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Brian Lehrer: It's the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. Yes, as we've been doing every day during the membership drive, to break things up a little bit, we have a 10 question quiz right after the eleven o'clock news. We'll do another one tomorrow to end the drive. Today's 10 question quiz includes leftovers and some new questions that we added from last week's American History 101 Quiz and last week's New York and New Jersey History 101 quiz. Who wants to play? 212-433-WNYC as people get on and finish up. 212-433-9692.
We'll start with Tessa in Manhattan today. Hi, Tessa. Ready to play? Do we have Tessa? Okay, hang on. Let me do this the right way. Here we go. Tessa in Manhattan, I think we have you now. Are you there?
Tessa: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Question one. We're talking a lot these days about immigration and who should be let in or deported. What US law passed in 1882 was the first to specifically ban immigration based on a specific nationality? The first to specifically ban immigration based on a specific nationality. What was it?
Tessa: I think it was called the Chinese Immigration Act.
Brian Lehrer: Yes, that's close enough. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Question two for the Brian Lehrer Show baseball hat or the Brian Lehrer Show pro-democracy tote. Your choice. Here's a past US President. We're going to play a clip who we've talked about in our 100 Years of a 100 Things series. This clip is very relevant today when there's so much discussion of government by billionaires. Who is speaking here?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: We know now that government by organized money is just as dangerous as government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me, and I welcome their hatred.
Brian Lehrer: Very relevant to today. Who from our 100 Years of a 100 Things series said that it?
Tessa: It sounds like Franklin Delano Roosevelt?
Brian Lehrer: The fanfare means you got that right. Two in a row right is what it means. You want a Brian Lehrer Show pro-democracy tote or a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap?
Tessa: Baseball cap, please.
Brian Lehrer: Okay, Tessa, thank you. Hang on. We're going to take your address off the air for that. Let's go next to Andrew in St. James on the island. Andrew, you're on WNYC. Hi there. Ready to play?
Andrew: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Question three in our 10 question quiz. In 1939, after being barred from performing at Constitution Hall due to segregation, this legendary contralto singer gave a historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial, drawing a crowd of 75,000 and helping to set the stage for the Civil Rights movement. Who was that legendary singer?
Andrew: No clue.
Brian Lehrer: Oh, okay.
Andrew: No clue.
Brian Lehrer: Sorry, Andrew. It was Mary Anderson. Thanks for trying. Let's go next to Jerry in Brooklyn on line three. Jerry, you're on WNYC. Ready to play?
Jerry: I hope so.
Brian Lehrer: Question four. We did one of our 100 Years of a 100 Things segments on President Jimmy Carter, who died in December. He had become our oldest living former president ever. What age did he live to?
Jerry: I believe 99.
Brian Lehrer: Oh, so close. I was looking for the exact answer there. He lived to 100. Hence the hook for putting him in the 100 Years of a 100 Things series. Let's go next to Kevin in Denver. Kevin, who I know called earlier in the week and did not get two in a row right. Kevin, we'll give you another chance for your loyalty out there.
Kevin: Oh, thank you.
Brian Lehrer: Question five. This is the last one in our American history 101 set. Then we're going to go on to New York and New Jersey history questions. Who was the first Black woman to be confirmed for a seat on the US Supreme Court? The first Black woman.
Kevin: I should know this, but I don't. I apologize. I blew it on the first question this time, so that's at least consistent.
Brian Lehrer: I'll give you one clue. You don't have to go back all that far in history.
Kevin: I know, I know. It's pretty darn recent, unfortunately.
Brian Lehrer: All right, Kevin, thanks for trying. The answer was Ketanji Brown Jackson. Let's go next to line five. Thomas in Summit. Thomas, are you ready to play?
Thomas: I hope so, Brian.
Brian Lehrer: From here, we go to the last five questions, which will be New York and New Jersey history 101 questions. Question six. The very first New York City subway line opened in 1904. It was called the IRT for Independent Rapid Transit. It went from City Hall in Lower Manhattan to what neighborhood at the other end? Started downtown.
Thomas: Harlem?
Brian Lehrer: Harlem is right. 145th Street, to be precise. Question number seven. For the hat or the pro-democracy tote, which major highway project opened first? The New Jersey Turnpike or the Cross Bronx Expressway? Maybe you know this one, living in Summit.
Thomas: The New Jersey Turnpike.
Brian Lehrer: Is right. Which opened in 1951. The Cross Bronx in 1955. Would you like the Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap or the Brian Lehrer Show pro-democracy tote?
Thomas: Everyone can use one of those blue caps, Brian. Come on.
Brian Lehrer: All right, and so you're going to get one. Hang on. We're going to take your information off the air. Let's see, the next populated line is number seven. George in Riverdale. Hi, George. You're on WNYC, ready to play?
George: I am, Brian. Good morning.
Brian Lehrer: Good morning. Question seven. Which major highway project-- Oh, no, I did that one. Question number eight. This is a New York City--
George: Allow me to interrupt you for a second. It's the Interborough Rapid Transit Corporation, not the Independent.
Brian Lehrer: Oh, you know, maybe you're right. Interborough Rapid Transit. Thank you for that correction. I got one other thing wrong in a quiz last week. It didn't affect the answer, as this one didn't. I said that Mario Cuomo had been in Congress before he ran for mayor.
George: Correct, he had not been.
Brian Lehrer: He had not been. It was Ed Koch who won the election who had been in Congress.
George: Yes, he was the one who negotiated the famous negotiation in Queens, which is how he made his name.
Brian Lehrer: That's right. As an advocate. Yes, I was looking for a place to put that correction, and you gave me an opportunity. Question eight. This is a New York City mayoral election year. Since Ed Koch finished his mayoralty 35 years ago, there have been 5 more mayors of New York. Can you name any three?
George: Dinkins, Bloomberg, Giuliani. That's three, I guess.
Brian Lehrer: That's three. You did it. Plus de Blasio and Adams. That's one question right? Nine. For the cap or the tote. This is a New Jersey gubernatorial election year as well. Can you name any three governors who have served since the year 2000? They're about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
George: Brendan Byrne, Tom Kean. There was Meyner, Robert Meyner, and of course, the present, Phil Murphy.
Brian Lehrer: I'm sorry to say that at least according to my list, you're not right about Brendan Byrne. He was prior.
George: Was he in the '60s?
Brian Lehrer: Let me repeat the question. Maybe you didn't get it. It's since the year 2000. Three who served since the year 2000. You want to give it another shot?
George: Yes. It's Tom Kean. Oh, he's from Camden. Oh, my goodness. There's one who was gay and then there was one of those former congressmen. Oh, my goodness.
Brian Lehrer: Yes. Kean was in the '80s. George, I don't think we can give you this one. Sorry. Since the year 2000. Christine Todd Whitman, 1994-2001. Donald DiFrancesco, John Bennett. They served very briefly after Whitman went into the national EPA. Then James McGreevy, Richard Codey, Jon Corzine, Chris Christie, and Phil Murphy. We have one more question left. You know what that means? That means that Sharon in Manhattan gets a chance to win a hat or a tote with just one right answer. Sharon, you're ready to play? Do we have you, Sharon?
Sharon: Yes.
Brian Lehrer: Question 10, and for the hat or the tote. The architect Ricardo Scofidio died last week at the age of 89. Not a household name, but he may be most remembered not for a building he designed but for something outdoors in Manhattan, where you live. What is Ricardo Scofidio's wildly popular outdoor creation?
Sharon: Oh, God. Can I get a hint?
Brian Lehrer: I'll give you a hint. One hint. It runs from 34th Street south for about a mile.
Sharon: 34th Street South. The High Line?
Brian Lehrer: It is the High Line, yes. Scofidio was part of a team that designed it. The New York Times obit of the architect last week said his stated goal was to save the High Line from architecture. Ha ha ha. Funny for an architect, but, Sharon, you got it right. Thank you very much. We're going to put you on hold. Do you want a pro-democracy tote or a Brian Lehrer Show baseball cap? We'll take that information from you off the air and get your address. Folks, that's our 10-question quiz for today. It's a little harder than I thought it was going to turn out to be for some of our callers. We'll have one more tomorrow at this same time.
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