Pop Culture
In 2019, this iconic rapper and activist broke barriers by becoming the first female rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Who is Missy Elliott?
This former enslaved woman became known as the "Moses of her people" for leading hundreds to freedom via a secret network of safe houses.
Who is Harriet Tubman?
This MLB player became the first Black man inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Who is Jackie Robinson?
In 1984, this pioneering female rapper became the first woman in hip-hop to release a solo album, Queen of the Pack, breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry.
Who is MC Lyte?
In 1881, this inventor revolutionized the way cities operate by patenting the three-light traffic signal.
Who is Garrett Morgan?
In 1983, Michael Jackson's performance of this song on the "Motown 25" special introduced the world to his iconic moonwalk.
What is "Billie Jean"?
Sparked by this woman’s arrest in 1955, the Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted over a year and led to a Supreme Court ruling that desegregated public transportation.
Who is Rosa Parks?
This gymnast became the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in gymnastics in 2012.
Who is Gabby Douglas?
In 1986, this hip-hop group made history by collaborating with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way," a groundbreaking fusion of rap and rock that helped bring hip-hop into the mainstream.
Who is Run-D.M.C.?
This Black woman mathematician played a crucial role in NASA’s early space missions and was featured in the film Hidden Figures.
Who is Katherine Johnson?
In 1989, this pioneering Black actor made history as the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Who is Halle Berry?
A scholar, activist, and former member of the Communist Party, she was imprisoned in 1970 and later acquitted, becoming a symbol of Black liberation and prison abolition.
Who is Angela Davis?
This NFL coach became the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl in 2007, leading the Indianapolis Colts to victory.
Who is Tony Dungy?
In 1994, this Brooklyn-born rapper released Ready to Die, an album that revitalized East Coast hip-hop with its cinematic storytelling and raw lyricism, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest MCs of all time.
Who is The Notorious B.I.G.?
This inventor created the first modern refrigeration system, drastically improving food storage and transport.
Who is Frederick McKinley Jones?
In 1963, this legendary singer performed "America the Beautiful" at the March on Washington, cementing her role as the "Queen of Soul."
Who is Aretha Franklin?
This chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party was assassinated by the FBI and Chicago police in 1969 at just 21 years old.
Who is Fred Hampton?
LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to achieve this statistical milestone, surpassing it in 2025.
What is 50,000 points?
In 1996, this West Coast legend dropped All Eyez on Me, the first-ever double album in hip-hop history, featuring hits like "California Love" and "Ambitionz Az a Ridah."
Who is 2Pac?
In 1951, this scientist’s immortal cells, known as HeLa cells, became the foundation for medical breakthroughs, though she was never compensated.
Who is Henrietta Lacks?
In 2020, this Black actor made history by becoming the first African American man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in over 90 years for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Who is Chadwick Boseman?
An escaped enslaved man, this abolitionist, orator, and writer published the newspaper The North Star and advised President Lincoln on the Emancipation Proclamation.
Who is Frederick Douglass?
Nicknamed “Lightning Bolt,” Usain Bolt set the current world record in the 100m sprint at this time, achieved in 2009.
What is 9.58 seconds?
In 1999, this Bronx-born rapper became the first Latino solo artist in hip-hop to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his hit single "What's Luv?" featuring Ashanti.
Who is Fat Joe?
This inventor developed a device that made home security systems more effective, laying the groundwork for modern surveillance technology.
Who is Marie Van Brittan Brown?