Black History And Events Trivia Questions! Quiz

1.

Important Civil Rights Legislation and Court Decisions · Amendment 14 Civil Rights - All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. · Amendment 15 Black suffrage - 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 condition of servitude. Brown v. Board of Education (1954) - This landmark decision allowed for the desegregation of schools. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) - Allowed for any accused individual to have the right to an attorney. Before this case, an attorney would only be provided by the state if the result of the case could be the death penalty. Heart of Atlanta v. United States (1964) - Any business that was participating in interstate commerce would be required to follow all rules of the federal civil rights legislation. In this case, a motel that wanted to continue segregation was denied because they did business with people from other states. Civil Rights Act of 1964 - An important piece of legislation that stopped segregation and discrimination in public accommodations. Further, the U.S. Attorney General would be able to help victims of discrimination. It also forbid employers to discriminate against minorities. Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964) - No poll taxes would be allowed in any states. In other words, a state could not charge people to vote. Voting Rights Act (1965) - Probably the most successful congressional civil rights legislation. This truly guaranteed what had been promised in the 15th amendment: that no one would be denied the right to vote based on race. It ended literacy tests and gave the U.S. Attorney General the right to intervene on behalf of those who had been discriminated against. _____________________________________________________________ Which of the following court cases or legislation dealt with interstate commerce

A.

Voting Rights Act
B.

Heart of Atlanta v. United States
C.

Brown v. Board of Education
D.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Correct Answer
B. Heart of Atlanta v. United States

Explanation
Heart of Atlanta v. United States dealt with interstate commerce. The case involved a motel that wanted to continue segregation but was denied because they did business with people from other states. The court ruled that any business participating in interstate commerce would be required to follow all rules of the federal civil rights legislation. This decision was significant in ending racial discrimination in public accommodations and ensuring equal treatment for all individuals.

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2.

Which of the following cases and/or legislation was the only one not to occur in the 1960's?

A.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment
B.

Voting Rights Act
C.

Brown v. Board of Education
D.

Heart of Atlanta v. United States

Correct Answer
C. Brown v. Board of Education

Explanation
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case that occurred in 1954, not the 1960s. This case declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established in the Plessy v. Ferguson case of 1896. The other options, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment, the Voting Rights Act, and Heart of Atlanta v. United States, all took place in the 1960s and were significant in advancing civil rights and combating racial discrimination.

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3.

Which important legislation forbid employers from discriminating against minorities?

A.

Brown v. Board of Education
B.

Gideon v. Wainwright
C.

Civil Rights Act of 1964
D.

Voting Rights Act

Correct Answer
C. Civil Rights Act of 1964

Explanation
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the correct answer because it is a significant legislation that prohibits employers from discriminating against minorities. This act was enacted to address and eliminate racial discrimination in various aspects of society, including employment. It made it illegal for employers to discriminate against individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The act also established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to enforce these provisions and investigate complaints of discrimination.

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4.

Which of the following are the two most closely related cases and/or legislation?

A.

Amendment 15 and the Voting Rights Act of 1964
B.

Amendment 14 and Brown v. Board of Education
C.

Heart of Atlanta v. United States and Gideon v. Wainwright
D.

Amendment 15 and Gideon v. Wainwright

Correct Answer
A. Amendment 15 and the Voting Rights Act of 1964

Explanation
Amendment 15 and the Voting Rights Act of 1964 are the two most closely related cases and/or legislation because both focus on ensuring equal voting rights for all citizens. Amendment 15, ratified in 1870, prohibits the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The Voting Rights Act of 1964 further strengthened these protections by prohibiting discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests and poll taxes, and providing federal oversight of election practices in states with a history of voter discrimination. Together, these two measures aim to protect and promote equal access to the voting booth for all Americans.

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5.

What was the name of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s father's church?

A.

Ebenezer Baptist
B.

Atlanta Southern Baptist
C.

Southern Church of the People
D.

Atlanta Tabernacle

Correct Answer
A. Ebenezer Baptist

Explanation
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s father's church was called Ebenezer Baptist. This church, located in Atlanta, played a significant role in the civil rights movement and was where Dr. King himself later became a co-pastor. The church served as a platform for Dr. King to spread his message of equality and justice, and it remains an important symbol of the African American struggle for civil rights.

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6.

What group launched the Freedom Rides in 1961?

A.

ACLU-American Civil Liberties Union
B.

SCLC-Southern Christian Leadership Conference
C.

CORE-Congress of Racial Equality
D.

SNCC-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee

Correct Answer
C. CORE-Congress of Racial Equality

Explanation
The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) launched the Freedom Rides in 1961. The Freedom Rides were a series of bus trips organized to challenge segregation in interstate bus terminals in the southern United States. CORE played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement and was committed to nonviolent direct action to combat racial discrimination.

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7.

At the time of her historic bus incident, what was Rosa Parks' occupation?

A.

Hospital orderly
B.

Drugstore clerk
C.

High school cafeteria worker
D.

Department store seamstress

Correct Answer
D. Department store seamstress

Explanation
Rosa Parks' occupation at the time of her historic bus incident was a department store seamstress. This means that she worked in a department store, specifically in the sewing department where she would have been involved in sewing and altering clothes. This information is significant because it highlights the fact that Parks was an ordinary working woman who took a stand against racial segregation, challenging the unfair treatment she experienced on the bus. Her act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

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8.

SNCC member Stokely Carmichael was instrumental in forming the Lowndes County Freedom Organization in Alabama. What was its symbol?

A.

A balance scale
B.

The letters MLK
C.

A black panther
D.

A raised fist

Correct Answer
C. A black panther

Explanation
The Lowndes County Freedom Organization in Alabama, formed by SNCC member Stokely Carmichael, adopted the symbol of a black panther. The black panther symbolized strength, power, and resilience, which were important qualities for the organization in their fight for civil rights and against racial discrimination. The black panther symbol also became associated with the Black Panther Party, a revolutionary socialist organization that emerged in the 1960s to combat racial injustice and inequality.

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