Student Article

In 1919, Bessie Coleman was working as a manicurist in Chicago when she decided that she wanted to fly planes. She had heard about daring pilots from World War I and exciting air shows, and she dreamed of becoming a pilot. But Bessie had a big challenge ahead: she was a woman and Black. Most flight schools in the U.S. wouldn't even let her apply.

A tough childhood that fueled her determination

Bessie was born in Texas in 1892 to a poor family. Her parents were African American and Native American. As a child, she worked hard, picking cotton and walking miles to a small school. She was smart, but could only afford one semester of college. When her brother teased her, saying that French women could fly planes but Black women couldn't, she decided to prove him wrong.

Learning to fly in France and breaking barriers

With help from a Black newspaper publisher and by teaching herself French, Bessie traveled to France in 1920. She trained for seven months in a plane with no brakes! In 1921, she became the first Black and Native American woman to earn a pilot's license.

Aviation legend “Queen Bess” takes to the skies

Back in the U.S., she amazed crowds with her aerial stunts — looping, spinning, even walking on the wings of planes! She became known as "Queen Bess." But Bessie wasn't just an entertainer. She refused to fly at shows with segregated entrances and gave speeches to encourage other Black people, especially women, to fly. She dreamed of starting her own flight school.

A tragic loss but a lasting legacy

Sadly, Bessie died in a crash in 1926 at just 34 years old. But her bravery and dream to fly inspired many others to follow in her footsteps.

© Jonny Wilkes / www.historyextra.com