African American Music Legends
Who is considered the "Father of Blues" and was known for his iconic songs like "The Thrill Is Gone"?
Who is B.B. King?
This African-American author, known for his novel "Invisible Man," won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1953.
Who is Ralph Ellison?
What ancient African kingdom, located in present-day Sudan, was known for its wealth and power in the trade of gold and ivory?
What is the Kingdom of Kush?
This African-American chemist is credited with developing the drug treatment for leprosy (Hansen's disease) and researching synthetic cortisone to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Who is this scientist?
Who is Alice Ball?
This African-American track and field athlete won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, defying Adolf Hitler's notions of Aryan supremacy.
Who is Jesse Owens?
This African-American singer, songwriter, and pianist, often referred to as the "High Priestess of Soul," blended jazz, gospel, and classical music in her soulful performances.
Who is Nina Simone?
Who is the African-American poet and playwright who wrote "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama?
Who is Ntozake Shange?
Which West African empire, founded by Sundiata Keita, reached its height of power and wealth during the 14th century?
What is the Mali Empire?
Who is the African-American mathematician and physicist who was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics and the third African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in any field in the United States?
Who is Euphemia Lofton Haynes?
This African-American baseball player, nicknamed "The Say Hey Kid," is considered one of the greatest all-around players in the history of the sport and was a 24-time All-Star.
Who is Willie Mays?
Known as the "First Lady of Song," this African-American jazz vocalist won 13 Grammy Awards and is considered one of the greatest singers in American music history.
Who is Ella Fitzgerald?
This African-American author and anthropologist wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God," a novel considered a classic of African-American literature.
Who is Zora Neale Hurston?
Which African empire, centered in present-day Ethiopia, was known for its rock-hewn churches and its resistance against Italian colonization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
What is the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia)?
Who is the African-American inventor and engineer who patented more than 50 inventions, including an improved airship, a traffic signal, and a gas mask?
Who is Garrett Morgan?
In an infamous 1987 incident during labor negotiations between the NFL and the NFLPA, Dallas Cowboys president and general manager Tex Schramm told this person, "Here's what you have to understand: we're the ranchers and you're the cattle, and we can always get more cattle."
Who is Gene Upshaw?
This African-American musician and composer, nicknamed the "Bird," revolutionized jazz with his virtuosic improvisation on the saxophone.
Who is Charlie Parker?
This African-American writer, philosopher, and activist is best known for his groundbreaking work "The Souls of Black Folk," which explores the experience of African Americans in post-Civil War America.
Who is W.E.B. Du Bois?
This powerful medieval African kingdom, located in present-day Zimbabwe, built impressive stone structures and had a complex trade network that connected it to the Indian Ocean.
What is the Great Zimbabwe Kingdom?
This African-American scientist, known for her work in the field of chemical kinetics, became the first woman and first African American to receive a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1947.
Who is Marie Maynard Daly?
Early in this person's career, he earned the nickname "Coffin Corner" because of his ability to aim his kicks near the corner of the playing field.
Who is Greg Coleman?
This African-American rapper and producer, also known as the "God MC," is considered one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop history and has released critically acclaimed albums like "Illmatic" and "It Was Written."
Who is Nas?
This African-American poet and playwright, associated with the Harlem Renaissance, won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950, becoming the first African American to receive this honor.
Who is Gwendolyn Brooks?
This ancient African empire, known for its strategic location along the trade routes of the Sahara Desert, reached its peak in the 14th century and was renowned for its vast wealth and influential Islamic scholarship.
What is the Great Zimbabwe Kingdom?
This person was the first African-American president of the American Cancer Society.
Who is Dr. LaSalle Lefalle?
During the 1994–95 season, this person set the record for most regular season coaching wins in NBA history, a record this person held when they retired with 1,332 victories.
Who is Lenny Wilkens?