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Black History Bowl

Total questions: 109

Worksheet time: 1hrs 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

In 2019, Forbes Magazine named this Rapper/Entertainer/Businessman the first hip-hop billionare. Who is he?

(a)  

2.

After the War of 1812, Canada granted freedom to Blacks residing there and used the courts to protect their freedom. American runaway slaves looking to reach Canada would follow what natural phenomemon?

(a)  

3.

Name the freedom fighter who led the uprising aboard the ship AMISTAD.

(a)  

4.

Who was the first Black woman to receive a Nobel Prize in literature?

(a)  

5.

Who was America's first African American General?

(a)  

6.

What was the first nationwide labor union led by an African American - 1925?

(a)  

7.

What sport is Althea Gibson known for?

(a)  

8.

Name the first woman and the first African American to graduate with a master's degree from the University of Hawaii.

(a)  

9.

Name the first African American to hold a patent.

(a)  

10.

Name the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

(a)  

11.

Name the escaped slave who spoke and wrote against slavery for the Anti-Slavery Society.

(a)  

12.

Name the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

(a)  

13.

Name the entertainer who is famous for wearing one sequined glove and housing a wildlife refuge in his back yard.

(a)  

14.

In what year was the African American celebration called Kwanzaa created?

(a)  

15.

Name the heavyweight boxing champion called "The Brown Bomber".

(a)  

16.

Name the first African American to design, construct and own a professional golf course.

(a)  

17.

Name the city that had a famous section known as Black Wall Street - the mecca of Black owned businesses in the 1920's. It housed Black owned banks, hotels, cafes, movie theaters and clothiers.

(a)  

18.

According to the 2016 Nielsen Report, what is the total buying power of African Americans?

(a)  

19.

Name the Texan who grew up and established his own Dance Repertory Theater in 1958.

a)

John Lewis

b)

Alvin Ailey

c)

John Williams

20.

Name the first black heavyweight championship boxer.

a)

Joe Johnson

b)

Charles Whitaker

c)

John "Jack" Johnson

21.

Name the African American inventor, born in Canada of escaped slaves, who invented a lubricating cup for steam engines.

a)

William McCoy

b)

Elijah J. McCoy

c)

Colt McCoy

22.

Name the African American who invented the ironing board in 1892.

a)

Sarah Boone

b)

John Boone

c)

Terry Boone

23.

Name the African American who formed the organization Operation PUSH.

a)

Josh Jones

b)

Jeremiah Johnson

c)

Jesse Jackson

24.

Name the blind musician who had his first hit record in 1963.

a)

Stevie Wonder

b)

James Brown

c)

Berry Gordy

25.

Name the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy.

a)

Jim Brown

b)

Cam Newton

c)

Ernie Davis

26.

Name the first African American woman to win three gold medals in Track &Field at the Olympics.

a)

Florence Griffith Joyner

b)

Wilma Rudolph

c)

Lolo Jones

27.

Name the African American journalist noted for her anti-lynching campaign of the late 1800's.

a)

Ida B. Wells

b)

Rosa Parks

c)

Cori Bush

28.

Who organized the civil rights movement called the Freedom Riders?

a)

Marcus Garvey

b)

James Banks

c)

James Farmer

29.

Name the South African political leader who fought against Apartheid.

a)

Nelson Mandela

b)

William Young

c)

James Farmer

30.

Who wrote the words to the Negro National Anthem?

(a)  

31.

Why was the Negro National Anthem written?

(a)  

32.

From what did Jay-Z reference in developing his stage name?

a)

New York Subway Line

b)

New York Bus Route

c)

Broadway

33.

What is Jay-Z's given name?

a)

Nasir Jones

b)

Shawn Carter

c)

Christopher Wallace

34.

Name the secret network of hiding places, safe houses, and escape routes which led slaves to freedom in the North.

(a)  

35.

The goal was to force the crew of the Amistad to take them back to Africa, but instead, where did they dock?

a)

Savannah, Georgia

b)

Virginia Beach, Virginia

c)

Long Island, New York

36.

What were the results of the Supreme Court Case that Cinque bought against the owners of the Amistad?

a)

The Africans were freed and most returned home

b)

The Africans were not freed and stayed in the Untied States

37.

Name Toni Morrison's novel inspired by a real life story of Margaret Garner, an escaped slave who attempted to kill herself and children rather than be captured and returned to a plantation.

(a)  

38.

Name Toni Morrison's book that was an ancient folk tale that centered on the key element of black people flying away from enslavement back to Africa.

(a)  

39.

Name the branch of Armed Services the first African American General served.

a)

United States Air Force

b)

United States Army

c)

United States Navy

d)

United States Marine Corps

40.

Who was the founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters?

a)

Venus Williams

b)

Joe Jackson

c)

Asa Phillip Randolph

41.

For what group of workers did the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters negotiate?

(a)  

42.

Name the championship where Althea Gibson became the first African American to win a Grand Slam Title.

a)

Wimbleton

b)

French Championship

c)

US Nationals

43.

Gibson paved the way for what famous contemporary African American tennis sisters?

(a)  

44.

Alice Ball developed the leading treatment for what disease?

a)

Leprosy

b)

Polio

c)

Scoliosis

45.

What was the name of the patent that Thomas L. Jennings created?

(a)  

46.

What is the dry scouring process called today?

a)

Air Frying

b)

Dry Cleaning

47.

Why was Ralph Bunche recognized for the Nobel Peace Prize?

a)

For his work helping to end slavery

b)

For his work helping to end the first Arab-Israeli war

48.

What was the name of the abolitionist newspaper that Fredrick Douglass established?

(a)  

49.

Which president did Fredrick Douglass convince to allow lacks to join the union Army?

(a)  

50.

What congressional district did Shirley Chisholm represent?

a)

Akansas' 12th District

b)

Virgina's 12th District

c)

New York's 12th District

51.

What was one other first that Shirley Chisholm achieved?

a)

First woman to run for the Democratic Party's Presidential Nomination

b)

First Woman to appear in a U.S. Presidential debate

c)

First Woman to win a Presidential election

52.

Name the group where Michael Jackson started to sing with his brothers.

(a)  

53.

Who was the creator of Kwanzaa?

(a)  

54.

How long did Joe Louis hold the championship title?

a)

11 years, 8 months

b)

12 years, 1 month

c)

10 years, 9 months

55.

Who did Joe Lewis defeat to become the heavyweight champion?

a)

James C. Braddock

b)

James M. Braddock

c)

James J. Braddock

56.

Why is the Nobel Peace Prize awarded?

a)

For the person in the preceding year has done the most or best work for goodwill between nations or reduction of standing armies and promotion of peace.

b)

For the person over his or her lifetime that has done the most for the promotion of peace.

57.

What was Alice Ball's treatment?

a)

She used oil from a palm tree to be absorbed in the bloodstream.

b)

She used oil from a chaulmoogra tree to be absorbed in the bloodstream.

58.

Name the religious group credited with helping runaways on the Underground Railroad.

(a)  

59.

How long does the Kwanzaa Celebration last?

(a)  

60.

What inspired the first African-American to want to construct a golf course?

a)

Because of racial desegregation, Blacks were banned from all-white public golf courses

b)

Because of racial segregation, Blacks were banned from all-white public golf courses

61.

What was the name of William J. "Bill" Powell's golf club?

(a)  

62.

In 1921, who caused the destruction of buildings and the loss of 300 African Americans living in Tulsa, Oklahoma?

a)

A jealous, angry white mob attacked, looted and burned this section of Tulsa to the ground.

b)

A jealous, angry black mob attacked, looted and burned this section of Tulsa to the ground.

63.

What alleged incident caused the mob to attack Black Wall Street?

a)

A white female, Sara Page, accused a black shoe shiner of raping her on the elevator.

b)

A hispanic female, Sara Page, accused a black shoe shiner of raping her on the elevator.

64.

What was Alvin Ailey's signature dance?

(a)  

65.

What type of music was used in Revelations?

a)

Rap and/or Hip Hop

b)

Country and/or Western

c)

Spiritual and/or Gospel

66.

What nickname was John "Jack" Johnson given because of his place of birth?

(a)  

67.

Why was John "Jack" Johnson jailed in Texas in 1901?

a)

For fighting Lew Alcindor because prize fighting was illegal in Texas.

b)

For fighting Joe Choinski because prize fighting was illegal in Texas.

68.

What popular expression, which typically means "the real thing", is associated with avoiding inferior copies of Elijah McCoy's inventions

(a)  

69.

Name two other of Elijah McCoy's inventions.

a)

Portable Ironing Board

b)

Tire Tread

c)

Lawn Sprinkler

d)

Water Hose

70.

What reason did Sarah Boone make for inventing the ironing board?

a)

To make ironing sleeves and bodies of men's garments easier.

b)

To make ironing sleeves and bodies of women's garments easier.

71.

Who improved Sarah Boone's invention by making it portable?

a)

Alvin Ailey

b)

Carol Mosely Braun

c)

Elijah McCoy

72.

Name the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate.

(a)  

73.

What state did Carol Mosely Braun represent?

(a)  

74.

What other African American was elected to the Senate from Illinois?

(a)  

75.

What does PUSH stand for?

a)

People United to Slay Humans

b)

People United to Save Humanity

c)

People Unified to Save Humanity

76.

What was the purpose of Operation PUSH?

a)

To decrease economic opportunities for poor people

b)

To increase economic opportunities for poor people

77.

Why is the Heisman Trophy given?

a)

For the Most Outstanding College Football Player

b)

For the Most Valuable College Football Player

78.

Which African American won the Heisman twice?

(a)  

79.

Name the University Wilma Rudolph attended.

(a)  

80.

What childhood illness did Wilma Rudolph overcome for success?

a)

Polio or infantile paralysis

b)

ADHD

c)

Scoliosis

81.

Name two of the well documented reasons that Mrs. Ida B. Wells gave for why African Americans were lynched.

a)

Failing to pay debt

b)

Not appearing to give right of way to whites

c)

Competing economically with whites

d)

Being drunk in public

e)

Paying off all debts

82.

Name the pamphlet Ida B. Wells published that explained that the economic progress of African Americans was the true reason fro most lynchings.

a)

Northern Horror: Lynch Law in All its Phases

b)

Southern Horror: Lynch Law in All its Phases

83.

James Farmer was the leader of CORE. What does this acronym stand for?

(a)  

84.

James Farmer advocated for what form of protest to dismantle segregation?

(a)  

85.

How many years was Mandela imprisoned for his activism?

(a)  

86.

What office did Mandela hold in the South African government?

(a)  

87.

Name the company founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959.

(a)  

88.

Name the city that is the home of the Motown sound.

(a)  

89.

What is the name of the Motown building?

(a)  

90.

Who was the African American who invented the forerunner of the traffic signal light?

a)

Harriet Tubman

b)

Katherine Johnson

c)

Garrett A. Morgan

91.

Garrett Morgan filed a patent application in 1912 for another invention he had been working on, which he called a breathing device. What was this invention?

(a)  

92.

Name the company that Garrett Morgan set up to reproduce the gas mask to sell to engineers, chemists and working men who breathed noxious fumes.

(a)  

93.

Who was the African American founder of Chicago?

a)

James Hemmings

b)

Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable

94.

Name the number of the amendment that ended slavery.

(a)  

95.

He is considered the first to die in the Boston Massacre of 1770.

(a)  

96.

Which state was the first to abolish slavery in 1777?

(a)  

97.

What was the name of the newspaper published by Frederick Douglass?

(a)  

98.

Who was the leader of the Nation of Islam who called for the creation of a black state in the United States in 1960?

(a)  

99.

Who started the Black Power movement in 1966?

(a)  

100.

Name the first private black medical college in the U.S..

(a)  

101.

He led a revolt of 1,000 slaves in Richmond, Virginia in 1800.

(a)  

102.

His wooden clock was the first of its kind to be built in the United States.

(a)  

103.

What African American youth was brutally slain in Mississippi in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman?

(a)  

104.

He developed the method of preserving blood plasma and organized the first blood bank during World War II.

(a)  

105.

What organization has the slogan "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste"?

(a)  

106.

This astronaut lost his life on the Challenger in 1986.

(a)  

107.

Who was the first U.S. African American governor, elected in Virginia?

(a)  

108.

In 1993, this former pro football player became Minnesota's first African American State Supreme Court Justice.

(a)  

109.

Martin Luther King Jr. was the pastor of this church in the 1950's.

a)

Macedonia Baptist Church

b)

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church