African-American History Quiz: How Well Do You Know Black History?

Fascinating and richly diverse, African-American history reflects some of the most inspirational as well as the most shameful aspects of humanity. From its beginning with the tragedy of slavery through every remarkable step toward progress that's been made right up until today, the story of black people in America is one of strength, resilience and hope. There have been heroes along the way, to be sure—you know some of them already (and just might encounter a few new faces in this quiz). This quiz takes a look at some of the titans of black history, from poets to civil rights activists. But as with the history of any other culture, remembering the contributions, struggles and achievements of ordinary, everyday people is an essential part of looking at the past. Further, while it's important to celebrate the triumphant moments of history, remembering the horrific events is also essential—and African-American history has perhaps more than its fair share of both. 

Understanding the history of black people and race relations in America is to understand America itself. By looking at our past, we appreciate how far we've come since the dark days of slavery, as well as how much progress is left to go before true equality is reached. As President Obama so eloquently put it in his remarks at the Dedication of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016:

And by knowing this other story, we better understand ourselves and each other. It binds us together. It reaffirms that all of us are America -- that African-American history is not somehow separate from our larger American story, it's not the underside of the American story, it is central to the American story.  

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Some now-centric folks dismiss the value of anything that happened in the past. American industrialist Henry Ford once articulated this misguided attitude: “History is more or less bunk [nonsense] . . . the only history worth a damn is the history we make today." Hopefully you being here means that you already know the truth: that knowledge of history is vital. Seeing current events through the lens of history reveals the timelessness of certain themes and issues with which humankind has grappled from the start. Same problems, different day. If you believe that (or even if you just think history facts are cool), go check out the rest of our fascinating history quizzes!