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LivePolls black history month trivia questions

Top 20 most intriguing black history month trivia questions to ask using LivePolls

Welcome to our Black History Month Trivia! This is a great opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments, contributions, and overall impact of African Americans throughout history. Whether you’re well-versed in Black history or just getting started, this trivia offers a comprehensive look at pivotal moments in history and the notable people who have shaped our world today. From the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to the United States to the present day, this trivia highlights the fundamental importance of Black history to our collective story. So let’s dive in and explore what makes Black History Month so meaningful to so many of us!


1) What day is designated as the international celebration of African heritage and culture?

  • February 2nd
  • February 12th
  • February 22nd
  • February 26th

2) Who was the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?

  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Barack Obama
  • Nelson Mandela
  • W.E.B. Du Bois

3) What is the name of the first African American woman to be appointed to the US Supreme Court?

  • Ruth Bader Ginsburg
  • Sonia Sotomayor
  • Sandra Day O'Connor
  • Thurgood Marshall

4) What is the name of the influential African American abolitionist who wrote the memoir, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"?

  • Harriet Tubman
  • Ida B. Wells
  • Frederick Douglass
  • Sojourner Truth

5) What is the name of the first African American woman to be accepted into the US Coast Guard?

  • Bertha Handy
  • JoAnn Anderson
  • Essie Wheaton
  • Yolanda Jones

6) Who was the first African American billionaire in the US?

  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Jay-Z
  • Robert L. Johnson
  • Kanye West

7) Who was the first African American female pilot to receive her commercial license?

  • Bessie Coleman
  • Jerrie Mock
  • Wilma Rudolph
  • Katherine Johnson

8) During the 18th century, what renowned African American preacher and abolitionist is known as the “Father of Black History”?

  • Bishop Henry McNeal Turner
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Frederick Douglass
  • Benjamin Banneker

9) What is the name of the civil rights leader and former NFL football player who led a successful boycott of the Birmingham bus system in 1956?

  • Jesse Jackson
  • Huey P. Newton
  • Richard Allen
  • John Carlos

10) What is the name of the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor?

  • Denzel Washington
  • Sidney Poitier
  • Will Smith
  • Forest Whitaker

11) Who was the first African American woman to serve in the US Senate?

  • Carol Moseley Braun
  • Kamala Harris
  • Maxine Waters
  • Hilary Clinton

12) What is the name of the first African American woman to go into space?

  • Mae Jemison
  • Corrine Carlson
  • Sally Ride
  • Janet Guthrie

13) What is the name of the first African American man to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?

  • Ernest J. Gaines
  • Richard Wright
  • James Baldwin
  • Toni Morrison

14) What is the name of the first African American graduate from Harvard College?

  • John Brown Russwurm
  • W.E.B. Du Bois
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Frederick Douglass

15) Who was the first African American to win a Grand Slam Tennis Championship?

  • Arthur Ashe
  • Venus Williams
  • Althea Gibson
  • Serena Williams

16) What is the name of the first African American woman to serve in the US House of Representatives?

  • Shirley Chisholm
  • Barbara Jordan
  • Joycelyn Elders
  • Condoleeza Rice

17) Who was the first African American man to receive the Nobel Prize in literature?

  • Zora Neale Hurston
  • Toni Morrison
  • James Baldwin
  • Ralph Ellison

Top 3 reasons to use our free black history month Trivia Template

1) Celebrate and recognize an important part of history.

2) Learn about the contributions of African American history-makers.

3) Foster conversations about the importance of inclusion and diversity.