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WorksheetsAfrican American Lit Final January 2026
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 26mins
In which New York City borough did hip hop originate?
Harlem
The Bronx
Brooklyn
Queens
During which decade did hip hop begin?
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Which dance style became closely associated with hip hop music of the 1970s and 1980s?
Tap
Breakdancing (b-boying)
Ballet
Swing
Where were early hip hop performances commonly held?
Broadway theaters
Block parties and neighborhood parks
Opera houses
High school auditoriums only
What term describes the ability to rap with strong rhythm and timing?
Hook
Flow
Beatbox
Bridge
What are the four foundational elements of hip hop culture, and how does each one contribute to the movement?
DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and graffiti; they provide music mixing, lyrical performance, dance, and visual art
Songwriting, opera, tap dance, and sculpture; they provide lyrics, stage singing, footwork, and statues
Classical piano, choir singing, ballroom dance, and watercolor painting; they provide melody, harmony, dance, and images
Marching band, debate, gymnastics, and photography; they provide instruments, speech, flips, and pictures
What is a sample in hip hop music, and how is it used in creating new songs?
A live audience shout; it is recorded and played back for applause
A short piece of an existing recording; it is reused, looped, or altered to build new beats and melodies
A list of instruments for a performance; it is checked before the show
A practice verse; it is performed offstage only
What does the term "White Flight" mean?
The movement of white residents from cities to suburban areas
The movement of white residents from cities to country areas
The increase in airline travel after World War II
The movement of white residents from suburban areas to back to cities
What solution did European colonizers recommend to address the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples on Caribbean islands?
Importing enslaved Europeans to replace Indigenous labor
Recruiting paid workers from Europe
Importing enslaved Africans to replace Indigenous labor
Creating new schools for island communities
How was slavery during the 16th and 17th centuries different from other forms of labor or servitude?
It treated people as property for at least seven years.
It treated people as property for life and passed status to children
It required volunteering for community service
It guaranteed freedom after three months
Who were the first Black people to come to North America, and under what conditions did they arrive?
Captive West Indians
Explorers from Africa on scientific missions
Captive Africans brought through the transatlantic slave trade
Students arriving for university scholarships
What were indentured servants?
People who worked without pay for life
People who worked for a fixed term to repay passage or debts
People who ruled plantations
People who volunteered for short apprenticeships
What was chattel slavery?
A form of paid household service
A system where enslaved people were enslaved for life.
A system of slavery where you were a slave for a short amount of time
A religious order focused on charity
What values or beliefs did the earliest Black writers in the United States want their readers to follow?
Support for freedom and equality
Commitment to Christian ethics and moral reform
Defense of slavery as economically necessary
Pursuit of education and self-improvement
What was the main goal of abolitionists?
to end slavery in the western part of America
To end slavery in the United States
To expand colonization to new territories
To promote indentured labor
What were the two major themes of African American literature during the crisis years between 1830 and 1865?
The struggle for freedom and the right to learn how to read and write
The struggle for freedom right to practice any religion
The struggle for freedom and the critique of slavery
The struggle for freedom and ending slavery
How did pro-slavery writers and propagandists attempt to justify slavery?
They argued it was morally wrong and should be abolished
They claimed it was divinely sanctioned by god
They insisted it was part of the Constitution
They focused only on defending workers’ unions
What major event occurred on February 21, 1965, and where did it take place?
The March on Washington in Washington, D.C.
The assassination of Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City
The Selma voting rights march in Alabama
The signing of the Civil Rights Act in the White House
Why did Malcolm Little change his last name to "X," and what did the name symbolize?
He chose a random letter; it had no meaning
It honored his favorite writer
It symbolized the loss of his ancestral African surname stolen through slavery
It represented his membership in a sports team
What events from Malcolm X’s childhood demonstrate the hostility and violence his family faced?
The killing of the family dog, and the lynching of his father.
The burning of his family home, and his father's violent death
The constant racial slurs whites called his family
Attending a private boarding school without incident
How did Malcolm X’s approach to civil rights differ from that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
Malcolm X emphasized Black self-defense and self-determination, while King focused on nonviolent integration
Malcolm X emphasized nonviolent integration, while King focused on Black self-defense and self-determination
Malcolm X opposed any political action
King rejected nonviolence
What experiences shaped Malcolm X’s life between leaving school and joining the Nation of Islam?
Military service and overseas travel
Years of criminal activity followed by imprisonment
Being wrongfully accused of a crime he didn't commit, and going to jail for it.
Graduate school studies in sociology
How is Malcolm X’s legacy remembered today?
As a minor local activist
As a key figure who championed Black pride, human rights, and global anti-racism
As a politician known for tax policy
As a key figure who championed Black pride and non violence protest
In what year was Medgar Evers assassinated?
1955
1963
1968
1971
What actions did Medgar Evers take as a civil rights activist after joining the Regional Council of Negro Leadership?
Organized voter registration drives, boycotts of discriminatory businesses, and community education campaigns
Led only musical performances
Opened a private school with no public advocacy
Focused on sports programs
How did Medgar Evers attempt to integrate the University of Mississippi, and which organization supported him?
He filed a lawsuit on his own with no allies
He applied for admission and worked through legal challenges with NAACP support
He staged a sit-in without any legal filings
He asked the governor to appoint him directly
What was the legal significance of the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education?
It upheld segregated schools as constitutional
It declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional
It applied only to private colleges
It created new taxes for education
What types of economic protests did Medgar Evers organize as part of his civil rights efforts?
General strikes to close factories
Boycotts targeting businesses that practiced racial discrimination
Tax protests against school funding
Currency exchanges to support banks
How many trials did Byron De La Beckwith face before being convicted of killing Medgar Evers?
One
Two
Three
Four
What honors and recognitions have been awarded to Medgar Evers since his death?
No formal recognition
A college named in his honor, public memorials, and national commendations acknowledging his civil rights work
Only a street sign in his hometown
A sports stadium sponsorship
What long-term social or economic conditions contributed to the outbreak of the Detroit Riot of 1967?
Housing segregation and discriminatory policing
High unemployment and poverty in Black neighborhoods
Abundant affordable housing and equal job access
Tensions from unequal treatment by authorities
How long did the Detroit Riot of 1967 last?
One day
Three days
Five days
Two weeks
Which government forces were sent into Detroit to restore order during the riot?
State police only
U.S. Marines and federal troops
Michigan National Guard and federal troops
Local park rangers
What was one major outcome of the Detroit Riot of 1967?
Detroit elected its first black Mayor
Forty-three deaths, thousands of arrests, and extensive property damage
Immediate end to housing discrimination
Creation of new sports teams
Which group was most heavily affected by the destruction and police response during the riot, and why?
Suburban commuters, because they could not access highways
Black residents of inner-city neighborhoods, due to systemic racism and concentrated policing
Tourists, because hotels were closed
Factory owners, due to new tax laws
Briefly summarize what is carved in the piano?
Flower patterns from a catalog
Family ancestors and scenes of enslavement carved by an enslaved relative
Maps of Detroit neighborhoods
Musical notes from a famous composer
What does Berniece want Avery to do to the house to get rid of Sutter's ghost?
Paint the walls a new color
Perform a spiritual cleansing and blessing to drive the spirit away
Sell the furniture
Invite neighbors for dinner
Why does Berniece not want to touch the piano?
She dislikes music in general
She doesn't want to wake up the spirits of her family members.
She wants to buy a new piano instead
She feels her daughter should be the only one playing it.
According to Lyman, what was Boy Willie talking about the whole trip up to Pittsburgh?
Buying Sutter's land
the piano
selling those watermelons
Staying up North
The Piano Lesson was set in this city
Detroit
Pittsburgh
New York
Cleveland
