Bessie Coleman: Flew High Above Barriers as the First Licensed Black Pilot

Bessie Coleman, the first licensed Black pilot in the world, broke racial and gender barriers in aviation and inspired generations to fly beyond limits.

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Although she was not fully recognized as an aviation pioneer during her lifetime, Bessie Coleman absolutely was. In 1921, she became the first licensed Black pilot in the world, earning her credentials in France at a time when no flight school in the United States would admit her because of her race and gender.

Coleman was fearless. Known as “Brave Bessie” and “Queen Bess,” she dazzled crowds with daring airshows and loop-de-loops, refusing to perform at venues that barred Black audiences. Her work wasn’t just entertainment; it was activism in the skies.

Although history often centers on Amelia Earhart and the Wright brothers, Coleman carved a flight path that paved the way for future generations of diverse aviators, including the Tuskegee Airmen, the Blackbirds, and the Flying Hobos. Her legacy is one of grit, vision, and breaking barriers long before it was popular to do so.

She once declared: “The air is the only place free from prejudices.” Nearly a century later, her wings still inspire dreamers to rise above obstacles and chase the open sky.

Quick Facts

• Full name: Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman

• Born: January 26, 1892, Atlanta, TX

• Died: April 30, 1926, Jacksonville, FL

• Education: Langston University (1910–1911)

• Parents: Susan Coleman, George Coleman

• Siblings: Elois, Georgia, Isaiah, Nilus, Walter, John