102 years ago, on June 15, 1921, Bessie Coleman achieved a significant milestone as the FIRST Black woman in history to earn a pilot's license, 2 years before Amelia Earhart. With great courage and determination, “Brave Bessie,” as she would later be called, pursued her own path, striving always to fulfill her mother's aspiration for her children to “amount to something.”
Born 1892 in Texas, Bessie faced challenges of racism and sexism that were prevalent at the time. In 1920, living in segregated Chicago and working as a manicurist, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot. Despite being denied instruction by white pilots, she sought advice from Robert Abbot, publisher of the Chicago Defender. Abbot suggested she get trained in France, where Black people had more opportunities.
Bessie Coleman enrolled in the Caudron Brothers School of Aviation in France, earning her pilot's license on June 15, 1921. She became the first African American woman to receive a pilot's license, breaking barriers in both race and gender. Bessie recognized the need for further training to perform stunts and open her own flight school. She returned to Europe, training in France and Germany, flying alongside experienced pilots.
Back in the United States, Bessie made her first public flight in September 1922 on Long Island, New York, followed by exhibitions in Memphis and Chicago. Despite facing obstacles, Coleman's barnstorming shows and speaking engagements drew large integrated crowds, with Black audiences offering support and hospitality.
Tragically, on April 30, 1926, during a practice flight in Florida, Bessie Coleman's plane went into a nosedive and crashed, resulting in her and her pilot’s death. The cause: a stuck leftover wrench. The Black community deeply mourned her loss, but her legacy endured.
@Deglassco Check on "who wen wow" that's where I heard of her. It is a very cool show I listen to as an adult even though it's a kids podcast, I am still a kid at heart
Throughout the 1930s, organizations like the Challenger Air Pilots Association held annual memorial events, and individuals like William Powell continued her cause by establishing the Bessie Coleman Aero Flying Club and promoting aviation as a pathway to integration. Over the years, numerous clubs, organizations, and scholarships have honored Bessie's legacy and worked towards equality in aviation and aerospace.
Although Bessie didn't live to fulfill her dream of opening a flight school, her determination and resilience inspired others to pursue their aspirations. Her remarkable journey not only challenged the prejudices of the time but also paved the way for future generations of aviators, leaving a lasting impact on the history of aviation.
@Deglassco I love the history. Can you please add all text to the images so that with those of us who can’t see the image due to either visual impairment or a small phone screen can actually enjoy the picture. The description doesn’t need to be exhaustively, detailed, however, the essential parts of the image do need to be highlighted. If you need to see examples, I can try and provide some. thank you so much and be blessed.
@Deglassco Odd, I tried to read with mona and all I heard was "image." I wonder if my client borked some how. let me check with another one. thanks for replying.
@Deglassco Ah, I'll have to check with my other client as I can see the alt text with this one. I'll do that after work though. thanks for such an amazing story. Being that my passion is flying, I hope I can, one day become a pilot.
What an excellent article! We have had so many innovative, brave, talented people that should be better known to history. Thank you for this. It’s especially important to girls!
@Deglassco maybe somebody already mentioned it (I struggle to follow mastodon threads on my phone) but there is a childrens book about her - I believe it’s called “Nobody Owns the Sky”
@ronalicious oh, yes, I read that story. The teacher really did the child a disservice. A simple Google search would have shown that Bessie Coleman was a worthy choice.
@Deglassco@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon Great toot. We currently have a pilot shortage. Imagine how well we could fill it if we sourced more from female and minority communities. We need to encourage and assist women and minorities to be come pilots.
@Deglassco@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon I love this so much simply because I’ve never heard of her before. And that needs to change sooner rather than later. Thanks!
@Deglassco@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon It's sad to think how much greater our nation could have been if blacks had not been marginalize in our society. Race is not the zero-sum proposition many White People think it to be.
@Deglassco I'm glad that the black community has been at the forefront of the march toward democracy for 400 years. We don't appreciate how long that is. That's nearly the time span of the Roman Empire. Thanks for being the vanguard for all of us.
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