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Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman (January 26, 1892 - April 30, 1926) was the first female African American and Native American pilot ever to hold an international pilot license. She fought discrimination to follow her dream of becoming a pilot. She became a skilled barnstormer (a pilot that travels to perform stunts and give rides) and an aviation educator.

Coleman was born in Texas in 1892. Her mother was African American and her father was Native American. She was the tenth of thirteen children. Her parents were sharecroppers. When Coleman was two, her family moved to Waxahachie, Texas, where Bessie later went to school. She loved reading and excelled in math.

Coleman's father believed that the family would be treated better if they moved to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Unable to convince his wife to accompany him, Coleman's father left the family when she was nine. Coleman's mother worked as a maid. During the cotton harvest, everyone in the family worked in the fields to earn extra money. It was hot, difficult work, and during the harvest, African American children could not go to school. Bessie still managed to finish all eight grades in the local school. Coleman decided that she wanted to go to college, so she saved her money. In about four years, she had enough money to begin college. A year later, she ran out of money.

At the age of 23, Coleman boarded a train and traveled to Chicago, where she moved in with her brothers. Coleman took a class to learn to become a manicurist, and soon found a job at the White Sox Barber Shop in Chicago. There she heard stories of flying during wartime from pilots returning home from World War I. She took a second job at a chili parlor to save money so that she could become a pilot. In early 1917, Bessie Coleman married Claude Glenn, but she never publicly acknowledged the marriage, and the two soon separated.

At the time, aviation (flight) schools in America were not allowing women or black people to attend. Bessie's friend Robert Abbott told her that she could travel to France to fly. She studied the French language after work at night. She got a new job managing a restaurant and saved her money. Robert Abbot and her friends helped her pay for the trip, and in 1920, Coleman sailed to France. She learned to be a pilot at the Caudron Brothers' School of Aviation. In 1921, Coleman became the first female African American pilot and the first female Native American pilot to hold an international pilot license. She earned it from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

Coleman went back to the United States to work as a barnstormer, performing tricks and stunts in her airplane. Barnstormers like Coleman flew planes in loops, figure eights, and other patterns while audiences watched. Coleman performed in the United States and Europe. In the 1920s, much of the United States still practiced racial segregation. Coleman refused to perform at places that did not let African Americans watch equally. For one show in Texas, Coleman refused to perform unless the showrunners let everyone in the audience enter through the same gate instead of making one gate for white people and one for black people. She also taught flying lessons and encouraged women to learn to be pilots.

Coleman wanted to open an aviation school in the United States where black students could learn to be pilots.

In April 1926, Coleman and her mechanic, William Will, were practicing for a performance the next day. Will was piloting the plane when it flipped over and started to dive. Coleman fell out of the plane and was killed. William Wills was unable to regain control of the plane and it plummeted to the ground. Wills died upon impact and the plane exploded and burst into flames. Although the wreckage of the plane was badly burned, it was later discovered that a wrench used to service the engine had jammed the controls.

Coleman is buried in Chicago's Lincoln Cemetery.

Atlanta, Texas, has a Regional History Museum that proudly displays a smaller version of Bessie Coleman's yellow bi-plane "Queen Bess." The museum display also includes a uniform and other memorabilia regarding the life and times of Bessie Coleman. Outside the regional history museum is a Texas Historical Marker located at 101 N. East Street in Historic Downtown, Atlanta, Texas. The road to the Hall-Miller Municipal Airport in Atlanta, Texas, is named Bessie Coleman Drive in her honor.

A public library in Chicago was named in Coleman's honor, as are roads at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California, Tampa International Airport in Florida, and at Germany's Frankfurt International Airport. A memorial plaque has been placed by the Chicago Cultural Center at the location of her former home, 41st and King Drive in Chicago, and it is a tradition for African-American aviators to drop flowers during flyovers of her grave at Lincoln Cemetery.

A roundabout leading to Nice Airport in the South of France was named after her in March 2016, and there are streets in Poitiers, and the 20th Arrondissement of Paris named after her.

Bessie Coleman Middle School in Cedar Hill, Texas, is named for her.

Bessie Coleman Boulevard in Waxahachie, Texas, where she lived as a child, is named in her honor.

B. Coleman Aviation, a fixed-base operator based at Gary/Chicago International Airport, is named in her honor.

Several Bessie Coleman Scholarship Awards have been established for high school seniors planning careers in aviation.

The U.S. Postal Service issued a 32-cent stamp honoring Coleman in 1995. The Bessie Coleman Commemorative is the 18th in the U.S. Postal Service Black Heritage series.

In 2001, Coleman was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

In 2006, she was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

In 2012, a bronze plaque with Coleman's likeness was installed on the front doors of Paxon School for Advanced Studies located on the site of the Jacksonville airfield where Coleman's fatal flight took off.

Coleman was honored with a toy character in season 5, episode 11a of the children's animated television program Doc McStuffins.

She was placed No. 14 on Flying's 2013 list of the "51 Heroes of Aviation."

In 2014, Coleman was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

On January 25, 2015, Orlando renamed West Washington Street to recognize the street's most accomplished resident.

On January 26, 2017, the 125th anniversary of her birth, a Google Doodle was posted in her honor.

In December 2019, The New York Times featured Coleman in their Overlooked (obituary feature), "Bessie Coleman, Pioneering African-American Aviatrix."

Bessie Coleman quotes

"I refused to take no for an answer."

"You've never lived till you've flown."

"A woman is like a teabag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

"Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."

"The only source of knowledge is experience."

Interesting facts about Bessie Coleman

Bessie was extremely intelligent and fought hard against the assumption that black women were not capable of great things.

She applied to flight schools all across the United States but was not accepted at any of them.

Robert Abbot, who was the founder and publisher of the country's largest black newspaper, the Chicago Defender, heard about Coleman's determination. He published her story in his paper and raised money for her to travel to France.

The Caudron Brothers of France were famous like the Wright brothers of the United States.

Bessie learned to perform airplane stunts from Anthony Fokker.

Bessie was briefly married, but never publicly talked about it.

Coleman's nicknames included "Queen Bess" and "Brave Bessie."

She survived a plane crash in 1923, in which her plane cut out during a performance.

In Spanish: Bessie Coleman para niños

Images for kids

Coleman's grave at Lincoln Cemetery

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Learn about the American Revolution including causes, battles fought, timeline, Boston Massacre, Stamp Act, Continental Congress, important people, daily life, and fun facts.

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Paul Revere was a silversmith in the time of the American Revolution, and is well remembered for his patriotic actions and involvement in the American Revolution.
1. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Probably what most people know him for, the famous "Midnight Ride" of Paul Revere, occurred on the night of April 18 or early morning of April 19, 1775. Revere, along with two other messengers were sent to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of the movements of the British Army. Revere set out to accomplish his task, and along the way he risked himself by warning other patriots, and encouraging them to spread the message that the British were coming. Several of those Revere warned also rode on horseback to deliver warnings of their own. This meant that during the night nearly 40 riders were spreading the message of the movement of the British army, and preparing the patriots to fight. The reason this midnight ride is so well remembered is because of the magnitude of the message, and the results of it being delivered properly.
2. Battles of Lexington and Concord
One of the reasons Paul Revere is famous today is because of his role as a messenger, not just the night of the midnight ride, but also during The Battles of Lexington and Concord. He played an important role as he helped to organize an intelligence and alarm system that was designed to keep watch over the British forces and warn Americans of threats so that they could be prepared.
3. Craftsman
Besides being a wonderful messenger, Paul Revere was also a very influential and wealthy man of his time due to his craftsmanship. He was well respected as a talented man in his trade, and was commissioned to engrave plaques and signs for some very important historical sites including one for the Boston Massacre.
4. Manufacturing
When the war was over, Revere did not just fall off the face of the historical significance map. In fact, his skill as a craftsman helped him to recognize the potential that existed for manufacturing metal on a large scale, and he became instrumental in the forward movement of manufacturing rather than just cottage industry production.
5. War experience
Paul Revere played a key role in the Revolutionary War, and was able to be such a key figure, and forward thinker about alarms, etc, because the Revolutionary War was not Revere's first experience with war. Although only briefly, Paul Revere fought during the Seven Years War and served as a lieutenant in an artillery regiment at the time.
6. Sons of Liberty
Revere was involved in the early political circles of America. Because of his wealth and prominence, Revere got to know a great number of political figures, and he was commissioned to create a number of political engravings. Part of this involvement lead to his involvement with Sons of Liberty, a historically significant group that helped free American fro British grasp.
7. Committee of Public Safety
Following the Boston Tea Party, Revere started working for the Committee of Public Safety. His role was to deliver messages about the political unrest that was occurring in the city of New York to Philadelphia. Again, a large contributor to American liberty.
8. The Hero
One of the reasons Revere is so well known is because his story became almost mythical in power. The fact is there is little evidence to show that Revere yelled out the words, "The British are coming," in fact most historians would argue that he likely did not, and instead delivered the messages in secret due to the fact that at the time there were British loyalist all throughout the countryside, and he would have been in grave danger. Thus, his most famous act was probably not as heroic as it has been made out to be, nor as historically significant as much of his other contributions to the revolution. However, it is often the tales of heroics that make people famous rather than the actual acts.
9. Revere's run in with the British
Whether or not his ride was significant or not, Revere was a key part of the revolution, and was after that famous night's ride he was detained and questioned by British loyalists and taken at gunpoint by British officers toward Lexington. He never got that far as the officers were distracted by gun fire, and he was able to escape on foot. His work during the Revolution put his life at risk many times, making his sacrifice and actions more notable.
10. Longfellow
The fact is, Revere was a contributor to the Revolution just like many others. Why we remember him, is that over forty years after his death Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a well known poet, wrote about his ride.

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10 Facts About Paul Revere " Almanac " Surfnetkids

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Paul Revere was a silversmith in the time of the American Revolution, and is well remembered for his patriotic actions and involvement in the American Revolution. 1. The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere Probably what most people know him for, ...

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Britain and France once fought over who’d dominate North America: Trade with Native Americans sparked this conflict, and a fellow called George Washington got involved!

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Learn the features that defined the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies, and set the foundation for America!

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Here, teachers can find over forty printable activities related to the Civil War, perfect for interactive notebooks, or, for critical thinking about the War. THESE ARE FREE AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN GETTING KIDS TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. YOU WILL LOVE THEM!

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Kids learn about the history of the American Civil War including causes, timeline, generals, battles, daily life, Abraham Lincoln, the North vs. South, border states, and slavery. Educational articles for students, schools, and teachers.

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Visit DK Find Out! to learn about dinosaurs, space, animals, nature & more. Fun learning activities for kids with videos, quizzes & galleries at DKFindOut.com

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Guided Lessons are a sequence of interactive digital games, worksheets, and other activities that guide learners through different concepts and skills. They keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.

Guided Lessons are digital games and exercises that keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.

The letters G, B and E are heavily featured in the classic tale of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". This guided lesson uses the story to teach the letters G, B and E in a focused and fun narrative format. Using a story kids most already know gives them a leg up on letter recognition and boosts reading confidence. Don't miss the accompanying printables that can extend learning opportunities.

The letters G, B and E are heavily featured in the classic tale of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears".

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American Revolution: The Philadelphia Campaign | Worksheet | Education.com

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Guided Lessons are a sequence of interactive digital games, worksheets, and other activities that guide learners through different concepts and skills. They keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step. Guided Lessons are digital games and exercises that keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.

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The American Revolution was not fought over paying taxes. It was fought over who had the authority For Kids: to impose taxes - Britain or colonial governments. To colonial leaders, taxation without representation was a major cause of the Revolutionary War. Other causes were restriction of free trade and restriction of free speech.

By 1770, although some colonists were still loyal to the British crown, many others were upset about taxes, the arrogance of British troops stationed in the colonies, and the continued disregard the British Parliament had shown for the needs of the American colonists. Jobs were lost. Monies were tight. Taxation without representation was the cry heard everywhere. Tension was growing.

By 1776, America was at war, fighting for her independence from Britain. This is the story of the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation - The United States of America.

Events Leading Up To & Causes of the American Revolutionary War
British Parliament
Colonial Government Proclamation of 1763 The Sugar Act 1764 The Stamp Act & The Stamp Act Congress 1765 - No taxation without representation!
The Sons of Liberty
Repeal of the Stamp Act
The Declaratory Act
The Townshend Act 1767
Boston Massacre 1770
Repeal of the Townshend Acts
(except for the tea tax) Committees of Correspondence The Boston Tea Party 1773
The Intolerable Acts, 1774
First Continental Congress
Boycott of British Goods
Minutemen & Militia
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott, April 18, 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, Shot Heard Round the World, April 19, 1775 - Start of the American Revolution (1775-1783) Green Mountain Boys
Fort Ticonderoga, NY (canons!) May, 1775 Second Continental Congress, May, 1775
Appointment of Washington
as Commander of Continental Army, June 1775 The Declaration of Independence, 1776 The Articles of Confederation, 1777, finally radified by all 13 colonies in 1781
Key Battles of the American Revolution

Treaty of Paris ends the war, Results of the American Revolution 1783
Take the Quiz, interactive, with answers

Revolutionary Battles & Happenings 1776-1783

Bunker Hill
Naval Battles New York, New York Battle of Saratoga Battle of Trenton Winter Encampment at Valley Forge War in the South Treaty of Paris, Results of the Revolutionary War Battle Maps, Timelines, Games The Importance of Canons The Constitution of the United States Take the Quiz, interactive, with answers
Daily Life During the American Revolution
Colonial Daily Life - What was life like during the events leading up to war, and during the war itself? Revolutionary Recipes
Famous Folks of the American Revolution
Names in the News Benedict Arnold Crispus Attucks Benjamin Franklin Bernardo de Galvez King George III Nathanael Greene Green Mountain Boys Nathan Hale John Hancock General William Howe (British) Thomas Jefferson John Paul Jones General Marquis de Lafayette Thomas Paine Paul Revere, William Dawes, Samuel Prescott Sons of Liberty George Washington Women Soldiers, Spies, and Patriots Yankee Doodle Dandy Famous Quotes Join, or Die.
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Test Yourself

Causes of the American Revolution - Interactive Quiz with Answers

The Importance of Geography during the American Revolution - Interactive Quiz with Answers

Revolution Battles & Happenings - Interactive Quiz with Answers
More Quizzes about The American Revolution, plus Online Crossword Puzzles, Hangman, Millionaire, Jeopardy, and more
For Teachers

Free Lesson Plans and Units about the Revolutionary War for Teachers

Free Classroom Activities and Project Ideas for Teachers

Powerpoints: Free Use Presentations in PowerPoint format about the American Revolution

Free Online Interactive Games about the American Revolution for Kids and Teachers

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The American Revolution was not fought over paying taxes. It was fought over who had the authority For Kids: to impose taxes - Britain or colonial governments. To colonial leaders, taxation without representation was a major cause of the Revolutionary War. Other causes were restriction of free trade and restriction of free speech.

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History: Bet You Didn't Know - Revolutionary War

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History’s "Bet You Didn’t Know" web series focuses on some of history’s little known facts. hscusa.tv provided full post production services for this episode about the Revolutionary War.

Can also be viewed on History.com at history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history/videos/bet-you-didnt-know-revolutionary-war

Producer: Jaimie DeFina
Graphics: Autumn Neal, J Aaron Dullas, Nick Hoefly, Matt Brown. Elliot Lobell
Audio Mix: Hans Erik Erickson

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