and British forces, making Haiti the first Black republic.

21. Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama in the year _____.

  1. 1955
Explanation: On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks sat in the front of a bus and refused going to the back, which was designated for African Americans. This led to Rosa Parks' arrest and sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that lasted 381 days.

22. Which inventor developed over 300 products from peanuts and revolutionized Southern agriculture?

  1. George Washington Carver
  2. Lewis Latimer
  3. Granville Woods
  4. Garrett Morgan
Correct answer: George Washington Carver
Explanation: George Washington Carver, born into slavery, became a renowned scientist at Tuskegee Institute. His crop rotation methods and peanut products helped Southern farmers move beyond cotton dependency.

23. The ancient Kingdom of Kush conquered and ruled Egypt for nearly a century.

  1. False
  2. True
Correct answer: True
Explanation: True. The Kushite Empire (from modern Sudan) conquered Egypt around 750 BCE, establishing the 25th Dynasty of "Black Pharaohs" who ruled until 656 BCE.

24. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces.

  1. False
  2. True
Correct answer: True
Explanation: True. The Tuskegee Airmen were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during WWII. Their success helped integration with the military.

25. Which of these people escaped slavery and became prominent abolitionists in U.S.?

  1. Harriet Tubman
  2. Nat Turner
  3. Phillis Wheatley
  4. Martin Luther King Jr.
  5. Sojourner Truth
  6. Frederick Douglass
Correct answers: Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass
Explanation: Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth all escaped slavery and became abolitionists. Nat Turner led a slave rebellion but died in slavery. Phillis Wheatley was freed but not an escapee. Martin Luther King Jr. was a later civil rights leader, not a pre-Civil War abolitionist.

26. Who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era?

  1. Jackie Robinson
  2. Hank Aaron
  3. Satchel Paige
  4. Willie Mays
Correct answer: Jackie Robinson
Explanation: Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

27. Who became the first Black president of South Africa in 1994?

  1. Nelson Mandela
  2. Oliver Tambo
  3. Steve Biko
  4. Desmond Tutu
Correct answer: Nelson Mandela
Explanation: Nelson Mandela became president after spending 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid. His election marked the end of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa.

28. Which of these were important Black newspapers during the Jim Crow era?

  1. Pittsburgh Courier
  2. Amsterdam News
  3. The Los Angeles Times
  4. Chicago Defender
Correct answers: Pittsburgh Courier, Amsterdam News, Chicago Defender
Explanation: The Chicago Defender, Pittsburgh Courier, and Amsterdam News were notable Black publications. The Los Angeles Times was a major newspaper but was not focused on Black community.

29. Which Harlem nightclub was famous for featuring Black performers but only allowing white patrons?

  1. Minton's Playhouse
  2. Cotton Club
  3. Savoy Ballroom
  4. Apollo Theater
Correct answer: Cotton Club
Explanation: The Cotton Club (1923-1940) featured legends like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway but maintained a whites-only policy for customers.

30. Who wrote "The Souls of Black Folk" and co-founded the NAACP?

  1. Du Bois
  2. Marcus Garvey
  3. Carter G. Woodson
  4. Booker T. Washington
Correct answer: Du Bois
Explanation: W.E.B. Du Bois was the first African American to earn a Harvard PhD. He opposed Booker T. Washington's accommodationist approach, advocating for immediate civil rights and higher education for the "Talented Tenth."

31. The Selma to Montgomery marches took place in _____ and led to the Voting Rights Act.

  1. 1965
Explanation: The Selma to Montgomery marches took place in Alabama and led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

32. Tulsa’s "Black Wall Street" was destroyed in 1921, it is known as the:

  1. Tulsa Riot
  2. Greenwood Fire
  3. Tulsa Uprising
  4. Tulsa Race Massacre
Correct answer: Tulsa Race Massacre
Explanation: The Greenwood District in Tulsa was destroyed May 31-June 1, 1921, when white mobs killed up to 300 Black residents and burned 35 blocks of the wealthiest Black community in America.

33. Which African kingdoms successfully resisted European colonization until the late 19th/early 20th century?

  1. South Africa
  2. Ethiopia
  3. Liberia
  4. Egypt
Correct answers: Ethiopia, Liberia
Explanation: Ethiopia (except for Italian occupation 1936-1941) and Liberia remained independent during the Scramble for Africa.

34. NAACP stands for:

  1. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
  2. National African-American Cultural Party
  3. National Agency for African People
  4. National Alliance for Civil Progress
Correct answer: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Explanation: The NAACP stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Their mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

35. The Reconstruction era after the Civil War lasted from 1865 to _____.

  1. 1867
  2. 1875
  3. 1877
  4. 1885
Correct answer: 1877
Explanation: Reconstruction ended in 1877 with the Compromise of 1877, withdrawing federal troops from the South. This enabled Jim Crow laws and reversed many gains African Americans had made during Reconstruction.

36. Who was known as the "Moses of her people" for leading enslaved people to freedom?

  1. Harriet Tubman
  2. Sojourner Truth
  3. Mary McLeod Bethune
  4. Ida B. Wells
Correct answer: Harriet Tubman
Explanation: Harriet Tubman made 19 trips on the Underground Railroad, freeing approximately 70 enslaved people. She never lost a single person and later served as a spy for the Union Army during the Civil War.

37. The first HBCU (Historically Black College/University) was _____ University, founded in 1837.

  1. Howard
  2. Cheyney
  3. Morehouse
  4. Tuskegee
Correct answer: Cheyney
Explanation: Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, originally the Institute for Colored Youth, is the first HBCU.

38. Which Supreme Court case ended legal segregation in public schools?

  1. Brown v. Board of Education
  2. Plessy v. Ferguson
  3. Dred Scott v. Sandford
  4. Loving v. Virginia
Correct answer: Brown v. Board of Education
Explanation: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned "separate but equal" doctrine from Plessy v. Ferguson, declaring segregated schools unconstitutional.

39. The first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress was _____ in 1968.

  1. Carol Moseley Braun
  2. Barbara Jordan
  3. Kamala Harris
  4. Shirley Chisholm
Correct answer: Shirley Chisholm
Explanation: Shirley Chisholm represented New York's 12th district and later ran for president in 1972, becoming the first African American to seek a major party's nomination for president.

40. Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in _____ on June 19, 1865.

  1. Mississippi
  2. New York
  3. Louisiana
  4. Texas
Correct answer: Texas
Explanation: Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, announcing that enslaved people were free. This is two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, as Texas was remote and had few Union troops.

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