Black Is the Color Trivia Quiz

Answer: my true love's hair

The line is the first of the song "Black Is the Color (of My True Love's Hair)". It is about a woman awaiting the return of her sailor love. Its origins are disputed.

Answer: Three Dog Night

Although the song was written in 1954, it became widely known in 1972 when Three Dog Night's recording hit number one. The song was about the US Supreme Court's decision on Brown vs. the Board of Education, which made racial segregation illegal in US public schools. It was recorded previously by both Pete Seeger and Sammy Davis, Jr. in the 1950s.

Answer: Amethyst

Amethyst is a form of quartz that is generally violet in color. It exists in a range of shades from reddish- to bluish-purple, but not black.

Answer: Stephen King

Stephen King co-wrote the book with Peter Straub. This is one of King's books not set in Maine, but instead in Wisconsin (Straub's home state). It has links to the "Dark Tower" novels through the character of Jack Sawyer. Its plot centers around a series of child disappearances and murders in a small Wisconsin town, and the effort to apprehend the suspected killer called the Fisherman.

Straub and King collaborated earlier on "The Talisman", the novel to which "Black House" is a sequel.

Answer: a cooking method used with fish and some meats

Blackening has its origins in Cajun cooking, and was popularized by chef Paul Prudhomme. First used with redfish, blackening is a cooking technique used with other fish and some meats. The item is first coated in melted butter, then dredged in a mixture of spices, and finally fried in a very hot iron skillet. This causes a black crust to form--hence the term blackening.

Answer: The Rolling Stones

Of course, the Stones did it. The song was released in May 1966. It was one of their early dark efforts--pardon the pun!

Answer: a male baby will be born in the household (Bulgaria)

There are many superstitions related to cats, but influencing the sex of a baby isn't one of them! Black cats can be considered both good luck and bad luck, depending on the country.

Answer: Anna Sewell

All the listed choices are famed women authors. Anna Sewell (1820-1878) lived her whole life in England. She was injured in childhood, and had trouble walking, but she was able to drive a horse and carriage, and she loved horses. She spent the final years of her life writing "Black Beauty", and died of hepatitis just a few months following its publication.

Answer: an organized crime ring known for extortion

The Black Hand operated in the US in the early 20th century. In the US, it consisted of many small crime syndicates made up of Italian immigrants whose modus operandi typically included writing letters to intended victims, threatening them with bodily harm if they didn't bring a specified amount money to a certain place at a certain time.

The letters were often "signed" with a drawing, in black ink, of a hand.

Answer: A food

Blackstrap, also known as blackstrap molasses, is created by boiling the sugar out of sugar cane as part of the refining process. The residue remaining after several boilings is a thick, dark brown, syrupy substance that is only slightly sweet. It is rich in vitamin B6, calcium and other minerals, unlike refined sugar.

It is commonly used to flavor baked beans and gingerbread. Interestingly, the fermentation of blackstrap results in the production of ethanol.