|
In 1921, Bessie Coleman of Chicago
became the first African American to earn a pilot's license,
having to travel to France for her flight training since no
American flight school would accept her because of her race.
Upon her return to the United States, Coleman intended to
start a flying school for African American pilots. She began
earning the money for this cause by performing on the aerial
barnstorming circuit. Her aerial stunts and parachute jumps
at airshows, circuses, and county fairs across the country
became internationally famous. As she toured the United States
she also gave lectures at black schools, churches, and recreational
facilities in an effort to encourage African Americans to
enter the field of aviation. Preparing for an air show in
Jacksonville, Florida, Coleman was killed when she was thrown
from a crashing aircraft in which she was a passenger.
For more information on Bessie Coleman, visit
the Bessie Coleman homepage. |
