Are You Smarter Than a Black Fifth Grader?
[UPDATE: Feel free to turn your quiz in any time between now and the end of the month.]
Here’s a quiz to test your knowledge of Black history. The questions are based on biographies written by Mrs. Sunda’s 4th/5th grade Gifted Resource Class at Brisas Elementary in Chandler, Arizona* in 2004. (We have no idea if any of these fifth graders were black, but we thought the blog title would be catchy.)
And there is a fabulous prize: First person to email me [deesha (at) deeshaphilyaw (dot) com] with the most correct answers will win a copy of a book befitting our Black History Month celebration.
(No fair Googling, Wiki-ing, or anything else!) Good luck!
1. In what year was Hank Aaron inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame?
a) 1982
b) 1977
c) 1985
2. True or False: Sojourner Truth said, ““I grew up like a neglected weed–ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it.”
3. _____________ was/is self-educated in astronomy.
a) Mae Jemison
b) George Washington Carver
c) Benjamin Banneker
4. While in the Negro American League, Hank Aaron played for which team?
a) Kansas City Monarchs
b) Homestead Grays
c) Indianapolis Clowns
5. ______________ was often accused of being a man dressed up as a woman.
a) Harriet Tubman
b) Zora Neale Hurston
c) Sojourner Truth
6. Which USAF fighter pilot became the first black four-start general?
a) Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr.
b) Willard “Willie” Mason
c) Errol Brewster
7. Who was commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen, and the first black general in the United States Air Force?
a) General Robert A. Daniels, Jr.
b) General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
c) General Samuel L. Brooks, Jr.
8. Whose real name was Araminta Ross?__________________________
9. True or False: Langston Hughes initially studied engineering at Columbia University.
10. What is Booker T. Washington’s middle name?
a) Thomas
b) Taliaferro
c) Tremaine
11. ______________ had her first poem published when she was 17 years old.
a) Phillis Wheatley
b) Gwendolyn Brooks
c) Audre Lorde
***Bonus Question (courtesy of Yvette and BlackClassicMovies.com)
What are the names of the seven African-American women who have been nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award?
Hint: only one of them has won
*We felt the need to fact-check some of the biographies after reading these priceless gems:
“Throughout his adulthood Langston found his own unique way of making his mark in society by letting other people know that being black is not all that it’s cracked up to be.” –K.
“[Hank Aaron] became the last African American to play in the major leagues.”–J.
“[Booker T. Washington] inspired lots of other Blacks to have individuality and to get an education while they had a chance.” –S.
“Harriet Tubman helped free most blacks from slavery.”–H.
“[Jesse Owens and his family] were planting crops to survive in the winters for their hungry mouths.”–C.
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You are in the midst of a blogathon celebrating 32 Days of Black History! Yvette at Six Impossible Things…and I are joined by InkogNegro,Christina, Chris,and Tami.Visit, comment, bookmark!
February 14th, 2008 at 9:09 am
hmmm …. I have a sixth grader at home, I hope that she can do better than my 5:11 correct ratio. I may have fared better if I’d “guessed” for the questions I had no idea, but that would have been cyber-cheating.
~cef
February 14th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I’m embarrased to say how many I actually got right! And that bonus question… I was certain I knew them all, but I got 5 out of 7. I was surprised that there have actually been that many who have been nominated.
February 14th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
@ TAO:
You should submit. So far, no one else has…you just might win!