'We Shall Overcome': The Civil Rights Movement Quiz (2024)

Advertisement

By: Alia Hoyt

1 min

'We Shall Overcome': The Civil Rights Movement Quiz (1)

Image: Bettmann/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Progress toward freedom and equality for all hasn't been easy. How much do you know about the people and events made famous by the civil rights movement?

What was Dr. King's original first name?

Martin

Michael

Believe it or not, Martin Luther King Jr.'s name was changed at age 5. His father was blown away by the legacy of Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther while on a trip to Germany. When King returned, he changed his name and his son's to reflect it.

Matthew

How many times was MLK arrested?

12

23

29

The civil rights icon was unceremoniously thrown in jail nearly 30 times. Famously, one of those times was for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone (48 kph in a 40 kph zone), while in Montgomery, Alabama.

Which of the following practices was standard under Jim Crow laws and etiquette?

A black male could not offer to light a white woman's cigarette.

White motorists always had the right of way at intersections.

Blacks and whites could not eat together.

all of the above

Known as a racial caste system, the Jim Crow era saw a vast collection of rigid laws, etiquette and practices that treated Black people as inferior, second-class citizens.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Why was Malcolm X assassinated?

because of his criticism of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, which he called the "Farce on Washington"

because of his bitter split with the Nation of Islam

Although Malcolm brought the Nation of Islam (NOI) extreme popularity, he fell out with its leader, Elijah Muhammad when he found out the latter had several illegitimate children, in direct violation of the religion's teachings, and began to criticize him publicly. Malcolm was killed by NOI members in 1965.

because of his opinions about integration

Which famous civil rights court case is known for the phrase "separate but equal"?

Dred Scott v. Sanford

In Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court said that racial segregation laws didn't violate the U.S. Constitution provided the facilities for each race were of equal quality. Thankfully, this ruling was overturned some 55 years later by Brown v. Board of Education. The Brown ruling said that segregation on the basis of race is unconstitutional and "inherently unequal."

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

Who said, “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right?”

Rosa Parks

The activist was called the "mother of the civil rights movement" when her refusal to give her bus seat up to a white man in 1955 started a boycott of the Montgomery bus system in Alabama that lasted 381 days, until the Supreme Court ruled segregated seating was unconstitutional.

Harriet Tubman

Maya Angelou

Advertisement

Advertisement

What was the subject of the march in Selma, Alabama, that resulted in Bloody Sunday?

segregation

police brutality

voter rights

John Lewis, who later became a popular congressman, was one of the leaders of the march to bring awareness to the lack of voting rights for African Americans. The march took them across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where police officers beat them severely, sending 58 people to the hospital, including Lewis.

What prevented many Black people from voting, which Septima Clark fought to correct?

lack of identification

literacy tests

Literacy tests often kept Black people from exercising their right to vote. Many African Americans were illiterate thanks to Jim Crow segregation and the tests were often deliberately confusing. Clark, a former teacher who was fired because of her NAACP affiliation, designed a curriculum to teach reading and writing. (Literacy tests were banned by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.)

lack of transportation

How many missions did the Tuskegee Airmen complete during World War II?

500

4,000

15,000

The group set the gold standard as the U.S. Army Air Corps' first Black aviators. Between them, they earned 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses for their heroic missions and inspired integration within the armed forces.

Advertisement

Advertisement

When did the civil rights movement start?

1954

The 1954 Supreme Court decision on Brown v. Board of Education (which outlawed segregation) is often considered to be the beginning of the modern civil rights movement, which lasted through the 1960s. However, African Americans had been agitating for their civil rights long before this period and in some ways, the fight still continues.

1948

1960

You Got: /10

Bettmann/Getty Images

More Awesome Stuff

Advertisement

Advertisement

'We Shall Overcome': The Civil Rights Movement Quiz (2024)

FAQs

Why was We Shall Overcome important to the Civil Rights Movement? ›

That song was “We Shall Overcome.” It soon became the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. It offered courage, comfort, and hope as protesters confronted prejudice and hate in the battle for equal rights for African Americans.

What composed the Civil Rights Movement theme We Shall Overcome? ›

The civil rights anthem, 'We Shall Overcome', does not have a single composer. Instead, it is the result of multiple cultural and folk traditions. Some believe the song began as a spiritual, which were songs of resistance created by enslaved African Americans.

Who wrote "We shall overcome the civil rights movement"? ›

The copyright status of "We Shall Overcome" was disputed in the late 2010s. A copyright registration was made for the song in 1960, which is credited as an arrangement by Zilphia Horton, Guy Carawan, Frank Hamilton, and Pete Seeger, of a work entitled "I'll Overcome", with no known original author.

What are good questions about the Civil Rights Movement? ›

Civil Rights Questions to Ask Your Relatives:
  • How old were you during the Civil Rights Movement?
  • Where were you living at the time?
  • What was your community like?
  • Did you experience segregation? ...
  • What was school like?
  • What was your family situation?
  • How did you receive local and national news at the time?
Jan 15, 2021

What is the message of "We shall overcome"? ›

This song became the anthem of the civil rights movement and was sung in many important marches. The song talks about overcoming racial injustice. It says, “We'll walk hand in hand”, meaning that white people and black people will walk together and be one society.

What was the summary of the We Shall Overcome speech? ›

Johnson spoke this speech with integrity trying to conquer these racial discriminations and get the Voting Rights Act passed. He stressed that accomplishing equal citizenship takes more than just legal right. He wanted to ensure everyone that they were given an opportunity to escape poverty.

Did Martin Luther King say We Shall Overcome? ›

"We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.” Speech given at the National Cathedral, March 31, 1968.

What is the spiritual history of We Shall Overcome? ›

WE SHALL OVERCOME: INFORMATION AND LYRICS

The lyrics are derived from a gospel song, “I'll Overcome Some Day,” by Charles Tindley. The melody is from the nineteenth-century spiritual “No More Auction Block for Me,” which dates to before the civil war.

What is the historical background of We Shall Overcome? ›

But "We Shall Overcome" began as a folk song, a work song. Slaves in the fields would sing, 'I'll be all right someday. ' It became known in the churches. A Methodist minister, Charles Albert Tindley, published a version in 1901: "I'll Overcome Someday."

What are the 3 most important civil rights? ›

Our country's Constitution and federal laws contain critical protections that form the foundation of our inclusive society – the right to be free from discrimination, the freedom to worship as we choose, the right to vote for our elected representatives, the protections of due process, the right to privacy.

What are 2 facts about the civil rights movement? ›

Martin Luther King, Jr., was an important leader of the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on a public bus to a white customer, was also important. John Lewis, a civil rights leader and politician, helped plan the March on Washington.

What was the biggest concern of the civil rights movement? ›

Voting rights remained a central concern for the civil rights movement, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Shelby County Holder (2013) to declare unconstitutional Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which had established a formula for determining which jurisdictions were required to seek federal ...

What is the meaning of "we shall overcome" by Joan Baez? ›

Joan Baez song "We Shall Overcome" sings about social justice. The early years of her career were at the time the Civil Rights Movement was becoming a prominent issue. "We Shall Overcome" was known as one of the "Civil Rights Anthem's" and was sang at many rallies and protests.

What was the most important issue during the civil rights movement? ›

The landmark 1964 act barred discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in public facilities — such as restaurants, theaters, or hotels. Discrimination in hiring practices was also outlawed, and the act established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to help enforce the law.

Why is it important to learn about the civil rights movement? ›

Having background on the historic events of the Civil Rights Movement will provide students with a deeper understanding of tolerance and awareness of the world around them.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 5950

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (76 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.