Answered: Which of these groundbreaking African Americans was born first?
The Microsoft Rewards Bing HomePage Trivial quiz question is: Which of these groundbreaking African Americans was born first?
The options and the correct answers to this Microsoft Rewards Bing HomePage Trivial quiz question are tabulated below:
Option A | Option B | Correct Answer |
Jesse Owens | Chuck Berry | Jesse Owens |
Arthur Ashe | Shirley Chisholm | Shirley Chisholm |
Maya Angelou | Charles Drew | Charles Drew |
John Coltrane | Romare Bearden | Romare Bearden |
John Hope Franklin | Quincy Jones | John Hope Franklin |
Marvin Gaye | Dorothy Height | Dorothy Height |
Colin Powell | John Henrik Clarke | John Henrik Clarke |
Kenneth B. Clark | Martin Luther King, Jr. | Kenneth B. Clark |
Edward W. Brooke | Amiri Baraka | Edward W. Brooke |
Jimi Hendrix | Gwendolyn Brooks | Gwendolyn Brooks |
List of 100 groundbreaking African Americans
Here is a list of groundbreaking African Americans along with their date of birth and a brief description of what they did:
- Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) – Civil rights leader who played a key role in the American civil rights movement and is best known for his advocacy of nonviolence and his speeches, including his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
- Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) – Civil rights activist known for her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white person, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
- Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) – Civil rights activist who advocated for black empowerment and the abolition of white supremacy.
- Frederick Douglass (February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) – Abolitionist, author, and statesman who escaped slavery and became a leading voice in the fight against it.
- Nelson Mandela (July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013) – Anti-apartheid revolutionary and South Africa’s first black president, known for his efforts to bring about a multi-racial democracy.
- Harriet Tubman (c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) – Abolitionist and spy who helped escaped slaves reach freedom on the Underground Railroad.
- Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) – Educator, author, and advisor to multiple US presidents who worked to promote education and economic advancement for African Americans.
- Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) – Civil rights attorney who argued the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education and later became the first African American Supreme Court Justice.
- Jackie Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) – Baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
- W.E.B. Du Bois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) – Sociologist, historian, and civil rights leader who co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
- Shirley Chisholm (November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) – Politician and educator who became the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress and the first to run for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
- Ida B. Wells (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) – Journalist and civil rights activist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- James Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) – Writer, playwright, and civil rights activist who explored the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity in his works.
- Toni Morrison (February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019) – Novelist, editor, and professor who received the Nobel Prize in Literature for her novels exploring the African American experience.
- Angela Davis (born January 26, 1944) – Political activist, scholar, and author who has been a leading voice in movements for social justice, including the Black Power and feminist movements.
- Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971) – Jazz musician and singer who became one of the most influential figures in American music.
- Duke Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) – Jazz composer and pianist who helped define the sound of big band jazz and created a vast body of work that continues to be celebrated today.
- Jesse Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) – Track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, defying Adolf Hitler’s ideas of Aryan supremacy.
- George Washington Carver (July 12, 1864 – January 5, 1943) – Agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of products from peanuts, sweet potatoes, and other crops, promoting sustainable farming in the South.
- Katherine Johnson (born August 26, 1918) – Mathematician who made significant contributions to America’s aeronautics and space programs, including the first successful moon landing.
- Oprah Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) – Media executive, philanthropist, and talk show host who rose to become one of the most influential figures in American popular culture.
- Samuel L. Jackson (born December 21, 1948) – Actor who has starred in some of the biggest blockbuster films and has become one of the highest-grossing actors of all time.
- Colin Powell (born April 5, 1937) – Retired four-star general who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State, the first African American to hold that position.
- Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) – Singer, actress, and record producer who rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes and went on to become a legendary solo artist.
- Serena Williams (born September 26, 1981) – Tennis player who is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time, with numerous Grand Slam titles to her name.
- Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) – 44th President of the United States, the first African American to hold that office.
- Arthur Ashe (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993) – Tennis player who won three Grand Slam titles and became an advocate for human rights and social justice.
- John Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) – Jazz saxophonist and composer who was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz.
- John Hope Franklin (January 2, 1915 – March 25, 2009) – Historian and civil rights advocate who was known for his pioneering work on African American history and his contributions to the civil rights movement.
- Marvin Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) – Singer, songwriter, and producer who was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, known for his soulful and socially conscious music.
- Kenneth B. Clark (July 14, 1914 – May 1, 2005) – Psychologist and civil rights leader who was known for his research on the psychological effects of segregation on African American children and his role in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case.
- Edward W. Brooke (October 26, 1919 – January 3, 2015) – Politician who was the first African American elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote.
- Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) – Guitarist and singer who was one of the most innovative and influential musicians of the 1960s, known for his blues-influenced psychedelic rock.
- Chuck Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) – Rock and roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter who was one of the pioneers of the genre and an influence on generations of musicians.
- Charles Drew (June 3, 1904 – April 1, 1950) – Physician and researcher who made pioneering contributions to the field of blood transfusions and established the first large-scale blood bank.
- Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) – Artist and writer who was a leading figure in the world of African American art, known for his collages and other works exploring the African American experience.
- Quincy Jones (born March 14, 1933) – Musician, producer, and conductor who has worked with some of the biggest names in popular music and has won numerous Grammy Awards.
- Dorothy Height (March 24, 1912 – April 20, 2010) – Civil rights and women’s rights leader who was a central figure in the African American and women’s movements for many decades.
- John Henrik Clarke (January 1, 1915 – July 16, 1998) – Historian, author, and educator who was a pioneering scholar of African and African American history and a leading voice in the Pan-African movement.
- Amiri Baraka (October 7, 1934 – January 9, 2014) – Poet, playwright, and political activist who was a leading voice in the Black Arts movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
- Gwendolyn Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) – Poet and writer who was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry and was known for her powerful and insightful works exploring the experiences of African Americans. She was a major figure in the Chicago literary scene and was known for her innovative use of language and her commitment to social justice.
- Jackie Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) – Baseball player who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball and became the first African American to play in the league in the modern era. He was a trailblazer in the sport and a strong advocate for civil rights.
- Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) – Singer, songwriter, and pianist who was one of the most important figures in the Civil Rights Movement, known for her soulful and powerful voice and her politically charged music.
- Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971) – Jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz and one of the first African American musicians to achieve international recognition.
- Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) – Civil rights leader who was a vocal advocate for the rights of African Americans and a strong critic of the nonviolent approach of Martin Luther King Jr. He was a charismatic speaker and a powerful voice for change.
- Frederick Douglass (February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) – Abolitionist, writer, and statesman who was born into slavery and became one of the most important leaders of the abolitionist movement. He was a powerful orator and a leading voice in the struggle for civil rights.
- Toni Morrison (February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019) – Writer and editor who was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and was known for her powerful and insightful works exploring the African American experience. She was a major figure in contemporary American literature and a leading voice in the fight for social justice.
- Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) – Poet, novelist, and playwright who was a leading figure of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most important voices of the 20th century. He was known for his innovative use of language and his commitment to social justice.
- Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) – Lawyer and civil rights activist who was the first African American Supreme Court Justice and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. He argued the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, which helped to end segregation in public schools.
- Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) – Blues singer who was one of the most popular and influential blues singers of the 1920s and 1930s and a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance.
- Cicely Tyson (December 18, 1924 – January 28, 2021) – Actress who was a pioneering figure in the entertainment industry and a strong advocate for civil rights. She was known for her powerful performances and her commitment to social justice.
- W. E. B. Du Bois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) – Sociologist, historian, and civil rights leader who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century. He was the first African American to earn a PhD from Harvard University and was a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights.
- James Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) – Writer, playwright, and social critic who was a leading figure of the Civil Rights Movement and one of the most important voices of the 20th century. He was known for his powerful and insightful works exploring the African American experience and the struggle for social justice.
- Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) – Writer, anthropologist, and filmmaker who was a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance and one of the most important voices of the 20th century. She was known for her innovative use of language and her commitment to social justice.
- Hank Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021) – Baseball player who was one of the greatest hitters in the history of the sport and a trailblazer for African American players. He broke Babe Ruth’s record for the most career home runs and was a strong advocate for civil rights.
- Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996) – Jazz singer who was one of the most popular and influential jazz singers of the 20th century and a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She was known for her powerful and soulful voice and her commitment to social justice.
- Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) – Writer, poet, and performer who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She was known for her powerful and insightful works exploring the African American experience and the struggle for social justice.
- Richard Wright (September 4, 1908 – November 28, 1960) – Writer and intellectual who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He was known for his powerful and insightful works exploring the African American experience and the struggle for social justice.
- Ida B. Wells (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) – Journalist, activist, and suffragette who was one of the most important voices of the 19th century and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. She was a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans and a leading voice in the fight against lynching.
- Toni Morrison (February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019) – Writer and editor who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She was the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature and was known for her powerful and insightful works exploring the African American experience and the struggle for social justice.
- Sidney Poitier (February 20, 1927) – Actor, film director, and diplomat who was one of the first African American actors to achieve international stardom and a trailblazer in the entertainment industry. He was a strong advocate for civil rights and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
- Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) – Educator, author, and advisor to Presidents who was one of the most important voices of the 19th century and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. He was the founder of the Tuskegee Institute and was a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans.
- Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) – Singer, songwriter, and pianist who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She was known for her powerful and soulful voice and her commitment to social justice.
- Betty Shabazz (May 28, 1936 – June 23, 1997) – Educator and civil rights activist who was the widow of Malcolm X and a leading figure in the Civil Rights Movement. She was known for her commitment to education and her advocacy for the rights of African Americans.
- Katherine Johnson (August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) – Mathematician and NASA researcher who was a pioneer in the field of space technology and a trailblazer for African American women in science. She made important contributions to the U.S. space program and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
- Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971) – Jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer who was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century and a major figure in the development of jazz as an art form. He was known for his innovative style and his commitment to social justice.
- Ray Charles (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) – Singer, songwriter, and pianist who was one of the most important musicians of the 20th century and a major figure in the development of soul and R&B music. He was known for his powerful and soulful voice and his commitment to social justice.
- Diana Ross (March 26, 1944) – Singer, actress, and record producer who was one of the most successful and influential female entertainers of the 20th century and a major figure in the Motown sound. She was a trailblazer for African American women in the entertainment industry and a strong advocate for civil rights.
- Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) – Blues singer who was one of the most important musicians of the 20th century and a major figure in the development of blues and jazz music. She was known for her powerful and soulful voice and her commitment to social justice.
- A. Philip Randolph (April 15, 1889 – May 16, 1979) – Labor leader and civil rights activist who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. He was the founder of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and was a powerful advocate for the rights of African American workers.
- Harriet Tubman (c. 1820 – March 10, 1913) – Abolitionist, spy, and humanitarian who was one of the most important figures of the 19th century and a leading figure in the Underground Railroad. She was a powerful advocate for the rights of enslaved African Americans and was known for her courage and determination in the face of adversity.
- Fredrick Douglass (February 1818 – February 20, 1895) – Abolitionist, writer, and statesman who was one of the most important figures of the 19th century and a leading voice in the struggle for civil rights. He was a former slave who escaped to freedom and became a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans through his writing and speeches.
- W.E.B. Du Bois (February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) – Sociologist, historian, and civil rights leader who was one of the most important voices of the 20th century and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. He was the first African American to earn a PhD from Harvard University and was a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
- Ida B. Wells (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931) – Journalist, suffragist, and civil rights leader who was one of the most important voices of the 19th and early 20th centuries and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. She was a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans, especially women, and was known for her fearless reporting on issues of race and justice.
- Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) – Lawyer, civil rights activist, and Supreme Court Justice who was one of the most important figures of the 20th century and a leading voice in the struggle for civil rights. He was the first African American to be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States and was a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans and other marginalized communities.
- Bill Russell (February 12, 1934) – Basketball player and coach who was one of the most important athletes of the 20th century and a leading figure in the civil rights movement. He was the first African American coach in major professional sports and was a powerful advocate for the rights of African Americans and other marginalized communities.
- Angela Davis (January 26, 1944) – Philosopher, author, and activist who is one of the most important voices of the 20th and 21st centuries and a leading figure in the struggle for civil rights. She is a scholar and professor of African American studies and has been a powerful advocate for issues of social justice, including civil rights, gender equality, and prison reform.
- Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) – abolitionist, women’s rights activist, and former slave who is best known for her powerful speeches, including her famous “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech delivered at a women’s rights convention in 1851.
- Toni Morrison (1931-2019) – Nobel Prize-winning novelist, editor, and professor who was one of the most important voices in African American literature of the 20th century. Her works, including “Beloved,” “The Bluest Eye,” and “Song of Solomon,” explore the themes of race, identity, and history.
- Spike Lee (1957-) – film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor who is one of the most influential and innovative filmmakers of the 20th and 21st centuries. His films, including “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X,” and “BlacKkKlansman,” tackle important social and political issues, including race relations and social justice.
- Robert F. Williams (1925-1996) – civil rights leader and author who was a key figure in the African American freedom struggle in the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first president of the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP and advocated for armed self-defense against racist violence.
- Lena Horne (1917-2010) – singer, actress, and civil rights activist who was a leading figure in the entertainment industry and an important voice in the struggle for civil rights. She was the first African American woman to be signed to a long-term contract by a major Hollywood studio and used her platform to speak out against racial injustice.
- Harry Belafonte (1927-) – singer, songwriter, actor, and social activist who was a leading figure in the entertainment industry and an important voice in the struggle for civil rights. He was a close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. and used his music and public profile to advocate for civil rights and other important social and political issues.
- Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) – politician and civil rights leader who was the first African American woman to serve in the Texas Senate and the first Southern African American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was a powerful voice for civil rights and social justice, and delivered a seminal keynote address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.
- Mae Jemison (1956-) – physician, astronaut, and educator who was the first African American woman to travel to space. She served as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992, and has since dedicated herself to promoting science education and inspiring young people, especially girls and minorities, to pursue careers in science and technology.
- Angela Davis (1944-) – philosopher, educator, and political activist who is one of the most influential figures in the African American freedom struggle of the 20th and 21st centuries. She is best known for her work in the areas of race, gender, and criminal justice, and has been a vocal advocate for prison reform and social justice.
- Elizabeth Catlett (1915-2012) – sculptor and printmaker who was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Her work, which often explores themes of African American identity, women’s rights, and social justice, has had a profound impact on the art world and has been displayed in major museums and galleries around the world.
- Fannie Lou Hamer (1917-1977) – civil rights activist and voting rights advocate who was a leading figure in the African American freedom struggle of the mid-20th century. She was a co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and was known for her powerful speeches and activism on behalf of African American voting rights.
- Benjamin Hooks (1925-2010) – civil rights leader and Baptist minister who served as the executive director of the NAACP from 1977 to 1992. He was a tireless advocate for civil rights and social justice, and was instrumental in securing the passage of numerous important civil rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) – journalist, suffragist, and civil rights leader who was one of the most important figures of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was a pioneering investigative journalist who exposed the horrors of lynching and played a key role in the development of the modern civil rights movement.
- W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) – sociologist, historian, and civil rights leader who was one of the most influential African American intellectuals of the 20th century. He was a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was a vocal advocate for civil rights and social justice.
- Richard Wright (1908-1960) – novelist and writer who was one of the most important figures of the 20th-century African American literary tradition. His works, including “Native Son” and “Black Boy,” explored themes of racism, poverty, and social injustice, and helped to bring African American literature to a wider audience.
- Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (1912-2002) – military officer who was the first African American to become a general in the United States Air Force. He served with distinction in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and was a pioneering figure in the fight against racial discrimination in the military.
- James Baldwin (1924-1987) – novelist, playwright, and essayist who was one of the most important African American writers of the 20th century. His works, including “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Notes of a Native Son,” and “The Fire Next Time,” explored themes of race, identity, and the American Dream, and helped to shape the African American literary tradition.
- Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) – author, anthropologist, and filmmaker who was one of the most important figures of the Harlem Renaissance. She was a prolific writer who produced novels, plays, and essays that explored themes of African American life and culture. Her works, including “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” are considered classics of American literature.
- C. L. R. James (1901-1989) – Trinidadian historian, journalist, and political activist who was a major figure of the 20th-century African diaspora. He was a scholar of African American history and culture and wrote extensively on the Haitian Revolution, the history of slavery, and the role of African Americans in the fight for freedom and equality.
- Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) – jurist who was the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a prominent civil rights lawyer who argued the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, which helped to end segregation in American schools, and played a key role in the development of the modern civil rights movement.
- Julian Bond (1940-2015) – civil rights leader, political activist, and educator who was one of the most important figures of the 20th-century African American freedom struggle. He was a co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and played a key role in the development of the modern civil rights movement.
- Angela Davis (b. 1944) – philosopher, political activist, and scholar who is one of the most important voices in the African American community today. She is known for her work on issues of race, gender, and social justice, and has been a prominent advocate for human rights and social justice for over five decades.
- Toni Morrison (1931-2019) – novelist, essayist, and editor who was one of the most important voices of 20th-century American literature. Her works, including “Beloved,” “Sula,” and “The Bluest Eye,” explored themes of race, identity, and the African American experience, and helped to shape the literary canon.
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