Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman 1892 to 1926
First Black Pilot
Bessie Coleman was the first Black person man or woman to hold a international pilot licenses!
The daughter of a sharecrop in Texas. Bessie father left the family when she was young. He being part Cherokee return back to the reservation in Oklahoma, he was tired of racial discrimination in Texas.
Bessie continue her education and went to college in Oklahoma. Unable to finish college from lack of money. She went to Chicago to stay with her brother. While living in Chicago she worked in a beauty parlor where she had heard about pilots that flew in World War I. Also France let women fly for recreation. The idea of women flying Bessie, fell in love with! Unable to obtain training to be a pilot. She made a deal with a banker to finance her training in France. He sold stories to newspapers and magazines about how a beautiful young Black woman was going to France to be a pilot!
Bessie study french in Chicago, then went Paris to flight school where she obtained her pilot licenses. She soon learned in order to make a living as a pilot she need to be a stunt pilot! She drew big crowds every where she went! She was known as the most beautiful pilot in the world!
Bessie died on a test flight for a plane she was going to do a stunt in the next day. She was thrown {500ft} from the plane and killed on impact.
Known as "Queen Bess" has the second floor of the aviation building in Washington D.C. named after her "Coleman". There are many books, buildings and parks named after Elizabeth Bessie "Queen Bess" Coleman all over the world!
We thank you Queen Bess, for being so beautiful, brave and daring!
peace, love and unity
Wonderful piece! Bessie was determined and her accomplishments give hope to my daughters and myself.
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