African-American Hodgepodge Trivia Quiz

Answer: 13

The inaugural Derby was won by a colt named Aristides. On that Saturday in May, Aristides was ridden by 19 year old, Oliver Lewis. Lewis was one of thirteen Black jockeys that rode in the Derby that Saturday, May 17, 1895. During that time most of the jockeys and handlers of race horses were Black.

After his racing career, Lewis became sort of a racetrack tout. He was a bookmaker (which was legal in those days), and he also developed the first handicapping tables along with the first racing forms. Lewis was married and the father of six children.

He died in 1924, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Answer: South Carolina

Penn Center is South Carolina's only nationally registered, Historic Black landmark. Located on St. Helena's Island (you've got to read about this island), the school was incorporated in 1862 as Penn School, but has since undergone several name changes. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote his famous, 'I Have a Dream' speech while lodging at the Penn Center.

Answer: Boston Bruins

Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 1935, Willie O'Ree became the first Black man to play in the National Hockey League. In 1958 the Boston Bruins called O'Ree up from the minors and he played two games, before being sent back to the minors. He was filling in for an injured player. Two years later, O'Ree was again on the roster for the Bruins; This time he lasted two years.

He had four goals and ten assists at the end of 1961. Not bad for a, blind in one eye, winger. In 1998, during ceremonies before the NHL All-Star game, the National Hockey League honored Willie O'Ree and named him the Director of Youth Hockey Development for the NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force.

Answer: Rice

Rice is capable of growing on almost every continent of the world. There are 21 varieties of wild rice and two species of cultivated rice. The African variety of cultivated rice is "Oryza glabberima". The other species is an Asian variety. When the White farmers of the Lowlands of South Carolina couldn't get their rice crop to flourish, they started importing slaves from the rice countries of Africa: Gambia, Sierra Leone, and the Windward Coast became harvesting fields for slavers, and Charlestown (Charleston today), South Carolina their destinations. Slaves were mainly bought for their know-how of growing rice.

They taught their owners how to grow rice and properly irrigate the paddies. Rice made Charlestown, South Carolina, a very rich town.

Answer: Beverly Johnson

The first Black woman to be so featured on a European issue was Donyale Luna. While both models were featured on "Vogue", Beverly Johnson was the first to grace the cover of the American issue. The photos were shot by famed photographer Francesco Scavullo for the August 1974 issue of the magazine.

After her career ended Miss Johnson became a businesswoman. She went into the hair and hair care industry for African-American women.

Answer: Gas mask

Born the son of former slaves, in 1914 Garrett A. Morgan was awarded a U.S. patent for his 'Safety Hood and Smoke Protector'. The invention was put to the test in July of 1926 when Garrett and others donned the devices to rescue 32 men trapped in an underground explosion beneath Lake Erie.

After this event fire companies around the country were requesting the device. The U.S. Army made adjustments to the mask and used it during World War I. Morgan was also the first to be granted a patent for a stop signal.

The "T-Shape" signal was patented in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain. Mr. Morgan, who died in 1963, is credited with quite a few other inventions including the zig-zag stitch foot for sewing machines.

Answer: Umpire

Emmett Littleton Ashford was born November of 1914 in Los Angeles, California. In 1951 he became an the first Black umpire in the minor leagues and in April of 1966 Ashford became the first Black umpire in the Major League of Baseball. By all accounts Ashford brought his own natty style of dress to the game.

He was said to be an impeccable dresser, even wearing cufflinks on the diamond. His style of umpiring got him a spot in the 1967 All-Star game as well as the 1970 World Series. Although Ashford's style of emphatic and exagerated umpiring was frowned upon by other umpires in the league.

However, today that style is a welcomed attraction to sports fans and players alike. In 1970 Emmett Ashford's age forced him out as an umpire. He died in 1980 at the age of 65 in Venice, California.

In 1982 in his honor, a little league field was named for him in Los Angeles.

Answer: Leontyne Price

Mary Violet Leontine Price was born in Laurel, Mississippi in February of 1927. After High School, Ms. Price went on to study at Central State College in Wilberforce, Ohio where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948. She then studied with Florence Kimball at New York's Juilliard School of Music.

It was there she dropped the "I" for a "Y" in her name. In 1952 her opera career took off. Ms. Price has received world-wide fame as a prima donna. She has appeared in the most famous opera houses of the world.

She is well-known for her Verdi roles, and most for the role of Aida. Her first appearance at the Old Metropolitan in the role of Leonora, in 'Il Trovatore', on January 27, 1961 earned her the 42 minute ovation and critical acclaim.

In 1985 at the Lincoln Center in New York, Leontyne Price gave her final performance in the role she was said to own - Verdi's 'Aida'.

Answer: Refrigeration

After hearing a trucker's woes about a load of chickens that spoiled during transport on a hot day, Frederick Jones got an idea to make a refrigeration system for the trucking industry. In 1943 Jones finally got a patent for his device and truckers have been delivering food products across the world since. Jones and his boss Joseph Numero went into partnership later and found a company that would market their device, "Thermo King".

Born Frederick M. Jones in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1892, Jones was one of the countries most prolific inventors with over sixty patents.

Unfortunately, Mr. Jones let some of his inventions slip through his hands by not getting patents for them. One such invention was the portable x-ray machine. Jones also invented technologies in movie sound that he never patented.

He also invented the ticket machine and change return machine used in theaters. In September of 1991, Jones was the first Black man to be awarded the American National Medal of Technology. Frederick M. Jones died in February of 1961.

Answer: Robb Armstrong

'Jump Start' began its publication in 1988 and has appeared in more than 250 newspapers across the country. Chronicling the lives of Joe, Marcy, Sunny, Jojo and twins Tommi and Teddy Cobb, Armstrong says the strip is based largely on his own daily life.

When the strip began there wasn't a Sunny. She was added after the birth of Robb and wife Sherry West's daughter, Tess. Born March 4, 1962, in Wynnefield, PA, Robb showed an interest in drawing at the age of three. When he was ten his mother enrolled him in private art lessons.

While at Syracuse University he drew a strip for the school paper called, 'Hector'. Seizing on the popularity of 'Jump Start', Armstrong also has a line of 'Jump Start' greeting cards; And in 1996 signed a deal with Harper Collins to do four books geared to children. Aside from a cartoonist, Armstrong also does motivational speaking to youths.

Answer: On the moon

In November of 1969, George R. Carruthers was granted a patent for his invention of the, 'Image Converter for Detecting Electromagnetic Radiation especially in Short Wave Lengths'. Dr. Carruthers is known world wide for his work in observing the Earth's upper atmosphere through ultraviolet detection and astronomical phenomena.

In 1972 when Apollo 16 and its astronauts went to the moon they carried Dr. Carruthers' patented device with them. The ultraviolet camera became the first moon-based observatory.

The purpose of the observatory was to allowed researchers to examine the Earth's atmosphere for concentrations of pollutants. George Carruthers is possibly best known for proving there is molecular hydrogen in interstellar space.

Answer: Join the Grand Ole Opry

Charley Pride grew up, one of eleven children, in Sledge, Mississippi. When he was 14 he bought a guitar at the local Sears and Roebuck and taught himself to play music. He had a brief stint pitching with the Red Sox of the Negro American League as a 19 year old.

He tried for a few major league teams but music was more of a draw. He caught the ear of producer Jack Clement who asked Pride to record two songs in two hours. He did and his life was changed forever. Pride went on to record and sell countless records. Charley Pride has some of the most outstanding achievements and awards in not only country music, but in music.

In 1967 Pride was asked to appear as a guest at Nashville's, Grand Ole Opry; the inner sanctum of country music. In 1993 he accepted a standing invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry. Charley Pride has performed around the world, including for USO shows.

He has sold records second only to Elvis Presley. He also has a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Maybe most precious to Charley is that he was there when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October of 2000.

Answer: Paul Laurence Dunbar

At their mother's urging, Paul Dunbar and his siblings became interested in poetry. At the age of six, Paul began writing and reciting poetry. He attended school along with Wilbur Wright and was in fact the only Black student in the class. He attended Dayton Central High School where he was editor of the school paper, literary club president, as well as a member of the debate club. Born in Dayton, Ohio in 1872, Dunbar later found work as an elevator operator while working on his writings and poetry. He peddled his work to the people he met on the job. Upon reading a letter by James Newton Matthews that was teeming with accolades about Dunbar's work, he gained national recognition. He published his first book of poetry entitled, 'Oak and Ivy' in 1892. Dunbar went on to publish four books of short stories, five novels, a play and twelve books of poetry. Paul Laurence Dunbar died of tuberculosis in February of 1906.

*In 1983, Rita Dove became the first Black Poet Laureate of the United States.

Answer: Charles Barkley

Yes, it was indeed, "The Round Mound of Rebound", "Sir Charles" himself, Charles Barkley. Born in February of 1963 in Leeds, Alabama, Charles Barkley was as famous on the court as off. He befriended a child and her family after accidentally spitting on the child. And, when asked about being a role-model to kids, he replied, "I am not a role model. Parents should be the role models".

At 6'6 and 250lbs., Barkley managed to gain a position in the exclusive, triple threat club of the NBA. He had a career 20,000 points, 12,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.

In a rather illustrious career aside from his many All-Star Team appearances, Barkley has won two Olympic Gold Medals, was named Most Valuable player and was also named one of the top 50 players of All Time Team - and was nominated to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

His book, "I May Be Wrong, But I Doubt it" was published in 2002. After retiring due to injuries he couldn't overcome, he went on to become a broadcast color commentator for the game of basketball.

Answer: Andre Ware

Andre Ware was born in Dickinson, Texas in July of 1968. He attended the University of Houston where he was the quarterback for their football team. In his last year at Houston (his junior year), he was awarded the Davey O'Brien Award as the most outstanding college quarterback of 1989. During that season he threw for 46 touchdowns, 4,699 yards, and set 26 NCAA records.

When Ware won the Heisman Trophy in 1989, he opted out of his senior year at the University of Houston. He went into the NFL Draft and was picked 7th in the first round by the Detroit Lions.

His professional career pretty much bombed out, but he stuck around the NFL for a few years before moving on to the Canadian Football League. He then went into broadcasting football games.