Cheers to the ultimate collection of Black trivia questions including celebration of Black excellence, history, culture, and legacy. Whether you’re planning a trivia night, looking for classroom questions, or just want to test your knowledge, this list covers iconic achievements, historical moments, music, literature, civil rights, and more.
Black History Trivia Questions
- Who was the first African American to win a Nobel Peace Prize?
- What year was slavery abolished in the United States?
1865
Who was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature?
- A. Maya Angelou
- B. Toni Morrison
- C. Zora Neale Hurston
- D. Alice Walker
- Who was the first African American woman elected to Congress?
Shirley Chisholm
- Who was the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice?
Thurgood Marshall
- What does Juneteenth commemorate?
The emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in Texas on June 19, 1865
- What organization was co-founded by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1909?
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
- Who delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963?
- What was the Underground Railroad?
A secret network that helped enslaved African Americans escape to freedom
- Who was the leader of the Black Panther Party?
Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale
- What landmark civil rights law was passed in 1964?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Black Music Trivia Questions
- Who is known as the “Queen of Soul”?
Aretha Franklin
- What was Beyoncé’s first solo album called?
Dangerously in Love
- Who was the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize?
- Which Black artist broke records with the album “Thriller”?
Michael Jackson
- What was the name of Prince’s 1984 film and album?
Purple Rain
- Who is the best-selling female rapper of all time?
Nicki Minaj
- What is the name of the genre combining gospel and blues that originated from Black culture?
Soul music
- Which artist released the song “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud”?
James Brown
- What instrument did Miles Davis famously play?
Trumpet
- Who performed the anthem at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration?
Aretha Franklin
Black Literature and Art Trivia Questions
- Who wrote the novel Beloved?
Toni Morrison
- What Harlem Renaissance poet wrote “I, Too”?
Langston Hughes
- Which African American author penned The Bluest Eye?
Toni Morrison
- Who was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction?
Alice Walker, for “The Color Purple”
- Who is the author of Between the World and Me?
Ta-Nehisi Coates
- What genre is Zora Neale Hurston best known for?
Folklore and fiction
- What was Maya Angelou’s first autobiography called?
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
- Which Black artist painted the “Sugar Shack,” popularized by the TV show Good Times?
Ernie Barnes
- Who wrote the play A Raisin in the Sun?
Lorraine Hansberry
- Who is known for the poetic line “Still I Rise”?
Maya Angelou
Black Inventors & Innovators Trivia
- Who invented the modern traffic light and gas mask?
Garrett Morgan
- Who was the first Black woman to receive a patent?
Sarah E. Goode
- Who invented the Super Soaker water gun?
Lonnie G. Johnson
- Who invented the folding cabinet bed?
Sarah E. Goode
- Who invented the three-position traffic signal?
Garrett Morgan
- Who developed a technique to preserve blood plasma?
Dr. Charles Drew
- Which Black chemist improved the process of peanut production?
George Washington Carver
- Who co-founded the video-sharing platform YouTube?
Jawed Karim (of Bangladeshi and German descent, often misattributed as Black)
- Who invented the ironing board?
Sarah Boone
- Who invented the automatic elevator doors?
Alexander Miles
Black Cinema and TV Trivia Questions
- Who was the first Black actor to win an Academy Award?
Hattie McDaniel
- What was the first major film with an all-Black cast?
Cabin in the Sky (1943)
- Who played Black Panther in the Marvel movies?
Chadwick Boseman
- Who directed the film Get Out?
Jordan Peele
- What show featured the Huxtable family?
The Cosby Show
- Which film did Spike Lee direct about Malcolm X?
Malcolm X
- Who became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series?
Viola Davis
- What show starred Issa Rae and explored modern Black womanhood?
Insecure
- Who starred in the Netflix series “When They See Us”?
Jharrel Jerome (Emmy Winner)
- Who played Aunt Viv in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (original actress)?
Janet Hubert
Black Sports Legends Trivia
- Who was the first Black player in Major League Baseball?
Jackie Robinson
- Who was the first Black man to win a heavyweight boxing title?
Jack Johnson
- Who is considered the greatest female tennis player of all time?
Serena Williams
- What sport did Simone Biles dominate?
Gymnastics
- Who became the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series championship?
No Black driver has won the Cup yet, but Bubba Wallace is a top contender
- Who was the first Black golfer to win the Masters Tournament?
Tiger Woods
- What basketball player is known as “His Airness”?
Michael Jordan
- Who won four Olympic gold medals in track and field at the 1936 Berlin Games?
Jesse Owens
- Who is the youngest NBA MVP ever?
Derrick Rose
- Which boxer said, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”?
Muhammad Ali
Black Culture and Modern Excellence
- Who founded the beauty brand Fenty Beauty?
Rihanna
- What was Barack Obama’s campaign slogan in 2008?
Yes We Can
- Who created the phrase “Black Girl Magic”?
CaShawn Thompson
- What is the Pan-African flag made of?
Red, black, and green stripes
- Who launched the #MeToo movement?
Tarana Burke
- What day celebrates Black economic power with shopping from Black-owned businesses?
Blackout Day (July 7)
- Who starred in Creed and Black Panther?
Michael B. Jordan
- What is the official flower of Kwanzaa?
The flower varies; Kwanzaa focuses more on symbols than flowers
- What is the Swahili word for “unity” celebrated during Kwanzaa?
Umoja
- Which Black woman became the first U.S. Vice President?
Black Scientists & Innovators Trivia
- Who was the first African American woman to go to space?
Mae Jemison
- Who invented the three-way traffic signal?
Garrett Morgan
- What famous African-American agriculturist developed hundreds of products from peanuts?
George Washington Carver
- Who created an early version of the modern gas mask?
Garrett Morgan
- Which African-American scientist pioneered blood storage and transfusion techniques?
Charles Drew
Black TV & Media Trivia
- What was the first Black family sitcom to appear on American television?
Julia
- Who became the first African American woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series?
Viola Davis
- What show featured the Huxtable family?
The Cosby Show
- Who played the lead role in “Scandal”?
Kerry Washington
- What sitcom did Queen Latifah star in during the ’90s?
Living Single
Black Sports Legends Trivia
- Who was the first African American to win the Masters Tournament in golf?
Tiger Woods
- What female athlete has the most Grand Slam titles in the Open Era?
Serena Williams
- Who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947?
Jackie Robinson
- Who is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer as of 2024?
LeBron James
- Who was known as the “Greatest” and also refused to fight in the Vietnam War?
Muhammad Ali
Black Music Trivia: Modern Era
- Who won Album of the Year at the 2023 Grammys for “Harry’s House”?
Harry Styles
- Which Black artist holds the record for the most Grammy wins ever?
Beyoncé
- Which rapper’s real name is Shawn Carter?
- Who was the first Black woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
Aretha Franklin
- Who is the youngest solo artist to score a number one hit on Billboard?
Stevie Wonder
Black Culture & Achievements
- What is Juneteenth a celebration of?
The end of slavery in Texas
- What African-American holiday celebrates family, community, and culture from Dec 26 to Jan 1?
Kwanzaa
- Who was the first African American president of the United States?
- What major event did Rosa Parks influence?
Montgomery Bus Boycott
- Who said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere?”
Bonus: Fun & Pop Culture
- What animated Disney film features the first Black princess?
The Princess and the Frog
- Who starred as Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Chadwick Boseman
- What groundbreaking sitcom was produced by Kenya Barris and starred Tracee Ellis Ross?
Black-ish
- Which Black actress voiced Bo Peep in Toy Story 4?
Annie Potts
- What is the name of Beyoncé’s visual album inspired by “The Lion King”?
Black Is King