Black History Crossword Puzzle Free Printable for Kids and Teens

Black History Crossword Puzzle Free Printable for Kids and Teens Post Preview: This post has a free printable Black History crossword puzzle (with and without a word bank) as well as several other resources for kids and teens. 

Last year, I decided to start a separate site just for crossword puzzles. In addition to the crossword puzzles, I already had from Real Life at Home, this was one of the puzzles I made to post in February. However, then I finally decided that I would leave all that content here.

Then our February got crazy, at it usually does with musical season at the high school. I decided that was okay, because I liked not posting a Black History crossword puzzle during Black History Month. Black History is American History and should be taught year-round.

Of course, then the pandemic hit and my work productivity has been hit hard. It’s been hard to convince myself to get things done. However, I finally updated some things on this printable and it’s ready to go.

Today I have a free Black History Crossword Puzzle Printable that is perfect to use with students from middle school through high school (and maybe some upper elementary). Since I have a version with a word bank and without a word bank, this opens up the grade level options.

I’m excited to be able to offer this printable as a free download for personal and classroom use. I’ll tell you a little more about it and then have the download ready for you to grab farther down.

Related Content:

• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Crossword Puzzle Printable
• Abraham Lincoln Crossword Puzzle Printable
• President Facts for Kids: Free U.S. Presidents Crossword Puzzle Printable

Black History Crossword Puzzle Printable

You can use these printable crossword puzzles with a variety of ages from middle school through high school (and maybe some upper elementary students). You might be able to use it with younger students as well, especially if you use the version of the puzzle with a word bank.

The Black History is American History Crossword Puzzle features 18 clues to be able to fill in the puzzle. Many of these may be facts that the students have already learned if you have been covering black leaders, authors, inventors, and more while learning about American History. Some of the clues have answers that students will easily be able to find in books or online.

In this puzzle, I didn’t make clues about when people were born or when they died. Instead, I wanted this puzzle to focus on accomplishments and lives. 

There are two different versions of the free Black History Puzzle Printable. One version just has the puzzle and clues on it. The other version has the puzzle and clues but also features a word bank at the bottom of the page. Both versions are available farther down in the post in the download section with two separate text links.

There is a third download link available in the same section and it is the answer key. The only difference between the two puzzles is whether they have a word bank or not. So, the answer key is the same for both of them.

Note: The answer key is only available for a limited amount of time. There is more information about that in a section about the answer key below.

Sample Items from the Black History is American History Crossword

6 Across He was the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice

17 Across This poet, award-winning author, and Civil Rights activist wrote an acclaimed memoir called I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

3 Down In the 1967 case of Loving v. _______, the Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting interracial marriage was unconstitutional.

Ways to Use this Printable with Students

Crossword puzzles can be used in a variety of ways with students. Here are some ideas for how to use this with your class or children, including at least one way that you might not have considered:

1. Use as a quiz or test. This is definitely not the most common way to use a crossword puzzle printable, but all of the crossword puzzles on the site would make excellent quizzes or tests.

2. In-class assignment – This could be used as an individual assignment or as a group assignment.

3. Homework 

4. Extra credit

5. Fun enrichment activity

Black History Crossword Puzzle Answer Key

For a limited time, the answer key to this puzzle will be available as a downloadable PDF file farther down in this post.

However, at some point in the near future, I will be moving all crossword puzzle answer keys to a very inexpensive downloadable version of the crosswords. This will be to help teachers feel better about using crosswords from Real Life at Home with their students, as it will make answer keys less accessible to students.

Black History is American History Crossword Printable Terms of Use

Both crossword puzzle downloads are free for personal or classroom use. You must include the copyright credit line when making copies.

This printable (and its contents) may not be sold, published, or hosted on other websites. This includes that the printable may NOT be hosted on a school website (or any other website) for others to download it from that site, though a school may link to this post for others to download it here.

Exception note: If you are doing remote learning, you may make this puzzle available to your students either via email (only sent to your students) or in a secure Google Classroom (or a similar set up) where only your students and their parents have access to it.

You may not claim the crossword puzzle as your creation or distribute it in any way other than in a classroom setting without express written permission from Angie Kauffman/Real Life at Home. Copyright remains with Real Life at Home.

Thanks!

Get Your Black History Crossword Printable: Download Here

Download the free Black History Puzzle Printable (standard version)

Download the free Black History Crossword Puzzle Printable (version with word bank)

Answer Key

Having clarity issues or printing problems with the printable? Your web browser or Adobe Acrobat version may be to blame. I have some suggestions that can help!

Other Resources and Free Printables You May Love:

Children’s Books and Unit Studies on Slavery

Resources and Activities about the Underground Railroad

Favorite Books about Martin Luther King, Jr.

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