Black History Month Scavenger Hunt
Visit the following websites and answer the questions that
follow. You may also use this great website—
http://www.blackfacts.com/
Website #1:
This Week on Black History and the Faces of Science
http://www.ai.mit.edu/~isbell/HFh/black/thisweek.html and http://www.lib.lsu.edu/lib/chem/display/faces.html
Who was Shirley Chisholm? (Shirley Chisholm became the first African
American woman to serve in the U.S. Congress)
Who was the first African-American male tennis player to achieve a world
ranking? (Arthur Ashe)
What anti-slavery newspaper was published by Frederick Douglass? (The
North Star)
What medical discovery was made by Charles Drew? (Charles Drew discovered
the modern processes for preserving blood for transfusions)
What three things did Elijah McCoy invent? (lubricator for steam engines,
ironing board and lawn sprinkler)
What was Oscar Coffin the first African American to do? (obtain a
Biological Science Doctor of Philosophy--Ph.D.)
Website #2:
Nat Turner: Prophet, Visionary, Slave Revolt Leader
http://mcjester.cjb.net/natturner.html
- What strange thing happened to Nat when he was born? (His mother tried to
kill him so he wouldn't have to live his life a slave)
- Why was it illegal in Virginia for slaves to know how to read? (Because
they might read abolitionist writings and get ideas to revolt)
- Who was E.T. Brantley? (A white man who quit as a slave owner and
converted to Methodism)
- How did Nat Turner die? (He was hanged after he was captured)
Website #3:
Stamp on Black History
http://library.thinkquest.org/2667/Stamps.htm
- Who was the first black American to be honored on a postage stamp? (Booker
T. Washington)
- What black artist was featured on a postage stamp? (Henry Tanner) HINT:
Take the Black History Tour
- How much did slaves sell for back in the 17th century? ($25 a head in
Africa; worth $150 in the U.S.)
- What did George Washington request be done to his slaves in his will?
(They be freed)
- When did the Civil War begin? (April 12, 1861)
- Bill Pickett invented bulldogging. What was it? (taking a steer by the
neck and throwing him down)
- Who is known as the "father of Black history?" (Carter G. Woodson)
- Who was the first black American to reach the north pole, the top of the
world, in 1909? (Matthew A. Henson)
- In what year did Martin Luther King, Jr. Day become a national holiday?
(1983)
Website #4:
Celebrating Black History Month
http://www.cam.org/~emru/bhp/pages/02-01.html
- What did Black History Month begin as? (Negro History Week)
- What started it? (Carter Woodson)
- What month was originally used? (February)
- Why was this month selected? (Because of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick
Douglass's birthday and their contributions to the black society)
Website #5:
Afro-America: Discover Africa
http://www.afroam.org/children/discover/discover.html
- How many languages are spoken in Africa? (over 1000)
- How large is Africa in comparison to the United States? (4 times larger
than the U.S.)
- What is the official language of Nigeria?
(English)