Bessie Coleman - Sharing Her Light

The first woman of African-American descent and the first woman of Native American descent to hold a pilot’s license, record-breaking Bessie Coleman was brave and tenacious. She was also the first Black person to earn an international pilot’s license.

• She was known for performing daring flying tricks and was called “Brave Bessie,” “Queen Bess” and “The Only Race Aviatrix in the World!”

• Growing up in Texas, Bessie Coleman was the daughter of sharecroppers.

• Because she was Black and a woman, no flight schools in the U.S. would admit her. So tenacious Bessie decided to go to France and earned her license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.

Bessie Coleman was intentional in her goal to inspire women and minorities to live their dreams, no matter how challenging or impossible they may seem.

What dream or spiritual vision for your life feels unfulfilled? Let’s each see “Brave Bessie” as an inspiration in our own life, defying the odds and moving forward, even in the face of great challenge!