50 Trivia Questions About African American History

    50 Trivia Questions About African American History

    African American history is a rich and powerful story of resilience, achievement, and contributions that have shaped the United States and the world. From inventions and literature to civil rights and cultural milestones, African Americans have played a crucial role in shaping history. To celebrate this legacy, we’ve compiled 50 of the best African American history trivia questions and answers. Whether you’re a history buff, a teacher, or just someone looking to expand your knowledge, these trivia questions will challenge and inspire you. So, let’s dive into this engaging and educational trivia journey!

    Early African American History Trivia

    Who was the first African American to arrive in North America in 1619?

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    The first documented African in North America was believed to be Juan Garrido, but in 1619, 20 enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia

    What was the name of the first colony in America to legally recognize slavery?

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    Virginia (1641)

    Which colony was founded as a place where freed African Americans could settle?

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    Liberia, founded in 1821 by the American Colonization Society

    Who was the first African American to publish a book of poetry?

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    Phillis Wheatley (1773)

    What famous revolt did Nat Turner lead in 1831?

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    Nat Turner’s Rebellion, a slave uprising in Virginia

    Civil War and Reconstruction Era Trivia

    Who was the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor during the Civil War?

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    Sergeant William Carney (1863)

    What was the name of the all-Black regiment that fought in the Civil War and was featured in the movie “Glory”?

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    The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

    Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

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    The 13th Amendment (1865)

    Who was the first African American senator in U.S. history?

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    Hiram Revels (1870)

    What organization was founded in 1865 to help formerly enslaved people transition to freedom?

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    The Freedmen’s Bureau

    Civil Rights Movement Trivia

    Which Supreme Court case declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional?

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    Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

    What year did Rosa Parks refuse to give up her bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama?

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    1955

    What was the name of the famous protest where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech?

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    The March on Washington (1963)

    Who was the first African American student to integrate an all-white school in the South?

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    Ruby Bridges (1960)

    Which U.S. president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law?

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    President Lyndon B. Johnson

    Who was Malcolm X, and what movement was he associated with?

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    He was a civil rights leader and a prominent figure in the Nation of Islam

    What organization was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966 to protect African American communities?

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    The Black Panther Party

    What was the purpose of the Freedom Rides in the 1960s?

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    To challenge segregation in public transportation

    What tragic event happened to four young girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963?

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    They were killed in a bombing by white supremacists

    What major legislation was passed in 1965 to eliminate racial discrimination in voting?

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    The Voting Rights Act

    African American Cultural & Sports Trivia

    Who was the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal?
    (1908).

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    John Baxter Taylor Jr

    Who became the first Black heavyweight boxing champion in 1908?

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    Jack Johnson

    What historic African American neighborhood was considered the center of the Harlem Renaissance?

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    Harlem, New York

    Who wrote the famous poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”?

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    Langston Hughes

    What was the first African American television show to win an Emmy?
    (1970).

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    “The Flip Wilson Show”

    Which famous African American musician is known as the “King of Pop”?

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    Michael Jackson

    What groundbreaking hip-hop album became the first rap album to win Album of the Year at the Grammys?

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    Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (1999)

    Who was the first African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress?

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    Halle Berry (2002)

    Which African American athlete broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947?

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    Jackie Robinson

    Who was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl?

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    Doug Williams (1988)

    Modern African American Achievements

    Who was the first African American U.S. president?

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    Barack Obama (2009)

    What was the first African American-owned company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange?

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    BET (Black Entertainment Television)

    Which African American author wrote “Beloved,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel?

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    Toni Morrison

    Who was the first Black billionaire in the U.S.?

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    Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET

    Which African American astronaut was the first Black woman in space?

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    Dr. Mae Jemison (1992)

    Who was the first African American Secretary of State?

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    Colin Powell

    What African American businesswoman became the first self-made female millionaire in the U.S.?

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    Madam C.J. Walker

    Which African American filmmaker became the first to direct a billion-dollar-grossing movie?

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    Ryan Coogler with “Black Panther” (2018)

    Who was the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature?

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    Toni Morrison

    Which African American scientist helped develop blood transfusions and blood banks?

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    Dr. Charles Drew

    Final Trivia Questions

    Who founded the Tuskegee Institute?

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    Booker T. Washington

    What famous African American abolitionist was known as the “Moses of her people”?

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    Harriet Tubman

    Who was the first African American Supreme Court Justice?

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    Thurgood Marshall

    Which African American woman refused to give up her bus seat before Rosa Parks?

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    Claudette Colvin

    Who led the Montgomery Bus Boycott?

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    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

    What African American-owned newspaper played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement?

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    The Chicago Defender

    What African American entrepreneur co-founded Motown Records?

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    Berry Gordy

    What is the oldest historically Black college in the U.S.?
    .

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    Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (1837)

    Who was the first Black Vice President of the United States?

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    Kamala Harris

    Who was the first Black Miss America?

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    Vanessa Williams (1983)
    Hannah Collins