As Black History Month unfolds, we invite you to learn something new with our Black History Month trivia. We will be exploring the remarkable events, resilient figures, and pivotal moments that have shaped African American history.
From the iconic leaders of the civil rights movement to groundbreaking moments in arts and culture, our trivia is a celebration of heritage and a unique opportunity to expand your knowledge.
Ever wondered about the unsung heroes behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott? Curious about the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature? We’ll cover it in this trivia quiz.
Ready to test your knowledge of the landmark cases that changed the course of history?
Table of Contents
Black History Month Trivia: Juneteenth
What date is Juneteenth celebrated?
Answer: June 19th.
In what year did the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all enslaved individuals in Confederate-held territory free, come into effect?
Answer: 1863
Which landmark case in 1857 declared that enslaved individuals were not citizens and had no rights, igniting tensions that fueled the Civil War?
Answer: Dred Scott v. Sandford
What is the significance of the color red on Juneteenth?
Answer: The color red is often used to symbolize the blood shed by enslaved people in their struggle for freedom.
Which U.S. President signed a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday?
Answer: Joe Biden.
In what year did slavery officially end in the United States?
Answer: 1865.
Who was the president of the USA when slavery ended?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln.
Which US colony was the first to abolish slavery in 1777?
Answer: Vermont became the first colony to ban slavery.
How did the “Juneteenth” holiday get its name?
Answer: The term “Juneteenth” is a combination of “June” and “nineteenth,” the date on which General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of slavery.
Which war prompted the end of slavery in the United States?
Answer: The Civil War.
On June 17 of what year did President Biden sign the bill into law, making Juneteenth the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government?
Answer: 2021.
Black History Month Trivia: Historical Figures
What iconic event did Martin Luther King Jr. lead in 1963, delivering his famous “I Have a Dream” speech?
Answer: March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
What nickname was given to Harriet Tubman for her role in guiding enslaved individuals to freedom along the Underground Railroad?
Answer: Moses
What influential autobiography did Frederick Douglass publish in 1845, detailing his life as an enslaved person and his escape to freedom?
Answer: “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave”
What famous speech did Sojourner Truth deliver in 1851 at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio?
Answer: “Ain’t I a Woman?”
What group launched the Freedom Rides in 1961?
Answer: CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)
What event in 1955, involving Rosa Parks, sparked a year-long bus boycott and became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement?
Answer: Montgomery Bus Boycott
At the time of her historic bus incident, what was Rosa Parks’ occupation?
Answer: Department store seamstress
Who was the civil rights activist and leader of the Nation of Islam who advocated for black nationalism and self-defense?
Answer: Malcolm X
Maya Angelou was the first African American woman to do what prestigious task in 1993?
Answer: Recite a poem at a U.S. presidential inauguration (Bill Clinton’s inauguration)
Who was the African American musician known as the “King of Jazz” and one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz music?
Answer: Louis Armstrong
In what year did Hattie McDaniel become the first Black actor to win an Academy Award?
Answer: 1939
What was the stage name adopted by Lincoln Perry, who became the first Black actor to earn more than $1 million?
Answer: Stepin Fetchit
In June 1939, Ethel Waters made history by becoming the first Black performer to star in what emerging medium?
Answer: Television
Lena Horne became the first Black actress to sign a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio. Which studio was it?
Answer: MGM
What was the title of the major studio production loosely based on Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s life, showcasing his dancing abilities?
Answer: Stormy Weather
In addition to her Hollywood career, Etta Moten Barnett later became an unofficial ambassador to which continent?
Answer: Africa
Which influential author became the first African American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature?
Answer: Toni Morrison
Before he was elected president of the United States, Barack Obama served as a U.S. senator of which Midwestern state?
Answer: Illinois
Black History Month Trivia: Historical Events
What does NAACP stand for?
Answer: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Which African American activist and scholar founded the Niagara Movement in 1905, a precursor to the NAACP?
Answer: W.E.B. Du Bois
What landmark Supreme Court case in 1954 declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional?
Answer: Brown v. Board of Education
What was the significance of the Greensboro sit-ins in 1960 during the civil rights movement?
Answer: The sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests challenging racial segregation at lunch counters in Greensboro, North Carolina.
What courageous event took place in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, symbolizing the fight against racial segregation in education?
Answer: The Little Rock Nine integrating Central High School
What organization, founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale in 1966, aimed to address police brutality and systemic oppression?
Answer: The Black Panther Party
In 1972, Shirley Chisholm became the first African American major-party candidate for what political office?
Answer: President of the United States
In what year did Barack Obama make history by becoming the first African American elected as President of the United States?
Answer: 2008
What historic event took place in 1919 when thousands of African Americans participated in protests against racial violence and inequality, sparking the Red Summer?
Answer: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
What prestigious venue did Marian Anderson perform at in 1939, after being denied access to sing at another venue due to racial discrimination?
Answer: Lincoln Memorial
In what year did Jackie Robinson break the color barrier in Major League Baseball, becoming the first African American to play in the league?
Answer: 1947
What literary and artistic movement was Langston Hughes central to during the early 20th century?
Answer: Harlem Renaissance
In 1960, four African American college students staged a sit-in that helped integrate this store’s lunch counter.
Answer: Woolworth’s
In what year did the Civil Rights Act become law, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin?
Answer: 1964
Which African American mathematician and NASA aerospace engineer played a crucial role in the success of the early U.S. space missions, inspiring the film “Hidden Figures”?
Answer: Katherine Johnson
We hope you enjoyed our Black History Month trivia! If you didn’t get everything right, we at least hope you learned something new.
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