African American Firsts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall became the first African American Supreme Court Justice in 1967. He served until 1991.

Answer: Brown

Ruth Simmons became president of Brown University in 2001 and in doing so became the first African American Ivy League college president.

Answer: Gone with the Wind

McDaniel won an Oscar for best supporting actress in "Gone With the Wind" in 1940 for her role as Mammy.

Answer: Moses Fleetwood Walker

In 1883, Fleetwood signed with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the Northwestern League. A year later the Blue Stockings joined the American Association, which was considered a major league. His brother Welday Walker also played in six games during the 1884 season while Moses played in 42. The Chicago White sox refused to play against him and this led to the color barrier which was broken by Jackie Robinson.

Answer: Colin Powell

Colin Powell became the first African American secretary of state in 2001. He served until 2004. In 2005, Condoleezza Rice became the first female African American secretary of state.

Answer: Hiram Revels

Hiram Revels became the first African American US Senator in 1870 when he was elected in Mississippi. He only served for thirteen months.

Answer: Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters was the first African American to star in a network television show. The show was called "Beulah" and it aired in 1950. Nat King Cole had his own variety network television show, "The Nat King Cole Show" in 1956. In 1965, Bill Cosby became the first African American to star in a network television series in the show "I Spy" and Diahann Carroll starred in "Julia".

Answer: Booker T Washington

Booker T Washington's face appeared on a postage stamp in 1940. Washington was an educator and worked throughout his life for African American rights. He received honorary diplomas from both Dartmouth and Harvard.

Answer: Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods won the Masters golf tournament in 1997.

Charles Sifford (June 1922 - February 2015) was the first African American to play on the PGA Tour but did not win a major. He won the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969.

Answer: Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison won the Nobel prize in 1993. She is renowned for her many novels including, "Beloved", "The Bluest Eye", and "Song of Solomon".