Dates: January 26, 1892 - April 30, 1926
Occupation: aviator
Also known as: “Brownskin Bess,” “Bess the Brave,” “Queen Bess”
Bessie Coleman’s Childhood
Bessie Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas on January 26, 1892. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to Waxahachie, Texas to sharecrop cotton. Her father, who was part Choctaw, deserted the family and moved to a reservation in Oklahoma. To make ends meet, Coleman and her 12 siblings were put to work picking cotton.Although manual labor was a large part of Coleman’s life, she was enthralled with books. Her mother recognized her interest and made sure that she nurtured it. To that end, Coleman temporarily attended elementary school at the Colored Agricultural and Normal University in Langston, Oklahoma. She eventually withdrew when her family could no longer afford it.
Coleman Aspires to Become a Pilot
In 1917, Coleman moved to Chicago to attend Burnham’s School of Beauty Culture. After her training was complete, she became a manicurist in a men’s barbershop. It was there that she was privy to the discussions by World War I veterans about aviation. She learned that in France, unlike in the United States, women flew planes.Coleman decided that she wanted to become a pilot and eventually open a flying school for African Americans. To raise money, she quit her job and opened a chili parlor. Her income from the parlor, along with the money she received from investors Robert Abbot and Jesse Binga, was enough to finance her training in France.
Coleman Trains to Become a Pilot
In 1920, she enrolled in the French Condrau School of Aviation in Le Crotoy. One year later, she earned her international pilot’s license, which made her the first African American woman and the first American woman to receive her license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Coleman continued her training with an advanced pilot in Paris.In September 1921, Coleman returned to the United States. When she arrived in New York, reporters from African American newspapers and the cast of Shuffle Along were there to greet her. Even though her arrival was significant to the black community, she was unable to find employment as a pilot. Thus, Coleman returned to Europe and continued training in Germany, Holland, and Switzerland. She studied with Captain Keller and stunt performer Anthony Fokker. She obtained experience with various planes such as a 220 horsepower Benz plane and a Dornier seaplane.
Bessie Coleman, the Daredevil
With the advancement of her skills, she decided to barnstorm. When Coleman returned to the United States in 1922, her job prospects were much greater. She had become a notable pilot and her advanced skills were finally recognized. Her first exhibition was on September 3, 1922 at the Curtis Airfield in Garden City, Long Island. Her show was a success; she amazed the audience with stunts and a parachute leap by the co-pilot.As her popularity increased, she began traveling throughout the United States performing. Even though she was a sought after pilot, Coleman found that although she was black, audiences in the South were often segregated. In response, she conditioned her performance on integrated audiences. Her demand was often abided by.
Coleman’s Fatal Accident
Coleman’s stunt flying eventually paid off financially. She earned enough money to buy an old Curtiss JN-4 for $400. While flying to a show in 1924, her plane stalled and she crashed. She suffered broken ribs, fractures to her left leg, and facial lacerations.Despite the crash, Coleman continued to perform. In 1926, her practice flight for a show in Jacksonville, Florida was her last. For the show, Coleman was only able to afford an army surplus plane. The day before the show, while she was practicing with her co-pilot, the plane spun out of control and Coleman whose seat belt was unfastened, was ejected from the plane. She fell over five hundred feet to her death. It was later determined that the accident was caused by a wrench that had slid into the gearbox.
