Black Americans: Three Movements Quiz

Answer: Abolitionist Movement

Harriet Tubman is perhaps the most famous figure of the American abolitionist movement. She was a former slave herself, who escaped captivity in Maryland and fled to Philadelphia. She assisted others in their attempts to free themselves from slaveholders by participating in the Underground Railroad.

She was also an agent and spy of the Union forces during the U.S. Civil War. Her amazing life has led her to becoming one of the most memorable figures in American history.

Answer: Abolitionist Movement

Born into slavery, Douglass escaped to freedom and became a powerful voice for the abolitionist cause, speaking out against slavery both in the United States and abroad. He published a newspaper called "The North Star," which became an important platform for anti-slavery advocacy. Douglass also served as an advisor to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.

Answer: Abolitionist Movement

Sojourner Truth's famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech, delivered at a women's rights convention in 1851, became a powerful statement in support of gender and racial equality. Truth was also involved in other abolitionist activities, such as assisting with the Underground Railroad and meeting with President Abraham Lincoln to discuss issues related to African Americans.

Answer: Abolitionist Movement

Henry Highland Garnet was a Black American minister who played an important role in the fight against slavery. Garnet helped to organize the National Negro Convention of 1843, where he delivered a powerful speech calling for the end of slavery and the full equality of Black Americans.

He also served as a minister and activist in Canada, where he continued to advocate for abolition and Black rights.

Answer: Abolitionist Movement

William Still, often given the nickname "Father of the Underground Railroad", wrote extensively about the experiences of escaped slaves, documenting their stories in a book called "The Underground Railroad Records." He was a key figure in the Philadelphia Vigilance Committee, an organization that worked to protect escaped slaves from being captured and returned to slavery. Still's work as a conductor and documentarian of the Underground Railroad provided important insights into the experiences of enslaved people and the struggles they faced in their quest for freedom.

Answer: Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes was a poet, writer, and activist who used his work to explore the experiences of Black Americans and to challenge the racial inequalities of his time. Hughes was one of the most influential writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and his poems and essays helped to define the movement's themes and ideas.

He wrote about the struggles and joys of everyday life and celebrated the unique culture and history of Black Americans.

Answer: Harlem Renaissance

Zora Neale Hurston was a prominent Black American writer and anthropologist who played an important role in the Harlem Renaissance. She was born in Alabama but grew up in Eatonville, Florida, one of the first all-Black towns in the United States. Hurston's writing celebrated the beauty and complexity of Black American culture, and she often used vernacular language and dialects in her work to capture the voices and experiences of everyday people.

She was best known for her novel, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," which explored the lives of Black women in the rural South.

Answer: Harlem Renaissance

Louis Armstrong, also known as "Satchmo," was a prominent jazz musician and bandleader. He was born in New Orleans and began playing music at a young age. Armstrong's unique style of jazz, which incorporated improvisation and new techniques, helped to define the sound of the Harlem Renaissance. Armstrong's work helped to elevate jazz as an art form and to bring attention to the vibrant cultural scene in Harlem during the 1920s and 1930s.

Answer: Harlem Renaissance

Josephine Baker was a prominent Black American dancer, singer, and actress who played an important role in the cultural scene of the 1920s and 1930s. Although she was born in St. Louis, Missouri, Baker spent much of her career in Paris, where she became famous for her energetic and provocative performances.

She was a trailblazer for Black performers, and her work helped to break down racial barriers in the entertainment industry. Baker's performances often featured African-inspired costumes and themes, and she used her platform to advocate for civil rights and social justice.

Answer: Harlem Renaissance

Duke Ellington was born in Washington, D.C., and he later moved to New York where he became a part of the Harlem Renaissance movement. Ellington's music, which combined elements of jazz, blues, and swing, helped to define the sound of the music Black artists were producing in the city.

He was a prolific composer, and his work was influential in the development of jazz as a popular form in the U.S. Ellington's music was performed in clubs and concert halls across the country.

Answer: Civil Rights Movement

A Baptist minister who became the face of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr. has long been celebrated for his contributions to that movement. His belief in nonviolent activism and civil disobedience became a template for American activists of all stripes.

He was the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which fought for equal rights for all Black Americans. He is remembered in the United States with his own national holiday.

Answer: Civil Rights Movement

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was riding a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was a major turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. Parks' act of civil disobedience inspired many others to fight against racial segregation and discrimination. An activist before the bus incident itself, Parks' efforts in the fight for equal rights demonstrated the need for public support.

Answer: Civil Rights Movement

Thurgood Marshall is best known for his work as a lawyer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), where he helped to overturn segregation in schools through the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. Marshall argued many other important cases before the Supreme Court, and his work helped to dismantle legal segregation in the United States.

In 1967, Marshall became the first Black Supreme Court Justice in the U.S.

Answer: Civil Rights Movement

Amiri Baraka, also known as LeRoi Jones, was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement, which aimed to promote Black American culture and political activism through the arts. Baraka's writing often dealt with themes of race, politics, and social justice, and he was an outspoken critic of racism and discrimination.

He was involved in many political organizations and movements, including the Black Power movement, and he used his platform as a writer and public figure to advocate for social change.

Answer: Civil Rights Movement

Angela Davis is a prominent African American scholar and activist who played an important role in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. She was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and she worked to promote social justice and equality for Black Americans and other marginalized groups. Later in life, Davis became a critic of the U.S. prison system, writing books and other works that argue for its abolition.