The Spanish-Speaking World
He was a Hispanic music idol who gained fame singing “La Bamba” in 1958.
Who is Ritchie Valens? Tragically, the music world lost Valens in a plane crash when he was only 17.
Thurgood Marshall served as the first Black justice on this American court.
What is the Supreme Court? Marshall was appointed on August 30, 1967.
Their discography includes A Night at the Opera, the album that brought us “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
What is Queen? This 1975 album was one of the most expensive to produce in pop music history.
These two characters make up television’s The Odd Couple.
Who are Felix and Oscar? The show is based on a play by Neil Simon, who originally did not want anything to do with a TV show but eventually became a big fan.
Neil Armstrong took his first step onto the lunar surface.
What is before? The historic “giant leap for mankind” took place in July 1969.
She wrote the novel The Secret Life of Bees.
Who is Sue Monk Kidd? The novel was made into a 2008 movie starring Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, and Queen Latifah.
This actor was known for costarring in the 1996 film Evita and playing Zorro in 1998’s The Mask of Zorro.
Who is Antonio Banderas? For the role of Zorro, Banderas trained with the Olympic national fencing team in Spain.
On February 21, 1965, this Black Muslim civil rights leader was assassinated in Manhattan.
Who is Malcolm X? He was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska, and was one of eight siblings.
From their 1981 album Escape came hits like “Who’s Crying Now” and “Open Arms.”
What is Journey? “Open Arms” was their highest-charting single, and the album reached No. 1 in 1981.
From the late ’80s and into the ’90s, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were basketball’s star pair, playing for this team.
Who are the Chicago Bulls? Although the pair are one of sport’s most notable duos, they have reportedly feuded off and on ever since.
The Berlin Wall was torn down, reuniting East and West Berlin for the first time since 1945.
What is after? The wall came down in 1989, and the official reunification came in October 1990.
This band is known for songs like “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Deacon Blues,” and “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.”
What is Steely Dan? The ’70s pop duo first met when they were students at Bard College in New York.
Born in 1968, Felipe VI holds this position of power in Spain.
What is king? He has been king of Spain since 2014, succeeding his father, Juan Carlos.
Aboard Challenger, Guy Bluford became the first African American to accomplish this.
What is to go into space? Bluford earned degrees in aerospace engineering and was a commissioned Air Force officer before becoming an astronaut.
This group’s offerings included 1977’s Little Queen, which featured their song “Barracuda.”
What is Heart? At the core of the group are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, the daughters of a Marine captain from Southern California.
Introduced in the ’70s, Reese’s Pieces are an iconic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate that got a huge marketing boost from this film.
What is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial? In the film, E.T. is lured into the house with Reese’s Pieces candies, which generated many sales of the candy.
Arthur Ashe won the U.S. Open Title, becoming the first male African American player to do so.
What is before? Ashe won in 1968; a few years later in 1975, he was ranked as the best tennis player worldwide.
This Canadian actor is known for his starring roles in The Truman Show and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
Who is Jim Carrey? Carrey was born in Ontario in 1962. Before his breakout comedic roles, he worked briefly as a janitor to make ends meet.
This 1989 novel’s original title in Spanish reads Como agua para chocolate.
What is Like Water for Chocolate? The novel by Laura Esquivel was made into a movie in 1992 and was nominated for a BAFTA award for Best Film Not in the English Language.
In 1960, this athlete became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the same Olympics.
Who is Wilma Rudolph? She went on to form the Wilma Rudolph Foundation, devoted to promoting amateur athletics.
This group, fronted by Axl Rose, has given us Appetite for Destruction and Chinese Democracy.
What is Guns N’ Roses? The controversial rock group formed in the ’80s and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
They make up the entertainment duo the Osmonds.
Who are Donny and Marie? Born and raised in Utah, the pair have been musical icons and television hosts among other talents.
Jimmy Carter was elected president, defeating Gerald Ford in the aftermath of the Watergate Scandal.
What is after? Ford had relatively little experience and modest funding, while the former peanut farmer ran a well-planned and successful campaign.
Matt LeBlanc plays this character on Friends.
Who is Joey Tribbiani? The Tribbiani character was initially written as a “jerk” but was changed after LeBlanc questioned why the others would be his friends.
She is the Latin American author of The House on Mango Street.
Who is Sandra Cisneros? The 1984 novel has sold over two million copies.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered at the end of the historic March for Jobs and _______.
What is Freedom? The speech was inspired in part by singer Mahalia Jackson, who told King to speak “about the dream.”
Albums of this Irish group include The Joshua Tree and War.
What is U2? Their album Songs of Surrender was released in March 2023.
This Vermont-based ice cream duo opened their first scoop shop in 1978.
Who are Ben and Jerry? The shop opened in a converted gas station and has since grown into a worldwide company.
The Camp David Peace Accords were signed, laying the groundwork for a peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
What is after? The Accords were signed in 1978 and are considered a pivotal moment for U.S. foreign diplomacy.
This Andrew Lloyd Webber musical features the number “Angel of Music.”
What is Phantom of the Opera? Other Lloyd Webber musicals include 1981’s Cats and 1978’s Evita.
In 1964, a painting by this Spanish artist, aka “The Greek,” was discovered in Poland.
Who is El Greco? The story of the extraordinary discovery is told in a 2021 documentary titled Polski El Greco.
This 1967 Supreme Court case legalized interracial marriage in the United States: Loving v. _____.
What is Virginia? The Court’s decision on the case, under chief justice Earl Warren, was unanimous.
The albums Plastic Letters and Parallel Lines are from this ’70s/’80s new-wave group.
What is Blondie? The band was founded by romantic partners Debbie Harry and Chris Stein.
1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope introduced us to Han Solo and this big, furry sidekick.
Who is Chewbacca? The film was so successful that it earned almost $800 million worldwide.
The voting age in the United States was lowered from 21 to 18.
What is after? The 26th Amendment was ratified in 1971 and extended the vote to all Americans aged 18 and older.
Freddie Mercury of the rock band Queen was born in this country.
What is Tanzania (or Zanzibar as it was called at the time)? He was born Frederick Bulsara and began taking music lessons at the age of seven.