Daring Facts About Bessie Coleman, The First Fly Girl
Bessie Coleman, The First Fly Girl
Intelligent, proud, and headstrong, Bessie Coleman didn’t just break barriers, she flew right through them.
Coleman was widely recognized as one of the best pilots of her generation—so skilled that some audiences were willing to overlook the fact that she was a Black woman.
But Coleman never let them forget: She used her fame to promote civil rights, create space for Black people in aviation, and encourage a new generation of Black pilots. Here are daring facts about the one and only Bessie Coleman.
1. She Had a Double Heritage
Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was born on January 26, 1892, to Texas sharecroppers George and Susan Coleman. George Coleman’s grandparents were Cherokee, so Bessie was not only the first Black woman to fly, but the first Indigenous woman as well. Despite intense discrimination, Coleman never gave up and never gave in, proving that the skies belonged to everyone.
2. Her Mother Gave up Everything for Her
When Coleman was a child, her father left their home in Waxahachie, Texas, and returned to what was then known as Indian Territory in his home state of Oklahoma.
Though he left expecting to find better work opportunities, Coleman’s mother chose not to join him. Instead, Susan Coleman worked to raise all thirteen Coleman children by herself.
As we'll see, Bessie inherited her mother's determination and verve.
3. She Was Extremely Intelligent
Living in the segregated south wasn't easy for six-year-old Bessie. She had to rise each morning and walk four miles to her one-room schoolhouse. Once there, Coleman enjoyed school, only for harvest season to interrupt her studies.
When the time came, Bessie had to put her education on hold and help her family pick cotton. Despite these hurdles, Coleman excelled. By the time she was 12, she got a scholarship to the Missionary Baptist Church School.
4. Her Dreams Were Crushed
Coleman had even bigger ambitions than going to high school. After graduating, she enrolled at Langston University. Even though Coleman had saved up all her money to afford tuition, it was only enough for one semester.
Once her term was up, Coleman had no choice but to leave her studies...and then her life got even rockier.
