BESSIE COLEMAN
Soaring to the Sky: The Amazing Adventures of Bessie Coleman!
Who was this hero?
Bessie Coleman was a brave and determined pilot who became the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot's license. She flew amazing stunts and inspired many people to chase their dreams, showing that the sky truly has no limits.
📖The Full Story
Bessie Coleman was born a long time ago in Texas, in a big family with twelve brothers and sisters. Growing up, Bessie worked hard helping her family, even picking cotton in the fields. But she also loved to learn and was super smart in school, especially with math, even though her school was small and didn't always have enough books. When she got a bit older, Bessie moved to Chicago, where she heard exciting stories from pilots returning from World War I. These stories sparked a big dream in her heart: she wanted to fly airplanes! But back then, it was very hard for Black people and women to become pilots in America. Bessie didn't give up; she worked extra jobs, saved her money, and even learned French so she could go all the way to France to learn how to fly. In France, Bessie worked incredibly hard and, in 1921, she made history by earning her international pilot's license, becoming the first African American and Native American woman to do so! When she came back to America, people called her "Queen Bess" and "Brave Bessie" because she was an amazing stunt pilot, performing daring tricks in the sky like "loop-the-loops" and figure eights. Bessie used her talent to inspire others, traveling around to perform and give speeches. She dreamed of opening her own flying school for African Americans, showing everyone that with courage and determination, you can achieve anything, even touch the clouds!
Did You Know? 🌟
1Bessie had to go all the way to France to learn how to fly because no flight schools in America would accept Black women at the time.
2She earned her international pilot's license in just seven months, becoming the first African American and Native American woman to achieve this amazing feat!
3Known as "Queen Bess" and "Brave Bessie," she performed incredible aerial stunts like "loop-the-loops" and figure eights for cheering crowds!
