Famous Firsts
Historic Locations
Finish That Tune
Black inventions
Unforgettable Characters
100

First African American Supreme Court Justice

Who is Thurgood Marshall

100

Uptown NYC live venue famous for amateur night, launched careers of many including Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Lauryn Hill

What is the Apollo Theater

100

James Brown said “Say it loud _ _ _ _ _”

What is "I'm Black And I'm Proud"

100

1951 song “Rocket 88” by Ike Turner considered to be the first ever song of this genre, though squares may say it's Elvis

What is Rock n' Roll

100

Shakespeare created this character in 1604, who was a Moor soldier in service in Venice and betrayed by his officer Iago

Who is Othello

200

First Rap Label ever, released "Rappers Delight"(1980) as well as hits like "Apache (Jump On It)" (1981)

What is Sugar Hill Records

200

Southern city built on a swamp that gave birth to Jazz (primarily in the French Quarter adjacent area Storyville)

What is New Orleans

200

Sam Cooke said “It’s been a long, a long time coming but I know ___ ___ ___ ____ ___”

What is "A change is gonna come"

200

Actor, writer, producer Matthew Robinson created the character of Gordon on this iconic children’s TV show, now in it’s 55th season.

What is Sesame Street

200

The force is strong with James Earl Jones who voiced this once noble knight turned to the darkside in 3 original blockbuster movies

Who is Darth Vader

300

Nichelle Nichols, one of the first African American women on TV piloting space as Uhura on this 1966 TV series

What is Star Trek

300

City where the 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed and Martin Luther King Jr was jailed in 1963

What is Birmingham, Alabama

300

Marvin Gaye said “Talk to me, So you can see ___ ___ ___”


What is “What’s going on”

300

African American focused magazine created in 1945 and named by publishers wife after a shade of dark wood

What is Ebony

300

JJ, Thelma and Michael navigated inner city Chicago in this legendary 1970's sitcom, aint we lucky we got em!

What is Good Times

400

1st black player in this sport, Willie O’Ree joined the Boston Bruins as a winger in 1958 

What is Hockey

400

This Caribbean country declared independence from France in 1804 and was the first to abolish slavery

What is Haiti

400

Bob Marley said “Won’t you help me to sing, these songs of freedom, cause all I ever have __ __"

What is "Redemption Song"

400

Alexander Miles patented automated doors on this travel device in 1887.  Since then business has been up and down

What is an elevator

400

1884 novel where Jim, an escaped slave navigates the Mississippi river to freedom with this 13 year old boy

What is Huckleberry Finn

500

DC Comics 1st African American superhero, Jefferson Pierce can manipulate electricity.  Honored with his own CW TV show in 2018

Who is Black Lightning

500

Former South African prison that held Nelson Mandela for 18 years and is a museum today

What is Robben Island

500

In what song did Bob Dylan say “How May Roads Must A Man Walk Down Before He Is Considered A Man”

What is "Blowing In The Wind"

500

Frederick McKinley Jones obtained a patent in 1940 to make ____ trucks with cooling system in the roof, useful for transporting food.


What is refrigerated

500
In 1978 African American recast of Wizard Of Oz, this legendary performer eased on down the road as the Scarecrow

Who is Michael Jackson