Bessie Coleman Biography

Bessie Coleman was the world’s first licensed Black aviator and one of America’s most famous early female pilots.

Bessie Coleman grew up in Texas, moved to Chicago, and got interested in flying after her brothers returned from World War I. Failing to find anyone in Chicago who would teach flying to a Black woman, Coleman determined to go abroad to get training — a daring idea for that era.

Coleman moved to Paris, was accepted to aviation school, and on June 15, 1921 she received her pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. The certificate made her the world’s first licensed Black aviator.

Bessie Coleman returned to the United States, and in 1922 began her barnstorming career, doing stunt-flying at airshows across the country.

She died in 1926 while flight-testing an open-cockpit plane; her co-pilot lost control of the aircraft and in the ensuing dive, Coleman was tossed from the plane and plunged to her death.