Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 8, 1990                   TAG: 9003091943
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N-2   EDITION: NORTH 
SOURCE: MARY JO SHANNON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY QUIZ HAD PARTICIPANTS BITING THEIR NAILS

What famous black American was nicknamed "Black Moses?"

The six anxious Roanoke youngsters who competed in the African-American History Quiz, held recently at the Gainsboro branch of the Roanoke Public Library, knew the answers to these two questions and many more.

Granted they had been given a study sheet, and the quiz was multiple-choice. But they were participating in a real live quiz show, complete with a colorful game board displaying questions in 20 categories with values from 5 to 25 points each.

Senior librarian Carla Pullen said the game was developed eight years ago by Roanoke librarians to allow children to participate in the celebration of Black History Month.

"We made up questions in 20 categories, such as literature, science, politics, medicine, sports, women, etc.," she said. "We have one local category also and we try to mix current events with historical facts."

Teachers in the Roanoke school system also use the study sheets, Pullen said.

The multiple-choice questions are revised and updated annually. Study guidelines are prepared and are available to contestants for study prior to the event.

The librarians said they did this because they hoped parents would work with youngsters in preparating for the contest, and that everyone would benefit by increasing their awareness of the contributions of African Americans.

The six contestants represented three age groups: 10 to 12, 13 to 15 and 16 to 18 years. The winner and runner-up for each level were determined by the number of points earned. At his or her turn, each contestant selected the category and value for the question.

Mary Davis, a retired elementary schoolteacher, and Reginald Shareef, a management consultant, read the questions and got answers that Crispus Attucks was the first person to die in the American Revoluntionary War and Harriet Tubman was known as the "Black Moses."

First-place winners, who received trophies and certificates, were: Letitia Hawkins, Patrick Henry High School; Byron Preston, Patrick Henry High School; and Malik Shareef, Monterey Elementary School.

Runners-up, who received certificates, were: Andre Bryant, William Fleming High School; Monique DeBerry, Roanoke Catholic High School; and Victoria Cunningham, Raleigh Court Elementary School.