Here are some of her notable accomplishments:
- In 1918, Coleman moved to France to learn how to fly, as no flight schools in the United States would accept African-American students.
- In 1921, she became the first African-American woman to earn a pilot's license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).
- Coleman returned to the United States and began performing in air shows, often as the only African-American pilot. She performed daring stunts, such as flying upside down and wing-walking.
- Coleman was also an advocate for African-American civil rights. She spoke out against discrimination and segregation and encouraged African-Americans to learn how to fly.
- In 1923, Coleman died in a plane crash while practicing for an air show. She was 34 years old.
- Coleman's accomplishments helped pave the way for other African-American aviators and were a major contribution to the fight for racial equality.
Here are some additional details about Bessie Coleman's life and career:
- Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892.
- Her parents were sharecroppers, and she had to work hard to pay for her flying lessons.
- In 1922, Coleman founded her own flying school, the Bessie Coleman Aero School.
- Coleman dreamed of starting a school for African-American pilots and of opening a chain of service stations and airports for African-Americans across the southern United States.
- Coleman's death was a major loss for the aviation community and the civil rights movement. However, her legacy has lived on, and she continues to be an inspiration to African-Americans and women everywhere.