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Bessie Coleman Timeline
(1892 – 1926)Bessie Coleman (1892–1926) was a pioneering aviator who became the first African American woman and the first person of Native American descent to hold a pilot's license. Denied flight training in the United States due to racism and sexism, she learned French and traveled to France to earn her license in 1921. Known as 'Queen Bess,' she performed daring airshows across America and championed equal rights in aviation. More Less
Early Life
Bessie Coleman born in Atlanta, Texas
Jan 26, 1892
Elizabeth 'Bessie' Coleman was born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas, the tenth of 13 children of George Coleman, an African American who may have had Cherokee or Choctaw grandparents, and Susan Coleman, who was African American.
Image source: Bessie Coleman
George Coleman leaves his family
Jan 1, 1901
In 1901, George Coleman left his family, leaving his wife Susan to raise the children in difficult circumstances in Texas.
Coleman moves to Chicago
Jan 1, 1915
At the age of 23, Coleman moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she lived with her brothers and began working while dreaming of a bigger future.
Aviation Career
Coleman travels to Paris to earn her pilot license
Nov 20, 1920
After taking a French-language class at the Berlitz Language Schools in Chicago, Coleman traveled to Paris, France, on November 20, 1920, so that she could earn her pilot license, since no American flight school would accept her due to her race and gender.
Coleman takes advanced lessons near Paris
Jun 15, 1921 - Sep 1, 1921
Determined to polish her skills, Coleman spent two months after earning her license taking lessons from a French ace pilot near Paris before sailing back to America in September 1921.
Coleman earns international aviation pilot's license
Jun 15, 1921
On June 15, 1921, Coleman became the first black woman and first Native American to earn an aviation pilot's license, and the first black person and first self-identified Native American to earn an international aviation license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
Coleman returns to America
Sep 1, 1921
In September 1921, Coleman sailed for America as a licensed aviator, becoming a celebrated figure upon her return.
Coleman acquires a Curtiss JN-4D
Jan 1, 1922
In 1922, Bessie Coleman acquired a Curtiss JN-4D with an OX-5 engine from a Los Angeles Army depot, giving her the aircraft she needed to perform in airshows.
Image source: Curtiss JN Jenny
Coleman sails again for Europe
Feb 1, 1922
Returning to Chicago, Coleman could not find anyone willing to teach her more advanced flying techniques, so in February 1922 she sailed again for Europe to further polish her skills.
First appearance at an American airshow
Sep 3, 1922
On September 3, 1922, Coleman made her first appearance in an American airshow at an event honoring veterans of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment of World War I, thrilling crowds with her aerial skill.
Key Facts
- Bessie Coleman was born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas, one of 13 children in a sharecropping family.
- In 1921, she earned her international pilot's license in France after being refused admission to American flight schools because of her race and gender.
- She was the first African American woman and the first person of Native American heritage to become a licensed pilot.
- Coleman became famous for performing thrilling stunt flights at airshows across the United States, earning the nickname 'Queen Bess.'
- She died on April 30, 1926, during a rehearsal for an airshow in Jacksonville, Florida, when she fell from her plane, but she remains a lasting symbol of courage and determination.
Source
This Bessie Coleman timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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