The Killeen Branch of the NAACP hosted a Black History Month Quiz Bowl on Saturday, at the Douse Community Center.
Jada Holcomb | Herald
The Killeen Branch of the NAACP hosted its first ever Black History Month Quiz Bowl on Saturday.
The event — which tested several local youth teams on their knowledge of Black history — drew in parents and people interested in learning more about Black history, as well as children from around Central Texas and local leaders including Killeen Mayor Debbie Nash-King and Killeen ISD Superintendent Jo Ann Fey.
The quiz bowl started around 10 a.m., and was located at the Douse Community Center, 1000 Jefferies, with the center being decorated with the colors red, yellow and green. Banners were placed around the event, which also featured cut-outs of the Obama family. Bracelets for attendees were given out, and activities were available for the younger kids.
Attendees also got to enjoy catering from Geechie’s Southern Style Restaurant in Killeen.
“The goal was to educate our young people on Black history. A lot of what we were hearing is that they are not being taught it in school,“ said TaNeika Driver-Moultrie, president for the Killeen Branch NAACP, during the event. “We encourage our young people to learn about their history, because they, too, contribute to the forming, the creation, the inventions of this world.”
There were a total of five teams at Saturday’s event; the winners of each round received a trophy or award. Questions being asked ranged from famous public Black figures, Black history, city locations that held events that shaped Black history and even Black pop culture questions such as, “What is the name of Beyonce’s husband?”
Kids from elementary school all the way up to high school were able to answer questions in a quiz bowl fashion, as well as testing out how fast their brains worked.
“We are so excited that they actually are here, participating in this event,” said Driver-Moultrie, later during the event. “I love to see young people taking the torch as we continue on the legacy in the work of the NAACP.”
The winning teams were the “Howling Lobos” and a team from Killeen ISD’s Early College High School.