First African American Aviator
By – Jennifer J. Harrell
BESSIE COLEMAN
WHO WAS BESSIE COLEMAN?



Born on January 26,
1892 in Atlanta, Texas.
Died in a crash on April
30, 1926.
Bessie lived a poor life.
Her mother pushed her
to do something
important with her life.
KEY EVENTS THAT SHAPED BESSIE’S LIFE



Worked in a barber
shop
Stories of the WWI pilots
intrigued her
In an article in
Highlights for Children,
it said, “All the articles I
read finally convinced
me I should be up there
flying and not just
reading about it.”
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AND HARRIET QUIMBY



The Wright Brothers
were the first white men
to fly.
Harriet Quimby was the
first white female to fly.
Both inspired Coleman
to become the first
African American to
make history.
ROBERT ABBOTT



Owner of Chicago’s
African American
newspaper
Suggested Coleman go
to France to get a pilot’s
license where skin color
didn’t matter
His articles in his
newspaper influenced
her to want to become a
pilot.
SYMBOL OF COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE


Courage
Moved to France to
learn a whole new
language



Perseverance
Broke her leg and several
ribs
According to Highlights
for Children, she wrote to
her friends and fans,
“Tell them all that as
soon as I can walk I’m
going to fly!”
EFFECTS SHE HAD ON SOCIETY



Wanted to fly to earn
money to help fund a
school for aviation for
African Americans
People believed in her
cause – Caucasian man
bought her a new plane
after her one crash
1925 – traveled around
to get money to fund her
aviation school
INFLUENCES EVEN AFTER SHE IS GONE

1929 – the Bessie
Coleman Aero Clubs are
started.



Taught African Americans
how to be pilots
1931 – These clubs
supported the 1st African
American airshow.
Her experience connected
to Willa B. Brown – 1st
African American to get a
commercial license and
part founder of a flight
school in Chicago.
COLEMAN AND ME
Bessie Coleman makes me realize that no
matter what kind of background you grow up in,
you can still do something great with your life.
 She is an inspiration to me and is a role model
for all young people no matter their ethnicity.

WORKS CITED FOR RESEARCH



Bolden, Tonya. Portraits of African
AmericanHeroes. New York: Dutton Chidren’s
Books, 2003.
Reed, Gretchen. “Coleman, Bessie.” World Book
Student. World Book, 2011. Web. 10 Jan.
2011.
Sutcliffe, Jane. “Fly high, Bessie Coleman.”
Highlights for Children. Feb. 2004:p.28. KidInfo
Bits. Gale.
January 10, 2011 http://galenet.galegroup.com.
WORKS CITED FOR IMAGES










10 January 2011.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/bessie%20coleman/simlious/bessiecoleman2.jpg.
10 January 2011. http://www.squidoo.com/bessie_coleman.
10 January 2011. http://wrightbrothersfacts.com/.
10 January 2011.
http://www.airportjournals.com/Photos/0303/X/0303018_1.jpg.
10 January 2011. http://www.mapsofindia.com/worldmap/world-map.gif.
10 January 2011. http://www.nasm.si.edu/blackwings/img_photo_lg/BW0014.jpg.
10 January 2011.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txecm/Photos/People/ColemanBessie.gif.
10 January 2011.
http://www.aaregistry.org/aareg_files/event_images/RobertSAbbot(Business).gif.
10 January 2011. http://blog.aopa.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bessiecoleman.jpg.
10 January 2011. http://pakalert.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/world-map1200.gif