Born in 1892 in Atlanta, Texas, Bessie Coleman became the first Black woman and first Native American to earn a pilot’s license. Denied entry into flight schools in the U.S., she moved to France and got certified there through the Cauldron Brothers School of Aviation in 1921. When she returned to the United States, she performed aerial stunts at airshows across the country, quickly gaining fame as “Queen Bess.” She refused to fly at segregated venues and encouraged Black youth to pursue aviation. Coleman died in a crash at age 34, but her legacy endures-flight clubs, scholarships, and a U.S. postage stamp have honored her pioneering spirit.
