Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman dreamed of flight in a world determined to keep her grounded. Rejected by every American aviation school because she was both Black and a woman, she taught herself French and trained in Europe to earn her pilot’s license.

Returning to the U.S., she became a celebrated stunt pilot, using airshows to inspire Black audiences and challenge racial barriers. She refused to perform at segregated events, making her career inseparable from activism.

Coleman’s life represents fearless ambition — proof that barriers exist to be broken, not obeyed.