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About This Quiz
While their history in the United States is littered with countless forms of adversity against them, many African Americans throughout the years have managed to leave their mark on the country and make it a better and more accepting place. Do you believe in dreams? Then let’s see if you can name all of these famous African Americans.
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou – born April 4, 1928 and died May 28, 2014 – is an African American memoirist, civil rights activist and poet. She is widely praised for her literary works, especially her debut autobiography “I Know Why The Caged Bird Singsâ€.
Duke Ellington
James Meredith
Jackie Robinson
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Josephine Baker
Eddie Murphy
Barack Obama
The first African American president of the U.S.; Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States for a period of eight years, from 2009 to 2017. Before this, he served in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004 and then served as a United States senator (representing Illinois) from 2005 to 2008.
Booker T. Washington
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Althea Gibson
Diana Ross
Charles Drew
Charles Drew (born June 3, 1904 and died April 1, 1950) was an American medical researcher, physician and surgeon who helped to advance aspects of blood storage and blood transfusions, which directly led to developing large-scale blood banks in World War II. Drew was an outspoken protester against the racial segregation of blood donation – since there was no scientific cause for the practice.
Langston Hughes
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Stevie Wonder
James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones is without a doubt one of the most prolific actors in American history; having a career that well exceeds 60 years. Jones is known for his part in The Great White Hope, as well as his voice work in The Lion King (Mufasa) and Star Wars (Darth Vader).
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Jimi Hendrix
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Muhammad Ali
Morgan Freeman
Aretha Franklin
Emmett Till
Emmett Till has posthumously become an icon of the Civil Rights Movement as a result the cause of his death. Carolyn Bryant accused Emmett of whistling and flirting with her (something she admitted years later that she had fabricated) and so a few days later her husband (and others) abducted, beat, mutilated and finally shot Till in the head. Emmett Till died at the age of 14 and his funeral was attended by tens of thousands.
Wiki commons
Who is this famous African American?
Ella Baker
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain – full name Wilton Norman Chamberlain – was an American basketball player who is commonly considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain holds numerous records, and is the only player to score 100 points in a single NBA game.
Colin Powell
Dorothy Dandridge
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Youtube
Who is this famous African American?
Halle Berry
Before she was an actress, Halle Berry was actually a proficient model, being the first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant and sixth place in Miss World 1986. She is the only black woman to have won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Ray Charles
Sidney Poitier
Tiger Woods
Youtube
Who is this famous African American?
Sugar Ray Leonard
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is one of the most prolific and acclaimed actors in modern filmmaking. He is well known for portraying several real-life figures; including his celebrated portrayal of Malcom X. He has won several awards for his performances, including two Academy Awards.
Marcus Garvey
Charles Barkley
Wiki commons
Who is this famous African American?
Martin Luther King, Jr
Bessie Coleman
Patricia Bath
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, where he began training as an amateur boxer when he was just 12 years old. At the young age of 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and turned professional later that year.
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Nat King Cole
Roy Wilkins
Roy Ottoway Wilkins (born August 30, 1901 and died September 8, 1981) was a prominent activist in the Civil Rights Movement from the 1930s to the 1970s. He is also well known for his leadership of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Sidney Poitier
Rosa Parks
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor who has won several awards, including an Academy Award for his role in Million Dollar Baby. Freeman has since expanded into directing and even does work as a narrator.
Malcolm X
Michael Jackson
Josephine Baker
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Will Smith
Richard Pryor
Richard Wright
Richard Nathaniel Wright is a celebrated African American author who wrote several poems, non-fiction books, short stories and novels. While he was alive, many of his works were viewed as being controversial since they highlighted racial issues and real-life acts of discrimination.
Tiger Woods
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Colin Powell
Ella Baker
Ella Baker was by far one of the most influential women in the Civil Rights Movement; even though she may not have been the most well-known. Baker worked alongside several civil rights leaders in the 20th century, including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr, and W. E. B. Du Bois.
Eddie Murphy
Marcus Garvey
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Jimi Hendrix
Magic Johnson
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is considered to be one of the most critically and commercially successful musical performers of the late 20th century. He is also an activist and is well known for his successful campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a holiday.
Spike Lee
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Althea Gibson
Malcolm X
Madame C.J. Walker
Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington was an African American composer, pianist and bandleader of a jazz orchestra. He toured extensively with his orchestra, even in Europe; and managed to lead them for over 50 years until his death. He is also known for having written over a thousand compositions.
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Michael Jordan
Ray Charles
Bessie Coleman
Bessie Coleman was the first woman of African-American descent (and also the first of Native American descent) to hold a pilot license. Coleman was interested in flying from an early age; however, since African Americans and women had no US flight school opportunities at the time, she instead saved up money to go to France and earn her license there.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Who is this famous African American?
Malcolm X
Malcolm X has been hailed as one of the most influential African Americans in history. Although he initially criticized the Civil Rights Movement as being ineffectual and unsuccessful, later on he would find himself willing to work with them – while advocating for some more effective changes in their policies.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Langston Hughes
Oprah Winfrey
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Maya Angelou
Denzel Washington
Charles Barkley
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy is a man who has had many different successful careers in entertainment, including but not limited to: comedian, actor, producer, singer and writer. Murphy is one of the most financially successful actors.
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Who is this famous African American?
Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, and won world titles in five weight divisions. He was named "Boxer of the Decade" in the 1980s and was a part of the “fabulous four†with Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Durán.
Booker T. Washington
Muhammad Ali
Colin Powell
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Rosa Parks
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Madame C.J. Walker
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson was an African American tennis player and also a professional golfer. She was the first person of color to win a Grand Slam title (doing so in 1956) and she won both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon in both 1957 and also again in 1958.
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Jackie Robinson
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is widely regarded as one of the most skilled, well-known golfers of all time. At the height of his professional career, he was considered to be one of the highest paid athletes in the world and also ranked number one for a total of 683 weeks.
Ralph Ellison
Michael Jordan
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Jimi Hendrix
Spike Lee
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson
Widely hailed as one of the most skilled basketball players of all time, Magic Johnson is now currently retired but he holds the position of president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a member of the “Dream Team†(1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team) that won the gold medal in 1992.
TMDB
Who is this famous African American?
Richard Pryor
Michael Jackson
If any singer needs no introduction it is Michael Jackson, the undisputed “King of Pop." While it is obvious that he has influenced countless musical artists around the world, he has also had a significant impact on the evolution of dance techniques and their popularization.
Halle Berry
Sidney Poitier
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Dandridge was an African American actress, singer, and dancer. She is well known for being the first African-American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress – which she received for her performance in the 1954 film Carmen Jones.
Langston Hughes
Oprah Winfrey
Muhammad Ali
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Roy Wilkins
Emmett Till
Marcus Garvey
Undeniably one of the most influential figures in North American black culture, Marcus Garvey was an activist and a supporter of Pan-Africanism. He was also an outspoken criticizer of Western communism, especially on topics of how the political movement related to people of African ancestry.
Booker T. Washington
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Wilt Chamberlain
Stevie Wonder
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier (full title Sir Sidney Poitier) is an American actor, film director, author and diplomat. He is best known for being the first black actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor – for his part in Lilies of the Field.
Ralph Ellison
Wiki commons
Who is this famous African American?
Madame C.J. Walker
Diana Ross
While Diana Ross is obviously best known for her extensive singing career, she has also found success as a songwriter, actress and record producer. She was the lead singer of the Supremes; the best charting girl group in US history, and one of the best-selling girl groups of all time.
Charles Drew
Althea Gibson
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
At the time of his retirement in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes played (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), career wins (1,074) and personal fouls (4,657). He still currently holds the records for points scored and career wins.
Josephine Baker
Duke Ellington
Magic Johnson
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Will Smith
Morgan Freeman
Spike Lee
Spike Lee has, through his personal production company, produced over 35 films. His efforts in the film industry have earned him numerous awards and two Academy Award nominations. His is well known for focusing on topics of race relations and racism.
Walter White
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
Wilt Chamberlain
Colin Powell
Colin Powell is the first and only (as of now) African American who has served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the first African American to serve as United States secretary of state, serving under U.S. President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.
Michael Jackson
Nat King Cole
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Barack Obama
Richard Wright
Jackie Robinson
James Meredith
James Howard Meredith is not only an important Civil Rights Movement figure, but he is also an Air Force veteran, a writer and a political adviser. He is responsible for the largest civil rights march in Mississippi, which he had original started a solo march but soon amassed over 15,000 marchers after he was shot on the second day by a white gunman.
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
James Earl Jones
Maya Angelou
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin is an African American singer and songwriter. She has recorded a total of 112 charted singles on Billboard, including 77 Hot 100 entries, 17 top 10 pop singles, 100 R&B entries and 20 number-one R&B singles, becoming the most charted female artist in the chart's history.
Rosa Parks
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Denzel Washington
Charles Barkley
Malcolm X
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was a woman of seemingly polarizing occupations. On one hand she was a prolific dancer and entertainer especially throughout Europe. On the other hand, she was also a celebrated Civil Rights activist and even a French Resistance agent
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Dorothy Dandridge
Bessie Coleman
Charles Drew
Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole was one of the most powerful and influential figures in jazz music and is largely responsible for its mainstream appeal even to this day. During his lifetime, he recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts.
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
Michael Jordan
While he may be experiencing worldwide success as a businessman today, Michael Jordan also experienced unrivaled success as a basketball player as well. He has been hailed as the greatest basketball player of all time by countless critics and professional organizations.
Ella Baker
James Earl Jones
Aretha Franklin
The Movie DB
Who is this famous African American?
Sugar Ray Leonard
Emmett Till
Oprah Winfrey
While Michael Jackson was dubbed the “King of Pop†Oprah Winfrey was dubbed by many as the "Queen of All Media." She has been ranked the richest African-American and is also considered to be the greatest black philanthropist in American history. She is also North America's first multi-billionaire black person.
James Meredith
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Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Ralph Ellison
Ralph Ellison was an African American novelist, literary critic and scholar. Ellison is best known for his novel Invisible Man, which won the National Book Award in 1953. He is known for his political content as well, specifically Shadow and Act, a collection of political, social and critical essays
Diana Ross
Walter White
Eddie Murphy
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
Tiger Woods
Barack Obama
Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor was best known as an African American comedian; however, he was also an actor and a social critic (which often found its way into his comedy routines). Several successful comedians (including Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Chappelle) regard Pryor as the greatest comedian of all time.
Halle Berry
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Ella Baker
Madame C.J. Walker
Madame C.J. Walker was many things throughout her life: social activist, philanthropist and political activist; however, what she is most famous for is her success as an entrepreneur. She is widely considered to be the first female self-made millionaire in America.
Dorothy Dandridge
Patricia Bath
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Who is this famous African American?
Walter White
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Duke Ellington
Jackie Robinson
While he was an exceptional baseball player in his own right, what Jackie Robinson is most famous for is his importance in ending racial segregation in professional baseball. He was the first black player to win the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
Aretha Franklin
Ralph Ellison
Ray Charles
Often referred to as “The Genius," Ray Charles was an African American musician, singer, songwriter and composer who pioneered the soul music genre. Charles achieved all of this success and fame while being blind from the age of 7.
Roy Wilkins
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Halle Berry
Bessie Coleman
Diana Ross
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes is well known for being one of the initial innovators of jazz poetry and a leader of the Harlem Renaissance. He was also an influential social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist. He spoke about issues that dealt with racism, black identity and sexuality.
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The Movie DB
Who is this famous African American?
James Earl Jones
Will Smith
Will Smith is quite possibly one of the greatest entertainers of all time, earning accolades and awards with virtually every career path that he has pursued. On TV he earned success in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as a musician he has won four Grammy Awards, and as a movie actor he has received countless awards and nominations. He is also a celebrated producer and comedian.
Michael Jordan
Richard Wright
n/a
Who is this famous African American?
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley is one of the greatest NBA players of all time and often regarded as one of the most animated players as well. He was a part of the Olympic “Dream Team†and was actually the highest-scoring member of that team.
Stevie Wonder
James Meredith
Charles Drew
Wiki Commons
Who is this famous African American?
Wilt Chamberlain
Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington lived on the cusp of radical racial change in the United States. He was in fact from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery. He is celebrated as an author, educator and (more often than not remembered as) an advisor to presidents of the United States.
Will Smith
Richard Pryor
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Wikicommons
Who is this famous African American?
Martin Luther King, Jr.
When the Civil Rights Movement is talked about, one name always comes up more often than the rest – Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspired by his Christian upbringing and individuals such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr chose to adopt nonviolent means of activism to try and achieve his goals.
Maya Angelou
Denzel Washington
Oprah Winfrey
tmdb
Who is this famous African American?
Nat King Cole
Jimi Hendrix
Where would rock music be today without the hands and mind of Jimi Hendrix? The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame chooses to label him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock musicâ€. A surprisingly great achievement, since his mainstream music career only spanned four years.
Michael Jackson
Emmett Till
YouTube
Who is this famous African American?
Barack Obama
Morgan Freeman
Rosa Parks
Often referred to as “mother of the freedom movement†and also “the first lady of civil rightsâ€, Rosa Parks is hailed as one of the most recognizable icons of the civil rights movement. While she was not the first person to oppose segregation on public transportation, her case was the most effective and publicized.
Spike Lee
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