No. 54: Bessie Coleman
Episode Transcript
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Before Amelia Earhart ever took flight, Bessie Coleman had already blazed a trail through the skies—defying gravity and Jim Crow with every daring stunt.
Hey, everyone! Welcome to another episode of 100 Historic Black Women You Should Know By Election Day. I’m Shae, a PhD Candidate at Harvard, and today we’re talking about the amazing aviator, Bessie Coleman.
Bessie Coleman’s journey began in a small, segregated town in Texas where she was born in 1892 to a family of sharecroppers. Her father was of African American and Cherokee descent, and her mother was African American. As the 10th of 13 children, Bessie grew up in poverty, helping her family by picking cotton and doing laundry.
After her father left the family in search of better opportunities for Black people in Oklahoma, Bessie took it upon herself to move to Chicago in 1915. It was there, in the hustle and bustle of the South Side, that Bessie’s ambition took flight—literally. She worked as a manicurist by day, listening to stories from World War I pilots who came into the barbershop. Their tales of adventure sparked a new dream: Bessie wanted to become a pilot. But in 1920s America, no flight school would admit a Black woman.
Yet, Bessie Coleman was nothing if not resilient. If American flight schools wouldn’t accept her, she would earn her wings overseas. She taught herself French, sailed to France, and earned her pilot’s license in 1921 from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. This made her the first African American and Native American woman to do so. In fact, she was the first American of any race or gender to be awarded this pilot license.
In the words of Bessie Coleman, “I made up my mind to try. I tried and was successful."
When she returned to the United States, Coleman became a star of the skies, performing daredevil stunts and thrilling crowds at airshows across the United States. She used her platform to advocate for racial equality, refusing to perform at venues that wouldn’t allow Black people to attend.
Coleman didn’t just perform for the thrill of it. She wanted to inspire future generations of Black aviators, dreaming of opening a flight school where Black men and women could learn to fly without the barriers she faced. She traveled the country giving speeches, urging young Black people to follow their dreams, just as she had. Unfortunately, her life was cut tragically short in 1926 when she died in a plane crash during a test flight in Jacksonville, Florida. She was only 34 years old.
Bessie Coleman didn’t just defy the odds—she flew right over them. If you loved learning about Bessie Coleman, don’t forget to rate this podcast 5 stars so we can keep sharing the stories of these incredible women! Make sure you’re following me on social media and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more inspiring stories. See you next time!
