Black History Month Trivia

Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history. It’s an opportunity to reflect on their resilience, struggles, and triumphs and to recognize their immense impact on society in various fields such as civil rights, literature, science, and the arts. It’s also a reminder of the ongoing fight for equality and justice.

I also believe that Black History happens daily, and there are always new endeavors to celebrate. Some Black History Month trivia is not well-known to the general public. Here is a brief history of how Black History Month started and some interesting facts on various topics that might encourage you to continue learning beyond Black History Month.

Black History Month Trivia

1. Harvard-educated history and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson is credited with creating Black History Month.

2. Black History Month started as “Negro History Week,” which was celebrated during the week of Abraham Lincoln’s and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays (February 12th and 14th).

3. In 1976, President Gerald Ford declared February to be Black History Month.

4. William Tucker, son of indentured servants from Great Britain, was the first recorded African child born in the colonies in 1624.

5. Vermont was the first colony to ban slavery in 1777.

 6. In the 1770s, a Quaker named Anthony Benezet created the first school for African American children.

7. Between 1810 and 1850, an estimated 100,000 enslaved people used the Underground Railroad to escape to the North.

8. William Wells Brown’s novel, Clotel, or The President’s Daughter, was first written by an African American and published in 1853.

9. Hattie McDaniel became the first Black person to win an Oscar for her supporting role in Gone With the Wind in 1940. Sidney Poitier was the first Black man to win, 24 years later, for his leading role in Lilies of the Field.

10. In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler graduated from the New England Female Medical College as the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in the U.S.

11. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson had an older brother, Matthew “Mack” Robinson, who broke the Olympic record in 1936 in the 200-meter dash. However, he won the silver medal because he finished behind Jesse Owens.

12. Before becoming a professional musician, Chuck Berry studied to become a hairdresser and had a degree in cosmetology.

13. Nat King Cole was the first African American to host a TV show when The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC in 1956.

14. Stevie Wonder was the first Black artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for “Innervisions” in 1973.

15.Founded in 1984, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo celebrates Black cowboys and cowgirls and is the only touring African American rodeo worldwide.

16. The theme song to public television’s popular children’s program, Reading Rainbow, is sung by Chaka Kahn.

17. The oldest living Buffalo Soldier, Sergeant Mark Matthews, died at the age of 111 in 2005 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

18. Gabby Douglas became the first Black gymnast to win the Individual All-Around in the 2012 London Olympics.