Gabriele D’Annunzio
Italian writer, poet, playwright, soldier and politician (1863-1938)
Bessie Coleman
American aviator (1892-1926)
Bessie Coleman was an early American civil aviator, the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license. She earned her license in France in 1921 and became a high-profile pilot in the US, known as ‘Queen Bess’ and ‘Brave Bessie’. Sadly, she died in a plane crash in 1926, but her pioneering role inspired early pilots and her communities.
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About the Bessie Coleman
Bessie Colemanwas an early American civil aviator. She was the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot license, and is the earliest known Black person to earn an international pilot’s license. She earned her license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale on June 15, 1921.
Born to a family of sharecroppers in Texas, Coleman worked in the cotton fields at a young age while also studying in a small segregated school. She attended one term of college at Langston University. Coleman developed an early interest in flying, but African Americans, Native Americans, and women had no flight training opportunities in the United States, so she saved and obtained sponsorships in Chicago to go to France for flight school.
She then became a high-profile pilot in notoriously dangerous air shows in the United States. She was popularly known as “Queen Bess” and “Brave Bessie”, and hoped to start a school for African-American fliers. Coleman died in a plane crash in 1926. Her pioneering role was an inspiration to early pilots and to the African-American and Native American communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bessie Coleman was an early American civil aviator. She was the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license, which she earned in France in 1921.
Bessie Coleman developed an early interest in flying, but African Americans, Native Americans, and women had no flight training opportunities in the United States. So she saved and obtained sponsorships in Chicago to go to France for flight school.
Bessie Coleman was popularly known as ,Queen Bess, and ,Brave Bessie, for her pioneering role as a high-profile pilot in notoriously dangerous air shows in the United States.
Bessie Coleman hoped to start a school for African-American fliers, but sadly she died in a plane crash in 1926 before she could achieve this dream.
Bessie Coleman’s pioneering role as the first African-American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license was an inspiration to early pilots and to the African-American and Native American communities.
3 Quotes by Bessie Coleman
- 1.
The air is the only place free from prejudices.
Bessie ColemanAmerican aviator (1892-1926)
- 2.
I refused to take no for an answer.
Bessie ColemanAmerican aviator (1892-1926)
- 3.
I decided blacks should not have to experience the difficulties I had faced, so I decided to open a flying school and teach other black women to fly.
Bessie ColemanAmerican aviator (1892-1926)