Important Figures
Who was the first African American to publish a book of poetry
Phillis Wheatley
Born in the Gambia and sold to the Wheatley family in Boston when she was 7 years old, Wheatley was emancipated shortly after her book was released.
What year was hip-hop created?
1973
The birth of hip-hop was created by The two Bronx kids decided to try something a little different while entertaining guests at their sister's back-to-school bash.
Who was the 1st woman to sign with the WNBA
Sheryl Swoopes
is a three-time WNBA MVP, and was named one of the league's Top 15 Players of All Time at the 2011 WNBA All-Star Game. Swoopes has won three Olympic gold medals and is one of eleven women's basketball players to have won an Olympic gold medal,[3] an NCAA Championship, a Fiba world cup gold, and a WNBA title.
In 1870 who became the first African American to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives
Joseph Hayne Rainey
He was the first black person to serve in the United States House of Representatives and the second black person (after Hiram Revels) to serve in the United States Congress.
My first book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) tells of my life up to the age of 17 years. I’ve written seven autobiographies and am also noted for my poetry.
Maya Angelou
Who is the creator of Black History Month
Carter G. Woodson
Often referred to as the “Father of Black History,” he was notably the second African American to graduate from Harvard University with a doctorate degree, and is credited with being one of the first scholars to study and research the history of African Americans.
Run-D.M.C. collaborated with rock musicians Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, of Aerosmith, on a rap remake of which of their band’s songs
Walk This Way
being one of the songs that helped break Aerosmith into the mainstream in the 1970s, it also helped revitalize their career in the 1980s[4] when it was covered by hip hop group Run-D.M.C. (in collaboration with Aerosmith) on their 1986 album Raising Hell. This cover was a touchstone for the new musical subgenre of rap rock
In what year did Jackie Robinson break the color barrier
1947
Jackie Robinson became the first black player to play in the major leagues of baseball when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Who was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in economics?
Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander
In 1921, Mossell Alexander was the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. in economics in the United States.
My name at birth was Araminta “Minty” Ross, but I changed it after escaping slavery. My codename was “Moses” as I led my family and many more to freedom via the Underground Railroad. The bounty on my head would be worth over $300,000 today.
Harriet Tubman
Who was the 1st Black Woman to to earn a four-year degree
Lucy Stanton
She graduated from Oberlin College in 1850 with a literary degree
Which singer has been called the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul
Mary J. Blige
is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award.
Which track and field star was the first athlete to win four gold medals in an Olympic Games?
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany.
In 1967 who was the first African American popularly elected to the U.S. Senate?
Edward Brooke
A member of the Republican Party, he represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1967 until 1979
Once enslaved, I gained fame as an abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. As a national leader of the Abolitionist movement in New York and Massachusetts, my oratory skills were universally praised.
Frederick Douglass
He was responsible for creating over 500 new products made from sweet potatoes and peanuts
George Carver
Was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion.[2] He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the early 20th century.
The original "four elements" of hip-hop culture consist of rapping, deejaying, break dancing (or "B-boying"), and what else
Graffiti
This fullback for the Cleveland Browns averaged an NFL record 5.22 yards per carry during his football career. He would later become a prominent civil rights activist.
Jim Brown
Jim Brown played nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns while piling up 12,312 yards rushing and scoring 106 touchdowns.
In 1966 who was appointed secretary of Housing and Urban Development, becoming the first African American to hold a cabinet position in U.S. history?
Robert C. Weaver
Robert C. Weaver was an economist who, as the first secretary (1966–68) of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was the first African American appointed to a cabinet position in the U.S. government.
I was the first black male to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for the movie Lilies of the Field. But, you might know me for my other work like To Sir With Love or Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner?
Sidney Poitier
He was the first Black person in space
Guion Bluford
He became the first Black person in space in 1983, and would spend 688 hours there over the course of his career as an astronaut.
She is dubbed the First Godmother of Hip-Hop
Sylvia Robinson
Produced the first-ever commercially successful rap record: “Rapper’s Delight,” by the Sugar Hill Gang. And along with her husband, she co-owned the first hip-hop label, Sugar Hill Records.
What was the name of the fight in which Muhammad Ali reclaimed the heavyweight boxing title by knocking out George Foreman in 1974?
The Rumble In The Jungle.
The 1974 fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman was held in Zaire
I served as Attorney General of California for six years, followed by four years as a Senator from the Golden State. In 2020, I ran for president as a Democrat. Today, I am Vice President of the United States.
Kamala Harris
is an American politician and attorney who is the 49th and current vice president of the United States. She is the first female vice president and the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president
I signed with Motown when I was just 21 years old. Some of my more popular songs include “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” and “Mercy Mercy Me.” My rendition of the National Anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star game is still talked about today.
Marvin Gaye