Black History Knowledge! Trivia Quiz

1.

What amendment to the United States Constitution stated “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude?”
- A.
  
  15th
- B.
  
  13th
- C.
  
  14th
- D.
  
  16th
Correct Answer
A. 15th

Explanation
It is the 15th amendment. Republican members of Congress were concerned that Civil Rights legislation that gave African American males the right to vote would be overturned if they were voted out of office. The 15th amendment also included in Section 2 that “Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” It was ratified by the states in 1870. Two other important amendments were passed during the period of Reconstruction – the 13th amendment ending slavery and the 14th amendment guaranteeing citizenship to African Americans that stated in Section 1, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction of thereof, are citizens of the United States . . . .”

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2.

Who founded Tuskegee Institute in Alabama?
- A.
  
  Booker T. Washington
- B.
  
  George Washington Carver
- C.
  
  W.E.B. DuBois
- D.
  
  A. Philip Randolph
Correct Answer
A. Booker T. Washington

Explanation
While Carver was a brilliant scientist at Tuskegee, Washington was the founder. Born into slavery in 1856, Booker T. Washington later attended Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in 1872. Washington would pattern the Tuskegee Institute after it. The emphasis was on skilled trades and agriculture, not liberal arts.

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3.

Who was the African American lawyer who argued for the plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka?
- A.
  
  W.E.B. DuBois
- B.
  
  Clarence Thomas
- C.
  
  Julian Bond
- D.
  
  Thurgood Marshall
Correct Answer
D. Thurgood Marshall

Explanation
Thurgood Marshall is the answer. This case overturned segregation in public schools and the previous ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson that had affirmed the races could be separate but have equal facilities. He was also the first African American appointed as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1967).

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4.

Where did President Eisenhower send troops to uphold the Brown v. Board of Education decision after the state’s governor blocked African American students from attending there?
- A.
  
  Greensboro High School, North Carolina
- B.
  
  Central High School – Little Rock, Arkansas
- C.
  
  Fisk High School – Nashville, Tennessee
- D.
  
  Topeka High School, Kansas
Correct Answer
B. Central High School – Little Rock, Arkansas

Explanation
Governor Orville Faubus used the National Guard to prevent nine students from attending Little Rock High School in 1957. President Dwight D. Eisenhower took control of the National Guard and sent 101st Airborne troops to protect the students and integrate the school.

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5.

Who was the first African American Olympian to win a gold medal?
- A.
  
  John Baxter Taylor
- B.
  
  Jesse Owens
- C.
  
  Carl Lewis
- D.
  
  Wilma Rudolph
Correct Answer
A. John Baxter Taylor

Explanation
John Baxter Taylor won the gold medal in 1908 in England as a member of the 1600 meter relay team. Jesse Owens was the hero of the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Germany. He won four gold medals.

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6.

The first African American actor/actress to win an Oscar was...
- A.
  
  Sidney Portier
- B.
  
  Denzel Washington
- C.
  
  Hattie McDaniels
- D.
  
  Diana Ross
Correct Answer
C. Hattie McDaniels

Explanation
In 1940, Hattie McDaniels won best supporting actress for her portrayal of Mammy in Gone With the Wind. Sidney Portier won for best actor for Lillies of the Field (1963). Diana Ross was nominated for best actress in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). Denzel Washington received Oscars for supporting actor in Glory (1989) and lead actor in Training Day (2001).

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7.

Famous neurosurgeon at John Hopkins who is known for successfully separating conjoined twins.
- A.
  
  Daniel Williams
- B.
  
  Rebecca Crumpler
- C.
  
  Benjamin Carson
- D.
  
  William Augustus Hinton
Correct Answer
C. Benjamin Carson

Explanation
Benjamin Carson is known for successfully separating conjoined twins. Gifted Hands (2009) is a wonderful film to watch to learn more about Dr. Carson.

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8.

Who is known as the “Father of the Blues”?
- A.
  
  B.B. King
- B.
  
  W.C. Handy
- C.
  
  Louis Armstrong
- D.
  
  Duke Ellington
Correct Answer
B. W.C. Handy

Explanation
William Christopher Handy was born in 1873 and was the first person to write the blues in musical score. The blues would influence jazz and rock and roll. Listen to “The Memphis blues”.

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9.

Which of the following civil rights organizations is the oldest?
- A.
  
  Southern Christian Leadership Conference
- B.
  
  Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee
- C.
  
  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- D.
  
  Congress of Racial Equality
Correct Answer
C. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Explanation
The NAACP was founded in 1909, CORE in 1942, SCLC in 1957, and SNCC in 1960.

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Black History Knowledge! Trivia Quiz

What amendment to the United States Constitution stated “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude?”

Who founded Tuskegee Institute in Alabama?

Who was the African American lawyer who argued for the plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka?

Where did President Eisenhower send troops to uphold the Brown v. Board of Education decision after the state’s governor blocked African American students from attending there?

Who was the first African American Olympian to win a gold medal?

The first African American actor/actress to win an Oscar was...

Famous neurosurgeon at John Hopkins who is known for successfully separating conjoined twins.

Who is known as the “Father of the Blues”?

Which of the following civil rights organizations is the oldest?