Throughout the month of February, people in the United States celebrate the achievements of Black Americans. President Gerald Ford started the tradition in 1976 to “…seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Test your knowledge by taking this brief quiz.
- In 1972, the first Black woman elected to Congress launched a campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination with the slogan: Unbought and Unbossed. She once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” What was her name?
- Yvonne Brathwaite Burke
- Shirley Chisholm
- Barbara Jordan
- Gwen Moore
- Eugene Bullard was the first African American pilot to serve in the Armed Forces. He worked as an air gunner for the French Army and served in two American wars. Which wars did he serve in?
- World War I and World War II
- World War II and Korean War
- Korean War and Vietnam War
- Vietnam War and Grenada
- One Black American author, who has won the National Book Award, the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, the MacArthur Genius Grant, and many other awards, described the work this way, “When you write, it's like braiding your hair. Taking a handful of coarse unruly strands and attempting to bring them unity.” What is the author’s name?
- Candace Carty-Williams
- Marlon James
- Edwidge Danticat
- Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Alabamian Percy Julian didn’t attend high school, but he earned a PhD from DePauw University. Julian graduated Phi Beta Kappa at the top of his class. Historically, he is regarded as one the most influential leaders in his field. What was his field of study?
- Law
- Medicine
- Chemistry
- History
Quiz Answers:
- B – Shirley Chisholm.
- A – World War I and World War II.
- C – Edwidge Danticat.
- C – Chemistry.
photo by: Black History Month Square on black square background.© Kingmaphotos | Dreamstime.com