333+ Inspiring Black History Riddles: Challenge Your Knowledge & Learn Something New!

Ever found yourself wanting to dive deeper into Black history in a fun, engaging way? I’ve got something special for you!

Imagine gathering friends and family around, posing riddles that spark curiosity, conversation, and celebration of Black excellence throughout history. Our collection of 333+ Black History riddles does exactly that!

🧩 Why these riddles are different:

• Perfect for classrooms, family game nights, or social media challenges
• Range from easy wins to mind-bending brain teasers
• Cover hidden figures, landmark achievements, cultural icons, and pivotal moments
• Each riddle comes with fascinating facts you probably never knew!

Whether you’re a teacher looking to energize your Black History Month curriculum, a parent wanting to educate while entertaining, or simply someone eager to test and expand your knowledge—these riddles deliver!

Ready to be surprised by what you know (and don’t know) about the incredible legacy of Black Americans who shaped our world? Dive into our collection and start the journey today!

💡 Challenge accepted? Let’s go!

Civil Rights Leaders & Activists

1. I refused to give up my seat and sparked a movement. My quiet courage changed a nation forever. Who am I? (Rosa Parks)
2. I had a dream that resonated across America. My words at the Lincoln Memorial still echo today. Who am I? (Martin Luther King Jr.)
3. I founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and advocated for Pan-Africanism. Who am I? (Marcus Garvey)
4. I was born into slavery but became an abolitionist, women’s rights activist, and known as “Moses” for leading many to freedom. Who am I? (Harriet Tubman)
5. I was a suffragist and anti-lynching crusader who co-founded the NAACP. My investigative journalism documented the horrors of lynching in America. Who am I? (Ida B. Wells)
6. I co-founded the Black Panther Party in 1966 and created a ten-point program for Black self-determination. Who am I? (Huey P. Newton)
7. I survived slavery, delivered my “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, and fought for both abolition and women’s rights. Who am I? (Sojourner Truth)
8. I organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott and worked closely with Dr. King, though my contribution is often overlooked. Who am I? (Jo Ann Robinson)
9. I was the first field secretary of NAACP in Mississippi and was assassinated in my driveway in 1963. Who am I? (Medgar Evers)
10. I founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first major Black labor union. Who am I? (A. Philip Randolph)
11. I wrote “The Fire Next Time” and articulated the frustration and hope of the civil rights generation. Who am I? (James Baldwin)
12. I was known as the “First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement” and founded the National Council of Negro Women. Who am I? (Mary McLeod Bethune)
13. I said, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free,” and organized Mississippi Freedom Summer. Who am I? (Fannie Lou Hamer)
14. I served as the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice after winning Brown v. Board of Education. Who am I? (Thurgood Marshall)
15. I was the first female executive secretary of the NAACP and worked tirelessly behind the scenes of the civil rights movement. Who am I? (Ella Baker)

Arts & Entertainment

16. I became known as the “Queen of Jazz” and was famous for my scat singing. Who am I? (Ella Fitzgerald)
17. I wrote “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and recited a poem at President Clinton’s inauguration. Who am I? (Maya Angelou)
18. I transformed blues and pioneered rock and roll with songs like “Tutti Frutti.” Who am I? (Little Richard)
19. I was the “Godfather of Soul” known for hits like “I Got You (I Feel Good).” Who am I? (James Brown)
20. I became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for my role in “Gone with the Wind.” Who am I? (Hattie McDaniel)
21. I wrote “The Color Purple” and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Who am I? (Alice Walker)
22. I was known as “The Voice” and sold over 200 million records worldwide with songs like “I Will Always Love You.” Who am I? (Whitney Houston)
23. I wrote “Beloved” and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. Who am I? (Toni Morrison)
24. I was the “King of Pop” and released the best-selling album of all time. Who am I? (Michael Jackson)
25. I wrote “Native Son” and “Black Boy,” exposing the harsh realities of being Black in America. Who am I? (Richard Wright)
26. I was the first Black artist to have my work displayed in the White House and known for my American Gothic series. Who am I? (Gordon Parks)
27. I broke the color barrier in baseball when I joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Who am I? (Jackie Robinson)
28. I was nicknamed “Lady Day” and recorded haunting songs like “Strange Fruit.” Who am I? (Billie Holiday)
29. I founded Motown Records and launched the careers of numerous legendary artists. Who am I? (Berry Gordy)
30. I became the first Black supermodel to appear on the cover of American Vogue. Who am I? (Beverly Johnson)

Scientists, Inventors & Educators

31. I invented three hundred uses for the peanut, revolutionizing southern agriculture. Who am I? (George Washington Carver)
32. I performed the first successful open-heart surgery and developed methods for preserving blood plasma. Who am I? (Dr. Charles Drew)
33. I was the only woman present at the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919 and was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. from Columbia University. Who am I? (Dr. Anna Julia Cooper)
34. I invented the three-light traffic signal and the gas mask. Who am I? (Garrett Morgan)
35. I helped send astronauts to the moon with my calculations at NASA and was featured in the movie “Hidden Figures.” Who am I? (Katherine Johnson)
36. I invented the home security system with closed-circuit television in 1966. Who am I? (Marie Van Brittan Brown)
37. I was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry and developed treatments for leprosy. Who am I? (Dr. Marie Maynard Daly)
38. I established the first medical school for Black Americans, now known as Meharry Medical College. Who am I? (Dr. James Still)
39. I was the first Black American to receive a patent in 1821 for a dry cleaning process. Who am I? (Thomas Jennings)
40. I performed the first successful heart transplant in America. Who am I? (Dr. Samuel Lee Kountz)

Historical Figures & Pioneers

41. I was a mathematician, astronomer, and helped survey Washington D.C. in the 1790s. Who am I? (Benjamin Banneker)
42. I led a successful slave revolt on the ship Amistad and won freedom in the U.S. Supreme Court. Who am I? (Joseph Cinqué)
43. I was the first Black certified pilot and performed aerial stunts in France and America. Who am I? (Bessie Coleman)
44. I published the first Black newspaper, “Freedom’s Journal,” in 1827. Who am I? (John Russwurm)
45. I was a spy for the Union during the Civil War and later became an advocate for women’s suffrage. Who am I? (Mary Bowser)
46. I was born into slavery but became one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in America through my hair care products. Who am I? (Madam C.J. Walker)
47. I was the first Black millionaire in America, making my fortune in shipping and real estate. Who am I? (William Leidesdorff)
48. I led the largest slave rebellion in U.S. history in 1811 in Louisiana. Who am I? (Charles Deslondes)
49. I was the first Black U.S. senator, elected during Reconstruction from Mississippi. Who am I? (Hiram Revels)
50. I established the first college owned and operated by Black Americans, now known as Wilberforce University. Who am I? (Bishop Daniel Payne)

Political & Military Leaders

51. I became the first Black U.S. President in 2009. Who am I? (Barack Obama)
52. I led the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, one of the first Black regiments in the Civil War. Who am I? (Colonel Robert Gould Shaw)
53. I was the first Black woman elected to Congress and ran for president in 1972. Who am I? (Shirley Chisholm)
54. I was the first Black four-star general in the U.S. Army and later became Secretary of State. Who am I? (Colin Powell)
55. I was the first Black woman to serve as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. Who am I? (Condoleezza Rice)
56. I served as the first Black mayor of a major U.S. city when elected in Cleveland in 1967. Who am I? (Carl Stokes)
57. I was the first Black Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, appointed by President Johnson. Who am I? (Thurgood Marshall)
58. I founded the Congressional Black Caucus and represented Harlem in Congress for decades. Who am I? (Charles Rangel)
59. I was the first Black woman to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. Who am I? (Dr. Joycelyn Elders)
60. I was the first Black governor of any U.S. state since Reconstruction, elected in Virginia. Who am I? (Douglas Wilder)

Athletes & Sports Pioneers

61. I broke the color barrier in major league baseball in 1947. Who am I? (Jackie Robinson)
62. I won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and fought for gender equality in tennis. Who am I? (Arthur Ashe)
63. I won gold medals in four consecutive Olympic Games in track and field. Who am I? (Carl Lewis)
64. I was the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, sparking racial tensions in early 1900s America. Who am I? (Jack Johnson)
65. I became known as “The Greatest” and refused military induction on religious grounds during the Vietnam War. Who am I? (Muhammad Ali)
66. I was the first Black player to integrate NBA basketball. Who am I? (Earl Lloyd)
67. I became the first Black NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl. Who am I? (Tony Dungy)
68. I won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most in the Open Era. Who am I? (Serena Williams)
69. I was the first Black gymnast to become the Individual All-Around Champion at the Olympics. Who am I? (Simone Biles)
70. I broke the world record in the 100m and 200m sprints and am known as the fastest man in history. Who am I? (Usain Bolt)

Educators & Intellectuals

71. I founded Tuskegee Institute and promoted Black economic advancement. Who am I? (Booker T. Washington)
72. I co-founded the NAACP and wrote “The Souls of Black Folk.” Who am I? (W.E.B. Du Bois)
73. I established the first school for Black girls in the United States in 1793. Who am I? (Catherine Ferguson)
74. I wrote “Invisible Man” exploring the social invisibility of Black Americans. Who am I? (Ralph Ellison)
75. I was the first Black American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard and founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Who am I? (Carter G. Woodson)
76. I was a pioneering Black feminist scholar who wrote “Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism.” Who am I? (bell hooks)
77. I organized Freedom Schools during Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964. Who am I? (Bob Moses)
78. I was a Pan-Africanist theorist who wrote “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.” Who am I? (Walter Rodney)
79. I wrote “The Mis-Education of the Negro” and advocated for culturally relevant education. Who am I? (Carter G. Woodson)
80. I was a sociologist who published “An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy.” Who am I? (Gunnar Myrdal)

Music Pioneers

81. I am considered the “Father of the Blues” and published the first commercially successful blues composition. Who am I? (W.C. Handy)
82. I was known as the “Empress of the Blues” in the 1920s and influenced countless singers. Who am I? (Bessie Smith)
83. I created bebop jazz with Dizzy Gillespie and revolutionized saxophone playing. Who am I? (Charlie Parker)
84. I was a jazz trumpeter known as “Satchmo” and recorded “What a Wonderful World.” Who am I? (Louis Armstrong)
85. I pioneered free jazz with my album “The Shape of Jazz to Come.” Who am I? (Ornette Coleman)
86. I was the “First Lady of Song” known for my perfect pitch and scat singing. Who am I? (Ella Fitzgerald)
87. I was a legendary pianist who blended classical and jazz in the early 20th century. Who am I? (Scott Joplin)
88. I was known as the “High Priestess of Soul” and sang “Mississippi Goddam.” Who am I? (Nina Simone)
89. I pioneered funk music with my band the JBs and was known as the “Godfather of Soul.” Who am I? (James Brown)
90. I created a new style of blues guitar playing that influenced rock and roll. Who am I? (B.B. King)

African Independence Leaders

91. I led South Africa’s transition from apartheid and became its first Black president. Who am I? (Nelson Mandela)
92. I was Ghana’s first president after independence and a leading Pan-Africanist. Who am I? (Kwame Nkrumah)
93. I was the first prime minister of Kenya and a leader in its independence movement. Who am I? (Jomo Kenyatta)
94. I led Tanzania after independence and developed the concept of Ujamaa. Who am I? (Julius Nyerere)
95. I led Guinea to independence and refused France’s conditional offer of transition. Who am I? (Sékou Touré)
96. I was the first president of Zimbabwe after its independence. Who am I? (Robert Mugabe)
97. I led the African National Congress during South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle. Who am I? (Oliver Tambo)
98. I was Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader before my assassination in 1987. Who am I? (Thomas Sankara)
99. I was Congo’s first democratically elected prime minister before my assassination. Who am I? (Patrice Lumumba)
100. I led Mozambique’s independence movement against Portuguese colonialism. Who am I? (Samora Machel)

Civil Rights Events & Milestones

101. I was a 1954 Supreme Court case that ended legal segregation in public schools. What am I? (Brown v. Board of Education)
102. I was a protest that began when four students sat at a whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, NC. What am I? (Greensboro Sit-ins)
103. I was a 381-day boycott that ended segregation on public buses in Montgomery. What am I? (Montgomery Bus Boycott)
104. I was a 1963 gathering where MLK delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. What am I? (March on Washington)
105. I was signed into law by President Johnson in 1964 and prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. What am I? (Civil Rights Act of 1964)
106. I was signed in 1965 and prohibited racial discrimination in voting. What am I? (Voting Rights Act)
107. I was a 1960 tactic where students peacefully occupied segregated spaces to challenge Jim Crow. What am I? (Sit-in movement)
108. I was a 1961 protest where interracial activists rode buses through the South to challenge segregation. What am I? (Freedom Rides)
109. I was the 1963 event where four young girls were killed in a church bombing in Alabama. What am I? (16th Street Baptist Church bombing)
110. I was the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery that was met with violent opposition on “Bloody Sunday.” What am I? (Selma to Montgomery marches)

Harlem Renaissance Figures

111. I wrote “The Weary Blues” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” during the Harlem Renaissance. Who am I? (Langston Hughes)
112. I wrote the novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and studied Black folklore. Who am I? (Zora Neale Hurston)
113. I was a poet known for works like “If We Must Die” during the Harlem Renaissance. Who am I? (Claude McKay)
114. I wrote the play “A Raisin in the Sun,” the first by a Black woman on Broadway. Who am I? (Lorraine Hansberry)
115. I was known as the “Black Eagle of Harlem” and published the influential newspaper “The Negro World.” Who am I? (Marcus Garvey)
116. I was a painter whose work captured the Great Migration and Harlem street scenes. Who am I? (Jacob Lawrence)
117. I was a sculptor whose work celebrated African and Black American heritage during the Harlem Renaissance. Who am I? (Augusta Savage)
118. I was a pianist and bandleader at the Cotton Club during the Harlem Renaissance. Who am I? (Duke Ellington)
119. I wrote the novel “Home to Harlem,” which became a bestseller in 1928. Who am I? (Claude McKay)
120. I was an influential editor of “The Crisis” magazine during the Harlem Renaissance. Who am I? (W.E.B. Du Bois)

Black Business Pioneers

121. I built my hair care empire in the early 1900s, becoming America’s first self-made female millionaire. Who am I? (Madam C.J. Walker)
122. I founded the first Black-owned bank in the U.S., the Savings Bank of the Grand Fountain United Order of True Reformers. Who am I? (William Washington Browne)
123. I established the Black Wall Street in Tulsa before it was destroyed in the 1921 massacre. Who am I? (O.W. Gurley)
124. I founded the first Black-owned insurance company, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance. Who am I? (John Merrick)
125. I started the first Black-owned cosmetics company, Fashion Fair, in 1973. Who am I? (Eunice Johnson)
126. I launched BET (Black Entertainment Television), the first Black-oriented cable network. Who am I? (Robert L. Johnson)
127. I was the first Black American to own a major U.S. brewing company. Who am I? (Theodore Mack)
128. I founded World Communications, Inc., the largest Black-owned publishing company in the 1970s. Who am I? (John H. Johnson)
129. I was the first Black American to establish a commercial bank in 1888, the Capital Savings Bank. Who am I? (Robert Reed Church)
130. I became the first Black female billionaire with my talk show and media empire. Who am I? (Oprah Winfrey)

Military Heroes

131. I was a Revolutionary War hero who created the first all-Black military unit, the “Bucks of America.” Who am I? (Barzillai Lew)
132. I was a Union spy during the Civil War who escaped slavery and helped free hundreds of others. Who am I? (Harriet Tubman)
133. We were an all-Black cavalry unit who protected settlers on the Western frontier. Who were we? (Buffalo Soldiers)
134. I was a Tuskegee Airman who shot down three German planes in a single day during WWII. Who am I? (Charles McGee)
135. I was the first Black general in the U.S. Armed Forces. Who am I? (Benjamin O. Davis Sr.)
136. I was the first Black female to achieve the rank of general in the U.S. Army. Who am I? (Hazel Johnson-Brown)
137. I was a fighter pilot who became the first Black naval aviator in the U.S. Navy. Who am I? (Jesse L. Brown)
138. I was the first Black recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the Civil War. Who am I? (William Harvey Carney)
139. I was a Black Union sailor who served aboard the USS Kearsarge when it defeated the CSS Alabama. Who am I? (William B. Gould)
140. I was a member of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first Black armored unit to see combat in WWII. Who am I? (Ruben Rivers)

Medical Pioneers

141. I performed the first successful open-heart surgery and developed methods for storing blood plasma. Who am I? (Dr. Charles Drew)
142. I was the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, graduating from New England Female Medical College. Who am I? (Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler)
143. I was the first Black person to graduate from Harvard Medical School in 1869. Who am I? (Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman)
144. I was a nurse who founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses in 1908. Who am I? (Martha Minerva Franklin)
145. I pioneered the use of blood plasma during World War II and developed the first blood bank. Who am I? (Dr. Charles Drew)
146. I was the first Black psychiatrist to be certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Who am I? (Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller)
147. I was a surgeon who performed the first successful separation of conjoined twins joined at the back of the head. Who am I? (Dr. Ben Carson)
148. I discovered the cause of sickle cell anemia and developed treatments for the disease. Who am I? (Dr. Louis Tompkins Wright)
149. I was a nurse who cared for soldiers during the American Civil War and later became an advocate for Black nurses. Who am I? (Susie King Taylor)
150. I was the first Black male to earn a medical degree in the United States in 1847. Who am I? (Dr. David Jones Peck)

Scientific Contributions

151. I revolutionized telecommunications with my work on the internet and fiber optic technologies. Who am I? (Dr. Marian Croak)
152. I invented the Super Soaker water gun and holds over 100 patents. Who am I? (Lonnie Johnson)
153. I was a mathematician whose calculations were crucial to NASA’s early space missions, featured in “Hidden Figures.” Who am I? (Katherine Johnson)
154. I invented a system to monitor electrical units in critical care sections of hospitals. Who am I? (Otis Boykin)
155. I created an improved carbon filament for light bulbs that made them more affordable. Who am I? (Lewis Howard Latimer)
156. I was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in astronomy and discovered evidence of dark matter. Who am I? (Dr. Vera Rubin)
157. I developed an automatic gear shift for automobiles and pioneered GPS technology. Who am I? (Richard Spikes)
158. I invented a machine that mass-produced shoes, revolutionizing the footwear industry. Who am I? (Jan Ernst Matzeliger)
159. I was NASA’s first Black female engineer and helped develop concepts for the shuttle program. Who am I? (Mary Jackson)
160. I was a nuclear engineer who developed a nuclear reactor that generated electricity and heat simultaneously. Who am I? (Reginald Nesmith)

Literary Giants

161. I wrote “The Color Purple,” which won the Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a film and Broadway musical. Who am I? (Alice Walker)
162. I wrote “Invisible Man,” exploring racial identity in America in the mid-20th century. Who am I? (Ralph Ellison)
163. I wrote “Beloved,” inspired by the story of an enslaved woman who killed her daughter rather than see her return to slavery. Who am I? (Toni Morrison)
164. I wrote “Native Son” and “Black Boy,” depicting the harsh realities of growing up Black in America. Who am I? (Richard Wright)
165. I was a Harlem Renaissance poet who wrote “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Montage of a Dream Deferred.” Who am I? (Langston Hughes)
166. I wrote “A Raisin in the Sun,” inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem about dreams deferred. Who am I? (Lorraine Hansberry)
167. I wrote “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and collected Black American folklore for the Federal Writers’ Project. Who am I? (Zora Neale Hurston)
168. I wrote “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “The Fire Next Time,” exploring racial and sexual identity. Who am I? (James Baldwin)
169. I wrote “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” tracing my ancestry back to Africa. Who am I? (Alex Haley)
170. I was a poet who wrote “We Real Cool” and became the first Black writer to win the Pulitzer Prize. Who am I? (Gwendolyn Brooks)

Philosophical & Religious Leaders

171. I was a civil rights leader and Muslim minister who advocated for Black empowerment. Who am I? (Malcolm X)
172. I founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in response to discrimination in white Methodist churches. Who am I? (Richard Allen)
173. I was the first Black Catholic priest in the United States and am on the path to sainthood. Who am I? (Augustus Tolton)
174. I led the Nation of Islam for over 40 years and promoted Black self-reliance. Who am I? (Elijah Muhammad)
175. I founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and advocated for Pan-Africanism. Who am I? (Marcus Garvey)
176. I was a theologian who developed Black liberation theology, arguing that Christianity should be a tool for Black liberation. Who am I? (James H. Cone)
177. I founded the African Orthodox Church after breaking from the Episcopal Church over racial issues. Who am I? (George Alexander McGuire)
178. I was a Black Muslim leader who founded the Nation of Islam in Detroit in 1930. Who am I? (Wallace D. Fard)
179. I was a theologian and civil rights activist who influenced MLK’s philosophy of nonviolence. Who am I? (Howard Thurman)
180. I was a Pentecostal bishop who founded the Church of God in Christ, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the U.S. Who am I? (Charles Harrison Mason)

Black Women Leaders

181. I escaped slavery and became an abolitionist, famously declaring “Ain’t I a Woman?” in my speech. Who am I? (Sojourner Truth)
182. I was the first Black woman to serve as a U.S. Ambassador, appointed to Luxembourg in 1949. Who am I? (Patricia Roberts Harris)
183. I was the first Black woman elected to Congress and ran for president in 1972. Who am I? (Shirley Chisholm)
184. I founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935 to advance opportunities for Black women. Who am I? (Mary McLeod Bethune)
185. I said, “Freedom is never given; it is won,” and co-founded the NAACP. Who am I? (Mary Church Terrell)
186. I was an investigative journalist who documented lynching in America and co-founded the NAACP. Who am I? (Ida B. Wells)
187. I was the first Black woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1963. Who am I? (Constance Baker Motley)
188. I became the first Black woman to serve as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. Who am I? (Condoleezza Rice)
189. I was a poet who wrote “Phenomenal Woman” and spoke at President Clinton’s inauguration. Who am I? (Maya Angelou)
190. I was the first Black woman to serve as First Lady of the United States. Who am I? (Michelle Obama)

Historical Events

191. I was a 1921 massacre that destroyed a prosperous Black business district in Oklahoma. What am I? (Tulsa Race Massacre)
192. I was the first school to be legally desegregated after the Brown v. Board of Education decision. What am I? (Little Rock Central High School)
193. I was a 1955 murder that galvanized the civil rights movement after an open-casket funeral showed my brutalized body. Who am I? (Emmett Till)
194. I was a 1968 strike by sanitation workers carrying signs that read “I AM A MAN.” Where did I occur? (Memphis)
195. I was a 1960s movement advocating for Black power and self-determination. What am I? (Black Power Movement)
196. I was a 1963 bombing that killed four young girls at a church in Birmingham, Alabama. What am I? (16th Street Baptist Church bombing)
197. I was the first historically Black college/university (HBCU), founded in 1837. What am I? (Cheyney University)
198. I was a major migration of six million Black Americans from the rural South to urban areas in the North and West between 1916-1970. What am I? (Great Migration)
199. I was a 1957 crisis when nine Black students integrated a previously all-white high school under federal protection. What am I? (Little Rock Nine)
200. I was a 1964 campaign to register Black voters in Mississippi that faced violent opposition. What am I? (Freedom Summer)

Contemporary Figures

201. I am a celebrated filmmaker known for “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X.” Who am I? (Spike Lee)
202. I became the first Black woman to win Best Director at the Academy Awards for my film “Nomadland.” Who am I? (Chloé Zhao)
203. I wrote “Between the World and Me” and “The Water Dancer.” Who am I? (Ta-Nehisi Coates)
204. I was the first Black woman to be awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Grant for my choreography. Who am I? (Alvin Ailey)
205. I created the groundbreaking TV series “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” Who am I? (Shonda Rhimes)
206. I am an astrophysicist who has hosted “Cosmos” and made science accessible to millions. Who am I? (Neil deGrasse Tyson)
207. I am a poet who became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history in 2021. Who am I? (Amanda Gorman)
208. I am a novelist who wrote “Americanah” and “Half of a Yellow Sun.” Who am I? (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
209. I am a Nobel Prize-winning economist who studied the economics of discrimination. Who am I? (Sir W. Arthur Lewis)
210. I am a former First Lady who wrote the bestselling memoir “Becoming.” Who am I? (Michelle Obama)

Musical Innovators

211. I was known as the “King of Reggae” and spread Jamaican music globally. Who am I? (Bob Marley)
212. I pioneered hip-hop as a DJ in the Bronx in the 1970s. Who am I? (DJ Kool Herc)
213. I was called the “Queen of Soul” and recorded hits like “Respect.” Who am I? (Aretha Franklin)
214. I developed a new form of jazz called bebop in the 1940s. Who am I? (Charlie Parker)
215. I revolutionized guitar playing and performed a memorable rendition of the national anthem at Woodstock. Who am I? (Jimi Hendrix)
216. I was the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” who influenced Elvis Presley with my guitar style. Who am I? (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
217. I was known as the “Prince of Motown” and recorded hits like “Sexual Healing.” Who am I? (Marvin Gaye)
218. I created a new style of soul music called “Stax Sound” in Memphis. Who am I? (Otis Redding)
219. I pioneered gangsta rap with my group N.W.A. and later became a successful actor and entrepreneur. Who am I? (Ice Cube)
220. I was a jazz saxophonist known for my album “A Love Supreme.” Who am I? (John Coltrane)

Black Inventors

221. I invented the modern traffic light system with a third yellow light in 1923. Who am I? (Garrett Morgan)
222. I invented the refrigerated truck, enabling the transport of perishable foods over long distances. Who am I? (Frederick McKinley Jones)
223. I created the first automatic elevator doors that opened and closed safely. Who am I? (Alexander Miles)
224. I developed an improved carbon filament that made electric light bulbs practical and affordable. Who am I? (Lewis Howard Latimer)
225. I invented a machine that automatically shaped shoe soles to the last. Who am I? (Jan Ernst Matzeliger)
226. I invented the home security system with closed-circuit television in 1966. Who am I? (Marie Van Brittan Brown)
227. I invented the Super Soaker water gun, one of the most popular toys of all time. Who am I? (Lonnie Johnson)

I created the first successful gas mask, saving countless lives during World War I. Who am I? (Garrett Morgan)

228. I invented a device that allowed trains to communicate with stations, improving railway safety. Who am I? (Granville T. Woods)
229. I invented the first mechanical blood pressure measurement device. Who am I? (Walter Lincoln Hawkins)
230. I invented caller ID and call waiting features for telephones. Who am I? (Dr. Shirley Jackson)
231. I created an improved ironing board that could be folded and stored easily. Who am I? (Sarah Boone)
232. I invented a lawn mower that could be adjusted for different grass heights. Who am I? (John Albert Burr)
233. I patented a pencil sharpener design in 1897 that influenced modern versions. Who am I? (John Lee Love)
234. I invented a type of shoe lasting machine that revolutionized footwear manufacturing. Who am I? (Jan Ernst Matzeliger)

Black Firsts

236. I was the first Black astronaut to travel to space in 1983. Who am I? (Guion Bluford)
237. I was the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992. Who am I? (Mae Jemison)
238. I was the first Black American to win a Nobel Prize in any category. Who am I? (Ralph Bunche)
239. I was the first Black person to win an Academy Award in a leading role. Who am I? (Sidney Poitier)
240. I was the first Black player in Major League Baseball in modern times. Who am I? (Jackie Robinson)
241. I was the first Black U.S. Navy Diver, breaking the color barrier in 1954. Who am I? (Carl Brashear)
242. I was the first Black American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature. Who am I? (Gwendolyn Brooks)
243. I was the first Black American to earn a Ph.D. from an American university (Harvard, 1876). Who am I? (Edward Bouchet)
244. I was the first Black American to serve as a U.S. governor (Virginia, 1990). Who am I? (Douglas Wilder)
245. I was the first Black woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court. Who am I? (Constance Baker Motley)

Pan-African Leaders

246. I led Kenya to independence from British colonial rule and became its first president. Who am I? (Jomo Kenyatta)
247. I was Ghana’s first president after independence and advocated for pan-African unity. Who am I? (Kwame Nkrumah)
248. I was the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo before my assassination. Who am I? (Patrice Lumumba)
249. I led South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement and served 27 years in prison before becoming president. Who am I? (Nelson Mandela)
250. I was a revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso who implemented progressive reforms before my assassination. Who am I? (Thomas Sankara)
251. I led Guinea to independence and refused France’s conditional offer of transition. Who am I? (Ahmed Sékou Touré)
252. I was a Kenyan environmental activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize for my conservation work. Who am I? (Wangari Maathai)
253. I was a Nigerian writer and activist who was executed for protesting against oil companies. Who am I? (Ken Saro-Wiwa)
254. I was a leading figure in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle and became its first prime minister. Who am I? (Robert Mugabe)
255. I led the African National Congress during apartheid while Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Who am I? (Oliver Tambo)

Black Writers and Poets

256. I wrote the autobiography “Up From Slavery” detailing my journey from enslavement to founding Tuskegee Institute. Who am I? (Booker T. Washington)
257. I wrote “The Street,” the first novel by a Black woman to sell over a million copies. Who am I? (Ann Petry)
258. I wrote “For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf.” Who am I? (Ntozake Shange)
259. I wrote “The Bluest Eye” and “Song of Solomon” and won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Who am I? (Toni Morrison)
260. I wrote “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” based on interviews with him. Who am I? (Alex Haley)
261. I wrote the poem “We Wear the Mask” about hiding one’s true feelings behind a facade. Who am I? (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
262. I wrote “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” a coming-of-age autobiography about overcoming racism and trauma. Who am I? (Maya Angelou)
263. I wrote “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film. Who am I? (James Baldwin)
264. I wrote “Kindred,” a novel combining science fiction and slave narrative. Who am I? (Octavia Butler)
265. I wrote “The Women of Brewster Place,” which was adapted into a television miniseries. Who am I? (Gloria Naylor)

Civil Rights Organizations

266. I was founded in 1909 as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. What am I? (NAACP)
267. I was founded by A. Philip Randolph in 1925 as the first major Black labor union. What am I? (Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters)
268. I was founded in 1957 by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to coordinate civil rights activities in the South. What am I? (Southern Christian Leadership Conference)
269. I was founded in 1960 by students who conducted sit-ins at segregated lunch counters. What am I? (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)
270. I was founded in 1966 by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale in Oakland, California. What am I? (Black Panther Party)
271. I was founded in 1911 by Mary McLeod Bethune to advance educational opportunities for Black girls. What am I? (National Council of Negro Women)
272. I was founded in 1935 to advance the economic condition of Black Americans. What am I? (National Urban League)
273. I was formed in 1971 as a caucus of Black members of Congress. What am I? (Congressional Black Caucus)
274. I was a coalition of civil rights organizations that organized the 1963 March on Washington. What am I? (Council for United Civil Rights Leadership)
275. I was established in 1942 to end racial discrimination in the armed forces. What am I? (Congress of Racial Equality)

Black Educational Institutions

276. I am the oldest historically Black college, founded in 1837 in Pennsylvania. What am I? (Cheyney University)
277. I am a prestigious HBCU in Atlanta where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. studied. What am I? (Morehouse College)
278. I am a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, part of the Atlanta University Center. What am I? (Spelman College)
279. I am a historically Black university in Washington D.C., founded in 1867. What am I? (Howard University)
280. I am a historically Black university in Nashville known for my music and education programs. What am I? (Fisk University)
281. I am a historically Black university in Virginia founded after the Civil War by the American Missionary Association. What am I? (Hampton University)
282. I am a historically Black university in Tennessee with a notable agricultural program. What am I? (Tennessee State University)
283. I am a Florida HBCU founded by Mary McLeod Bethune with $1.50 and faith. What am I? (Bethune-Cookman University)
284. I am an HBCU in Alabama known for my contribution to the Tuskegee Airmen program. What am I? (Tuskegee University)
285. I am an HBCU medical school that has trained a significant percentage of Black physicians in the United States. What am I? (Meharry Medical College)

Cultural Movements

286. I was a cultural and artistic movement centered in Harlem in the 1920s. What am I? (Harlem Renaissance)
287. I was a political and social movement promoting Black power in the 1960s and 1970s. What am I? (Black Power Movement)
288. I was a literary and cultural movement that emerged in the 1960s promoting Black consciousness. What am I? (Black Arts Movement)
289. I was a musical genre that emerged from Black communities in the 1970s and became a global phenomenon. What am I? (Hip-hop)
290. I was a cultural philosophy celebrating African heritage and identity. What am I? (Afrocentricity)
291. I was a social movement that began in 2013 after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer. What am I? (Black Lives Matter)
292. I was a 1970s genre of film featuring Black actors in leading roles, often set in urban environments. What am I? (Blaxploitation)
293. I was a cultural movement in the 1960s and 1970s celebrating natural Black hairstyles. What am I? (Black is Beautiful)
294. I was a dance form that originated in Black communities in New York City in the 1970s. What am I? (Breaking/Breakdancing)
295. I was a genre of literature exploring the experiences of the African diaspora. What am I? (Pan-African literature)

Black Media Pioneers

296. I founded Ebony and Jet magazines, showcasing Black achievement and documenting civil rights struggles. Who am I? (John H. Johnson)
297. I was the first Black American to host a nationally syndicated television talk show. Who am I? (Oprah Winfrey)
298. I launched Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 1980 as the first cable network targeting Black audiences. Who am I? (Robert L. Johnson)
299. I was a pioneering Black photojournalist who documented civil rights movements for Life magazine. Who am I? (Gordon Parks)
300. I was the first Black woman to own a major radio station in the United States. Who am I? (Cathy Hughes)
301. I founded The Chicago Defender newspaper, which became a leading voice in the Great Migration. Who am I? (Robert S. Abbott)
302. I was the first Black American to win a Pulitzer Prize for journalism. Who am I? (Eugene Patterson)
303. I was a pioneering Black female broadcast journalist who joined ABC News in 1978. Who am I? (Carole Simpson)
304. I founded Essence magazine, focused on Black women’s interests and concerns. Who am I? (Edward Lewis)
305. I was the first Black reporter to cover the White House full-time for a major television network. Who am I? (Louis Lomax)

Black Scientists and Researchers

306. I performed the first successful heart surgery and pioneered blood preservation techniques. Who am I? (Dr. Charles Drew)
307. I was a mathematician whose calculations were essential to early NASA space missions. Who am I? (Katherine Johnson)
308. I revolutionized agriculture with my research on peanuts and soybeans. Who am I? (George Washington Carver)
309. I was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry and studied the chemistry of digestive enzymes. Who am I? (Marie Maynard Daly)
310. I was a NASA aerospace engineer who helped design the space shuttle. Who am I? (Mary Jackson)
311. I was a Black theoretical physicist who worked on string theory and quantum gravity. Who am I? (Dr. Sylvester James Gates)
312. I was a marine biologist who studied the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems. Who am I? (Dr. Joan Murrell Owens)
313. I was a climatologist who studied ancient African climate patterns and their effect on human evolution. Who am I? (Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd)
314. I am a neurosurgeon who performed the first successful separation of conjoined twins joined at the head. Who am I? (Dr. Ben Carson)
315. I was a zoologist who specialized in entomology and was the first Black person to earn a doctorate from the University of Kansas. Who am I? (Dr. Charles Henry Turner)

Black Entrepreneurs

316. I built a cosmetics empire catering to Black women in the 1970s and created Fashion Fair Cosmetics. Who am I? (Eunice Johnson)
317. I founded World Communications, Inc., which published Ebony and Jet magazines. Who am I? (John H. Johnson)
318. I created a hair care line that made me the first self-made female millionaire in America. Who am I? (Madam C.J. Walker)
319. I founded the first Black-owned bank in Richmond, Virginia in 1888. Who am I? (Maggie Lena Walker)
320. I built a successful construction company that helped rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871. Who am I? (John Jones)
321. I launched a successful berry farm in California that employed and housed hundreds during the Great Depression. Who am I? (Colonel Allensworth)
322. I created a line of dolls with Black features and hairstyles in the 1980s. Who am I? (Beatrice Elizabeth Muse)
323. I founded the largest Black-owned food company in the United States. Who am I? (Reginald Lewis)
324. I built Motown Records into one of the most successful Black-owned businesses in American history. Who am I? (Berry Gordy)
325. I founded a Black-owned cosmetics company that became a major competitor to mainstream brands. Who am I? (Eunice Johnson)

Contemporary Black Leaders

326. I am a voting rights activist who narrowly lost a gubernatorial race in Georgia in 2018. Who am I? (Stacey Abrams)
327. I am a civil rights attorney who founded the Equal Justice Initiative and was portrayed in the film “Just Mercy.” Who am I? (Bryan Stevenson)
328. I am a Black economist who has studied racial wealth inequality and reparations. Who am I? (William A. Darity Jr.)
329. I am a Black transgender rights activist who founded the Transgender Law Center. Who am I? (Kylar Broadus)
330. I am a Black environmentalist who founded an organization fighting environmental racism. Who am I? (Dr. Robert Bullard)
331. I am a Black feminist scholar who coined the term “intersectionality” to describe overlapping social identities. Who am I? (Kimberlé Crenshaw)
332. I am a Black astrophysicist who has popularized science through television and writing. Who am I? (Neil deGrasse Tyson)
333. I am a poet who became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history at President Biden’s inauguration. Who am I? (Amanda Gorman)

Bonus Riddles

334. I organized the “Freedom Schools” during Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964. Who am I? (Bob Moses)
335. I was the first Black female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. Who am I? (Misty Copeland)
336. I pioneered gospel music and wrote over 3,000 songs, including “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” Who am I? (Thomas A. Dorsey)
337. I was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet known for my accessible style and focus on everyday Black experiences. Who am I? (Gwendolyn Brooks)
338. I founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first Black classical ballet company. Who am I? (Arthur Mitchell)
339. I was a pioneering Black fashion designer who created Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress. Who am I? (Ann Lowe)
340. I was a Negro League baseball pitcher known for my fastball and later became the first Black coach in Major League Baseball. Who am I? (Satchel Paige)

🧩 Challenge yourself with these riddles to learn about the incredible contributions and achievements of Black Americans throughout history. Each riddle opens a door to a fascinating story of perseverance, innovation, and excellence!

How many can you solve? Challenge accepted?