U.S. Citizens May Know Less About Black History Than They Think

By: Sam Watanuki | Published: Apr 21, 2024

This interactive journey is designed to test your knowledge, uncover hidden truths, and inspire a deeper appreciation for the pivotal role Black history plays in the fabric of American society. Through a series of carefully crafted questions, we aim to challenge common misconceptions and shine a light on the significant contributions, achievements, and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history.

Whether you’re a history buff or just curious to learn more, this quiz offers a unique opportunity to broaden your understanding and reflect on the diversity of the American experience. We encourage you to keep an open mind and embrace the learning opportunity, as we explore together the rich and complex tapestry of Black history.

Who was the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress?

A) Frederick Douglass
B) Hiram Revels
C) Thurgood Marshall
D) Martin Luther King Jr.

A black and white 1921 photograph of the U.S. Senate chamber.

Source: Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Answer:

B) Hiram Revels

Source: Library of Congress

Which Supreme Court ruling declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional?

A) Plessy v. Ferguson
B) Brown v. Board of Education
C) Roe v. Wade
D) Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme Court building seen in the daytime.

Source: Joshua Woods/Unsplash

Answer:

B) Brown v. Board of Education

Source: Katrin Bolovtsova/Pexels

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressed discrimination in what areas?

A) Voting rights
B) Employment
C) Public accommodations
D) All of the above

A colorized photo of people protesting during the Civil Rights Movement.

Source: Unseen Histories/Unsplash

Answer:

D) All of the above

A close-up on voting stickers against a black background.

Source: visuals/Unsplash

What is Juneteenth?

A) The end of the Civil War
B) The day the Emancipation Proclamation was announced
C) The day slavery was officially abolished in the U.S.
D) The day the last enslaved people in the U.S. were freed

Source: Eric Rothermel

Answer:

D) The day the last enslaved people in the U.S. were freed

A group photograph of thirty-one people at a Juneteenth Celebration in Emancipation Park in Houston’s Fourth Ward in 1880

Source: Heathart/Wikimedia Commons

Who was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature?

A) Maya Angelou
B) Toni Morrison
C) Alice Walker
D) Angela Davis

A pile of old books stacked on top of each other, with one book leaning against the pile. Behind the pile of books is a bookshelf full of books.

Source: Prateek Katyal/Unsplash

Answer:

B) Toni Morrison

Source: John Mathew Smith/Wikipedia

What was the Harlem Renaissance?

A) A political movement in Harlem
B) A labor strike in New York City
C) An African American cultural, social, and artistic explosion in the 1920s
D) A Broadway show featuring African American performer

Three African American women in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, ca. 1925

Source: Wikipedia

Answer:

C) An African American cultural, social, and artistic explosion in the 1920s

Portrait of Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis, Cecil Payne, Miles Davis, and Ray Brown, Downbeat, New York, N.Y.

Source: Gottlieb, William P./Wikipedia

Which amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

A) 13th Amendment
B) 14th Amendment
C) 15th Amendment
D) 19th Amendment

Close-up photograph of the 1st amendment of the US Constitution

Source: 123RF

Answer:

A) 13th Amendment

Photograph of the 13th amendment and the first few lines

Source: Pond5

The Montgomery Bus Boycott was sparked by whose arrest?

A) Malcolm X
B) Rosa Parks
C) Martin Luther King Jr.
D) Harriet Tubman

Source: Freepik

Answer:

B) Rosa Parks

Photograph of Rosa Parks with Dr. Martin Luther King jr. (ca. 1955) Mrs. Rosa Parks altered the negro progress in Montgomery, Alabama, 1955, by the bus boycott she began. National Archives record ID: 306-PSD-65-1882 (Box 93).

Source: USIA/National Archives and Records Administration Records of the U.S. Information Agency Record Group 306/Wikipedia

Which organization was founded by W.E.B. Du Bois and others in 1909 to advocate for African American rights?

A) American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
B) Black Panther Party
C) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
D) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)

The White House seen with a fountain in front of it during sunset.

Source: Suzy Brooks/Unsplash

Answer:

C) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Source: NAACP

The Black Power movement emphasized which of the following?

A) Nonviolent protest
B) Racial pride, economic empowerment, and the creation of political and cultural institutions
C) Integration into white society
D) The return to Africa