Black Friend by Ziwe: Complete Book Quiz

Think you know Ziwe's Black Friend inside and out? This 20-question quiz spans every chapter, testing your recall of key plot points, character motivations, themes, and the big ideas Ziwe wrestles with. Whether you're studying for a book club or just love the show, use this to check your understanding.

Quiz Questions

1. (Plot/Sequence) In Chapter 1, which celebrity mispronounces Ziwe's name at the start of the book?
A) Sam Jay
B) Rose McGowan
C) Michael Che
D) Alison Roman

2. (Plot/Sequence) In the Airbnb chapter, what does the couple's adopted Black daughter scream at Ziwe?
A) "Go away!"
B) "LUCKY!"
C) "Friend!"
D) "Help!"

3. (Plot/Sequence) What is the name of Ziwe's dog, adopted in Chapter 13?
A) Celine Dion
B) Beyoncé
C) Oprah
D) Rihanna

4. (Plot/Sequence) Which major event in 2020 caused Ziwe's Instagram Live show to go viral?
A) The Presidential election
B) The George Floyd protests
C) The Super Bowl
D) The Grammy Awards

5. (Plot/Sequence) Who visited Ziwe's prep school on MLK Day in Chapter 14?
A) Ben Carson
B) Spike Lee
C) Junot Díaz
D) Fran Lebowitz

6. (Plot/Sequence) In Chapter 3, which website ranks women's feet and is criticized by Ziwe?
A) WikiFeet
B) RateMyFeet
C) FeetFinder
D) OnlyFans

7. (Plot/Sequence) At the end of Chapter 4, what food does Ziwe cook to reclaim her Nigerian heritage?
A) Egusi soup
B) Jollof rice
C) Pounded yam
D) Suya

8. (Plot/Sequence) What does the attendant assume Ziwe is a member of at the If Beale Street Could Talk screening (Chapter 6)?
A) The NAACP
B) The Democratic Party
C) The Black Panther Party
D) The ACLU

9. (Character Motivation) Why does Ziwe adopt the mononym "Ziwe" instead of using her full surname?
A) To sound more artistic
B) To avoid people mispronouncing "Fumudoh"
C) To honor a family nickname
D) To separate her personal and public life

10. (Character Motivation) What motivates Ziwe to ask guests, "How many Black friends do you have?"
A) Genuine curiosity about diversity
B) To expose performative allyship and tokenism
C) To make guests uncomfortable for entertainment
D) To promote her own social circle

11. (Character Motivation) After her Instagram Live show gains fame, Ziwe feels intense imposter syndrome. What specific recognition triggers this feeling?
A) Emmy nomination
B) Forbes Top Creators list
C) New York Times profile
D) Book deal

12. (Character Motivation) In her youth, why did Ziwe reject femininity and adopt masculine traits?
A) She wanted to fit in with male friends
B) As rebellion against sexism and gendered expectations
C) She was forced by her parents
D) She didn't have feminine role models

13. (Character Motivation) Why does Ziwe keep her Chow Chow, Celine Dion, despite the dog not being intimidating?
A) For protection and companionship
B) The dog is a gift she cannot return
C) She hopes the dog will become fierce with training
D) The dog reminds her of her childhood pet

14. (Theme/Symbol) In the book, the trope of the "Black friend" primarily symbolizes what?
A) Genuine interracial friendship
B) Tokenism and performative allyship
C) Cultural diversity
D) The importance of friendship

15. (Theme/Symbol) The Airbnb chapter (Chapter 2) uses the encounter with the white couple to symbolize what broader issue?
A) Gentrification
B) Racial profiling and surveillance of Black bodies
C) Class privilege
D) Land ownership

16. (Theme/Symbol) Ziwe's analysis of WikiFeet ratings for celebrities like Britney Spears and Victoria Justice is a symbol of what?
A) Celebrity obsession
B) Objectification and dehumanization of women, especially Black women
C) The power of online ratings
D) Foot fetish culture

17. (Theme/Symbol) At the end of Chapter 4, Ziwe cooking jollof rice symbolizes what?
A) A new hobby
B) Reclaiming her Nigerian culture
C) A failed attempt at cooking
D) Bonding with her father

18. (Synthesis) How do Chapter 2 (the Airbnb couple) and Chapter 5 ("How many Black friends do you have?") both critique the same concept?
A) They both argue that Black friendships are overrated.
B) Both chapters use the phrase "Black friend" to expose tokenism—the couple literally calls their daughter their "Black friend," and Chapter 5 deconstructs how people use claimed Black friends as a shield against racism.
C) Both chapters recommend having exactly four to five Black friends.
D) Both chapters focus on the difficulty of making friends in adulthood.

19. (Synthesis) Which of the following best describes how Ziwe connects her personal experiences to systemic racism throughout the book?
A) She claims systemic racism doesn't exist.
B) She uses anecdotes like the Airbnb confrontation, the name mispronunciation, and the classroom microaggression to illustrate how everyday interactions are shaped by larger racist structures.
C) She only discusses systemic racism in the final chapter.
D) She focuses solely on online racism.

20. (Synthesis) The title Black Friend can be interpreted as referring to both a trope and Ziwe herself. What does this double meaning suggest about the author's role?
A) Ziwe is simply writing about a friend.
B) Ziwe is both critiquing the tokenized "Black friend" role and acknowledging her own position as a public Black figure who is often treated as a spokesperson for her race.
C) The title is ironic because Ziwe has no Black friends.
D) The title refers to a character in the book.

Answer Key

1. B. Rose McGowan. In the opening of Chapter 1, Rose McGowan mispronounces Ziwe's name, setting off reflections on a lifetime of such errors. (Source: Chapter 1 outline)

2. B. "LUCKY!" When the couple's adopted Black daughter finally speaks, she screams "LUCKY!" at Ziwe. (Source: Chapter 2 evidence)

3. A. Celine Dion. Ziwe names her Chow Chow after the singer; the dog is not intimidating but provides companionship. (Source: Chapter 13 outline)

4. B. The George Floyd protests. After George Floyd's murder in 2020, Ziwe's interview with Caroline Calloway (who could name no Black historical figures) went viral, propelling the show. (Source: Chapter 11 outline)

5. B. Spike Lee. Spike Lee visited her prep school on MLK Day and debated affirmative action, leading to a classmate's remark that Ziwe got into college only because she was Black. (Source: Chapter 14 outline and evidence)

6. A. WikiFeet. Ziwe discusses her low rating on WikiFeet and analyzes the site's objectification of women. (Source: Chapter 3 outline)

7. B. Jollof rice. After struggling with discomfort about her Nigerian identity, Ziwe cooks jollof rice as a way to reclaim her culture. (Source: Chapter 4 outline)

8. A. The NAACP. The screening attendant assumes Ziwe is an NAACP member and makes her wait, reflecting gatekeeping and performative allyship. (Source: Chapter 6 outline)

9. B. To avoid people mispronouncing "Fumudoh." Ziwe explains that she adopted the mononym because others frequently stumbled over her last name. (Source: Chapter 1 outline)

10. B. To expose performative allyship and tokenism. The question is a trap that reveals how people commodify Black friendships to deflect accusations of racism. (Source: Chapter 5 outline and evidence)

11. B. Forbes Top Creators list. Being named to Forbes' list triggered intense imposter syndrome, as Ziwe felt she hadn't earned the recognition. (Source: Chapter 11 outline)

12. B. As rebellion against sexism and gendered expectations. Ziwe idolized masculine traits to oppose sexism, but later realized this reinforced oppression. (Source: Chapter 4 outline)

13. A. For protection and companionship. Even though the dog isn't scary, Ziwe likes having her for company and a sense of security. (Source: Chapter 13 outline)

14. B. Tokenism and performative allyship. The "Black friend" is used as a shield to prove one isn't racist, especially after offensive actions. (Source: Chapters 2 and 5 outlines)

15. B. Racial profiling and surveillance of Black bodies. The couple's interrogation of Ziwe for simply walking reflects how Black people are surveilled and treated as suspicious. (Source: Chapter 2 evidence)

16. B. Objectification and dehumanization of women, especially Black women. Ziwe argues that ranking body parts reduces a person to a score and connects this to the dehumanization underlying conservatorships. (Source: Chapter 3 outline)

17. B. Reclaiming her Nigerian culture. After years of feeling distant from her parents' traditions, cooking jollof rice is an act of reconnection. (Source: Chapter 4 outline)

18. B. Both chapters use the phrase "Black friend" to expose tokenism—the couple literally calls their daughter their "Black friend," and Chapter 5 deconstructs how people use claimed Black friends as a shield against racism. (Source: Chapters 2 and 5 outlines)

19. B. Ziwe uses personal anecdotes like the Airbnb confrontation, the name mispronunciation, and the classroom microaggression to illustrate how everyday interactions are shaped by larger racist structures. This is a consistent technique throughout the book. (Source: Multiple chapter outlines)

20. B. Ziwe is both critiquing the tokenized "Black friend" role and acknowledging her own position as a public Black figure who is often treated as a spokesperson for her race. The title reflects her dual role as author and subject. (Source: Overall book themes and Chapter 5)

Want more? Check out the full book summary, discussion questions and answers, or the ending explained.