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Bessie Coleman was an incredible woman who made history by becoming the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license. She was born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas, and grew up in a time when people of color, especially women, were not often given opportunities to follow their dreams. Despite these challenges, Bessie’s determination helped her break barriers and inspire others for generations to come.

When Bessie was young, she loved to learn, but there were few schools for Black children where she lived. She worked hard to save money and went to college in Chicago, but she didn’t stop there. Bessie’s biggest dream was to become a pilot. However, during her time in America, no flight schools would accept women of color. But Bessie didn’t give up.

She decided to go to France to train as a pilot, where people were more open to women and people of color in aviation. In 1921, she earned her pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) in France. This made Bessie Coleman not just a trailblazer for African Americans, but for all women who wanted to take to the skies.

When Bessie returned to the United States, she became a star of aviation. She performed in air shows across the country, doing amazing tricks like loop-de-loops and flying at high speeds. She was known for her courage and skill, and people who watched her fly were amazed. Bessie wanted to show the world that women, especially women of color, could be just as skilled as anyone else in a field that was mostly dominated by white men.

Bessie’s achievements were important because they helped change the way people thought about race and gender. She proved that African Americans and women had the ability to achieve great things, even in fields that were considered impossible for them. Bessie also inspired many young people, especially African American girls, to follow their own dreams and pursue careers in fields like aviation, where they had been overlooked before.

Sadly, Bessie’s life was cut short. She died in a plane crash during a practice flight on April 30, 1926, at the age of 34. But her legacy lives on. Bessie Coleman paved the way for future generations of pilots, especially women and people of color, to soar high and break the limits that society once placed on them.

Her story teaches us about perseverance, courage, and the power of believing in yourself, no matter what obstacles you face.

_{These articles are written by library staff using library resources such as books, eBooks, and databases. Information can vary from book to book and database to database. Tickle Your Brain is meant to be a jumping off point for starting conversations about new topics of learning. It is not to be used as an authoritative resource.}