Black History Knowledge! Trivia Quiz

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).

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

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

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.

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.

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 . . . .”

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).

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.

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”.