Famous Figures
Who was the civil rights leader and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement by using nonviolent civil disobedience?
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
This African American poet and civil rights activist, known for her autobiographical works like "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," received numerous awards for her contributions to literature.
Who is Maya Angelou?
Often referred to as the "Godfather of Soul," this influential musician had a career spanning six decades and is known for hits like "I Got You (I Feel Good)."
Who is James Brown?
On February 1, 1960, four African American college students initiated a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in which city, sparking a wave of similar protests against segregation?
What is Greensboro, North Carolina?
This Charlotte-Born artist, author, and songwriter is most known for his photomontage compositions made from torn images of popular magazines and assembled into visually powerful statements on African American life.
Who is Romare Bearden?
This African American woman, born into slavery, became a prominent abolitionist and women's rights activist, delivering her famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech in 1851.
Who is Sojourner Truth?
This Alabama-born author wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird," addressing racial injustice in the American South.
Who is Harper Lee?
This Motown artist, known as the "Prince of Motown," delivered hits like "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" and "Ain't That Peculiar."
Who is Marvin Gaye?
In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in a landmark case known as what?
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
Best known for her series of paintings titled "The Migration Series," this artist depicted the mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North.
Who is Jacob Lawrence?
As the first African American Supreme Court Justice, appointed in 1967, he served for 24 years and was a strong advocate for civil rights.
Who is Thurgood Marshall?
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Color Purple," she explores themes of race, gender, and identity in her works.
Who is Alice Walker?
Often called the "Queen of Soul," this singer and pianist became an icon of black pride and female empowerment in the music industry.
Who is Aretha Franklin?
In 1965, a historic march from Selma to Montgomery, led by civil rights leaders, aimed to achieve voting rights for African Americans. What was it called?
What is the Selma to Montgomery March?
A prominent NASA mathematician, she calculated trajectories for the Apollo space missions and played a key role in the success of the early U.S. space program.
Who is Katherine Johnson?
The investigative journalist, educator, and anti-lynching crusader who co-founded the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Women.
Who is Ida B Wells?
This African American physicist is known for her groundbreaking work in the development of the laser and fiber-optic communications.
Who is Shirley Ann Jackson?
This record-breaking singer/artist holds the record for most grammy's won by a single artist, despite never having won album of the year.
Who is Beyonce?
This event in 1921 saw a prosperous African American community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, destroyed by a white mob, resulting in many deaths and the burning of homes and businesses.
What is the Tulsa Race Massacre? (Burning of Black Wall Street)
An influential figure in the Black Arts Movement, this poet, playwright, and essayist wrote "The Black Arts Movement" manifesto and co-founded the Umbra Writers Workshop.
Who is Amiri Baraka?
The first African-American Youth Poet Laureate who read her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at the presidential inauguration in 2021
Who is Amanda Gorman?
The African-American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion.
Who is George Washington Carver?
The richest black musician of all time (not based solely on their earnings through music)
Who Is Robyn Fenty (Rihanna!)
In 1863, this executive order by President Abraham Lincoln declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free.
What is the Emancipation Proclamation?
This visual artist and social activist created powerful collages addressing race and gender inequality in the 1960s and 1970s, including the iconic work "Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima?"
Who is Faith Ringgold?