Notable Leaders
Inventions
Black Organizations
A Lot of Firsts
When Did it Happen?
Invited to the Cookout
100
Once upon a time, during the 1900s, White people were given priority on buses for seating, and Black people had to sit in the back. If there wasn't enough seats for a White person to sit down, a Black person would have to give it up for them or face penalty. In Montgomery, Alabama, this woman refused to give up her seat for a White man and was arrested on December 1, 1955.
Who was Rosa Parks?
100
Talk about caligraphy! W.B. Purvis designed a special writing instrument that distributed ink in a fashion where the thickness and thinness could be changed. It is used fairly commonly in inking comic books.
What is a fountain pen?
100
One of the first organizations made to aid Black people against political violence and racism. Founded on February 12, 1909, it was made to help secure the rights ensured under the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the United States Constitution.
What is the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)?
100
Hailing from Hawaii, this man was born from a Kenyan father and a mother from Kansas. He would guide the United States through the Great Recession and sign the Affordable Care Act as the 44th President of the United States.
Who is Barack Obama?
100
The 44th President of the United States, was the first Black man to take up the position. He held two terms starting in what year, during the depression?
When/What is 2008?
100
A southern delicacy that is typically fried and found in southern lakes and rivers. During slavery, while enslaved folk ate a variety of seafood, this aquatic animal was preferred.
What is catfish?
200
I have a dream! A pioneer for peaceful protests, but also for the right of people to fight against unjust laws. He as arrested for civil disobedience when he called for an end to segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. Was assassinated for speaking out by the FBI, but specifically by James Earl Ray.
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
200
Do you hear the music down the street? It's a sweet, soft cold dessert we love to eat (with some chocolate syrup and whipped cream)! Augustus Jackson's method of adding salt, different flavors, and cream made for a delicious this substance.
What is ice cream?
200
Created in 1911 in NYC, this organization is part of a group of 5 organizations known as the "Big Five". It was founded with the purpose of providing assistance to Black migrants who were moving to urban areas in the northern and southern United States by training social workers and opening up more positions in this industry.
What is the National Urban League (NUL)?
200
Following the historical milestone of having the first Black first lady two terms before this presidency, this person became the first Black, Indian, and female vice president of the United States.
Who is Kamala Harris?
200
Suffrage has been a long standing hurdle for marginalized groups, especially with physical barriers such as literacy tests and poll taxes. The Voting Rights Act legally removed these barriers from polling locations so that Black people could vote without worry in August of what year?
What/when was 1965?
200
In Disney's Princess and the Frog, down in New Orleans, Tiana and her father are making a heaping pot of this famous food of Lousiana, which originally comes from West Africa and is served with okra.
What is gumbo?
300
"Who ever heard of angry revolutionists all harmonizing ‘We Shall Overcome’ … while tripping and swaying along arm-in-arm with the very people they were supposed to be angrily revolting against?” A Black advocate who joined the Nation of Islam and argued that rights for Black folk should be secured "by any means necessary".
Who was Malcolm X?
300
Keep them sharp! This large, rotating shaver is a modern staple in schools across the country, used as a means to keep your number 2s pointy! It was invented by Black inventor John Lee Love.
What is a pencil sharpener?
300
This organization was founded in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Founded by three main people, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, and most notable for its widespread protests and advocation for those wrongfully killed by police.
What is Black Lives Matter?
300
It's out of the park! He was the first professional Black baseball player and was named Rookie of the Year. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in Major League Baseball.
Who was Jackie Robinson?
300
The Civil Rights Act was passed thanks to multiple protests and campaigns by Black folk against the injustices of segregation and lack of suffrage. The act gave the federal government more power to protect United States citizens from discrimination and gave Black people the legal right to vote in what year?
What/when is 1964?
300
Commonly served in Jamaica, this particular meat of the cow is often cooked in stews. It originated in Spain, where workers would typically throw this part of the animal away, but because many workers were poor, they would go home and cook the meat.
What is oxtail?
400
A former slave who was taught the alphabet by Sophia Auld, before learning to read and escaping Edward Covey's plantation in 1838. He became an abolitionist leader, publishing both his own newsletter and a book named Narrative of the Life of _________, an American Slave.
Who was Frederick Douglass?
400
Rock and roll! While the lute originated in Spain and can be said to be a foundation for the guitar, the euphonica, invented in 1866, was an instrument that made a louder sound with less force than with a guitar. He was a music teacher.
Who is Robert F. Flemming Jr.?
400
This "core" Black organization was founded in 1942 by a group of interracial students in Chicago, and advocates for creating conversations around racism through demonstrations, marches, and protests. It has a collection of 20 chapters.
What is the Congress of Racial Equality?
400
Can you paint me a portrait? This artist was a skilled oil painter who wasn't recognized by many of his clients at the time due to his skin color and position as a former slave. He worked on Emma Van Name, c. 1805. Courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art and is considered the first recognized Black artist in the United States.
Who was Joshua Johnson?
400
Slavery was introduced to North America in 1619. Over 200 years later, it was declared illegal in states that were in rebellion in President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. However, Juneteenth, the day when the last enslaved people in Texas were freed, was in what year?
What/when was (June 19) 1865?
400
A term used for cultural food that Black people in the Southern United States, stemming from when the Black Church became a community gathering place for Black folk during the late 1800s. While not all southern food is this, all food of this term is southern.
What is soul food?
500
Known as the "Moses of her People". Escaped slavery and helped over 300 enslaved people escape from plantations, while never once "losing a passenger" over 10 years. She was a prominent conductor of the Underground Railroad, a safe network of people and shelter that helped enslaved Black people runaway from their masters up North.
Who was Harriet Tubman?
500
Own your curls! This Black self-made female millionaire was the very first one in the United States, known for her long line of hair products for Black hair. She is also known for improving upon the hot comb, giving it wider teeth and increasing its popularity.
Who was Madame C. J. Walker?
500
Founded in October 1966 in Oakland, California by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, this revolutionary organization was based in ideals of socialism, Black nationalism/pride, and armed-self defense to challenge police brutality against the African-American community.
What was the Black Panther Party (for Self-Defense)?
500
The first Black poet to be published; she was an enslaved woman who was one of the most respected and best known poets prior to the 19th century.
Who is Phillis Wheatley?
500
The Harlem Renaissance saw the Harlem community in NYC as a Black cultural center for art advancement, with work done in literature, art, music, and cultural development. Prompted by the great migration of Black folk from the South to Northern urban areas, this event was the most prevalent from what decade to what decade?
When/what was the 1910 to 1930s?
500
Coming from Nigeria, this vibrantly colored and spicy dish is made by mixing rice with fragrant ingredients such as ginger, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and scotch bonnets. It is commonly eaten at weddings, birthdays, naming ceremonies, and funerals.
What is jollof rice?
600
Getting an education! Born into slavery, he faced obstacle after obstacle in going to school after being freed, with no schools present where he lived. He chose to walk 500 miles to study at the Hampton Institute, becoming the first teacher and principal at the Tuskegee Institute in 1881, and founded the National Negro Business League two decades after.
Who was Booker T. Washington?
600
Thomas Edison took credit for the invention of a revolutionary light source: the light bulb! However, the more durable, carbon version of the filament that made lightbulbs affordable and efficient for customers was made by this Black man from Massachusetts.
Who was Lewis Latimer?
600
Organized very loosely by Martin Luther King Jr., this religious group was based in Atlanta and entered the North through campaigns in Chicago. It advocated for integration of Black people into institutions through mass demonstration and nonviolent marches.
What is the Southern Christian Leadership Conference?
600
We are jumping for joy! This popular gymnast won two world championship gold medals at just 16 years old, and became the first female U.S. gymnast to win four gold medals in a single game, as well as the first gymnast to win three consecutive world all-around titles (2013–15).
Who is Simone Biles?
600
RISD's first Black graduate; she moved to Paris and created the Spelman College in Atlanta's art department. She was a prominent sculptor who made this piece titled, Negro Head (~1927). She earned her degree in painting in this year.
What/when was 1918?
600
Hailing from Ghana, this food is made with cassava root and served with meat, fish, or vegetable stews.
What is fufu?
700
Rastafarianism stems from a religious movement that started in Jamaica in the 1930s, after the crowning of Haile Selassie I, the Ethiopian emperor. Ethiopia was important as it was the only nation at the time to push back against imperial forces (in this case, Italy) and win. The movement centers on pan-African pride and was prophesized by this man.
Who was Marcus Garvey?
700
Known for organizing the first large-scale blood bank in the United States during WWII and for his work in the field of blood transfusions, this Black man is known as the "father of the blood bank."
Who was (Dr.) Charles Drew?
700
Founded by Marcus Garvey, this organization's purpose was to help the Black diaspora connect with their countries of origin and form an independent Black nation in Africa. It focuses on Black pride and economic self-sufficiency. Despite its good intentions, not a single person was ever sent back to Africa.
What is the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)?
700
And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress is... This film star won the very first Oscar for an African-American person for her role as "Mammy" in the film Gone with the Wind.
Who was Hattie McDaniel?
700
Ruby Bridges was the first Black child to attend previously whites-only William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during segregation and integration in this year.
What is 1960?
700
This name for a barbecue in South Africa, also known as shisa nyama ("burn the meat" in Zulu") is a community gathering made to bring people together to share food, enjoy music and each other's company. People grill a delicious combination of meats together. These meats usually consist of beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and vors (sausages).
What is a Braai?