The History of African American Cities
Which of the following cities became the first incorporated African American municipality in the United States?
- Mound Bayou was founded in 1887 by former slaves Isaiah T. Montgomery and Benjamin T. Green. In 1898, it became the first all-Black municipality in the United States.
Which city was known as "Black Wall Street" before it was destroyed in a 1921 race massacre?
- In the early 1900s, Tulsa's Greenwood district was a thriving center of Black entrepreneurship and culture. In 1921, a white mob attacked and destroyed the district, killing dozens of Black residents and leaving thousands homeless.
Which city was the birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance?
- The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that took place in the 1920s and 1930s, centered in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan.
Which city was the site of the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott?
- In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery city bus. The resulting boycott, led by Martin Luther King Jr., lasted for over a year and helped to launch the Civil Rights Movement.
Which city was the first to elect a Black mayor in the United States?
- In 1973, Maynard Jackson was elected mayor of Atlanta, becoming the first Black mayor of a major Southern city.
Which city was the site of the first sit-in protest of the Civil Rights Movement?
- In 1960, four Black college students staged a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, sparking a wave of similar protests across the South.
Which city is known as "Chocolate City" due to its historically large Black population?
- Washington, D.C. has long been a center of Black political power and culture. In 1975, its Black population reached a peak of 71%, earning it the nickname "Chocolate City."
Which city is home to the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination?
- The National Civil Rights Museum is located at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
Which city was the site of the 1967 race riots, which lasted for five days and resulted in 43 deaths?
- The 1967 Detroit riots were sparked by a police raid on an unlicensed bar in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
Which city is home to the annual Essence Festival, one of the largest celebrations of Black culture in the United States?
- The Essence Festival, founded in 1995, takes place annually in New Orleans and features music, food, and cultural events celebrating Black heritage.
