Question 1

True or false: Nina Simone fled the United States in the 1970s partly due to tax problems and FBI harassment.

Accepted Answer

True. Upset by racism, tax debts, and FBI surveillance for her civil rights activism, she moved abroad—first to Barbados, then Liberia, Switzerland, and finally France.

Question 2

True or false: Simone's song 'Young, Gifted and Black' was written as a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

Accepted Answer

False. The song was inspired by her friend Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright of 'A Raisin in the Sun', not MLK. Hansberry used the phrase 'young, gifted and black'.

Question 3

True or false: Simone legally changed her stage name to avoid confusion with a famous actress.

Accepted Answer

False. She adopted 'Nina Simone' to hide her nightclub singing from her mother. 'Nina' was a boyfriend's nickname for her; 'Simone' came from actress Simone Signoret.

Question 4

True or false: She was an active member of the Black Panther Party and attended their meetings regularly.

Accepted Answer

False. Though she supported Black nationalism and civil rights, she never formally joined the Black Panthers. She was more of a solo activist through her music and statements.

Question 5

True or false: Nina Simone originally trained to become a classical pianist, not a singer.

Accepted Answer

True. She studied classical piano at Juilliard, aiming for a career as a concert pianist, but turned to singing after being rejected from the Curtis Institute of Music.

Question 6

True or false: Nina Simone was a licensed pilot who flew her own plane to performances.

Accepted Answer

True. She earned her pilot's license in the 1960s and owned a plane, flying herself to gigs. It was part of her independent, self-sufficient persona.

Question 7

True or false: Simone's song 'Four Women' was banned by some radio stations for its raw depiction of Black womanhood.

Accepted Answer

True. Released in 1966, the song's unflinching portrayal of four Black women with different skin tones and experiences was considered too controversial for airplay on some stations.

Question 8

True or false: She recorded a song with the rock band The Rolling Stones in the late 1960s.

Accepted Answer

False. No such collaboration exists. Simone did record with other artists, but never with the Rolling Stones. This myth may stem from her covering their song 'I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'.

Nina Simone Trivia Questions