Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) was an American aviator famous for a number of firsts in her career: she was the first African-American woman and the first Native American to hold a pilot license, as well as the first Black person to earn an international pilot's license.
Hailing from Atlanta, Texas, and unable to find pilot training for women, African-Americans, and Native Americans in the United States, Coleman was forced to attend flight school in France. She became famous for flying in air shows upon her return to the US, earning the nicknames "Queen Bess" and "Brave Bessie" for her flying.
She has since been recognized with schools and libraries named in her honor, became a toy Doc McStuffins character and a Barbie doll in 2023, and had a mountain on Pluto named after her.
==References==
* Sesame Street Episode 5429 features a play in which Gabrielle portrays Coleman. Grover attends the performance and reveals that it was Coleman who inspired him to become a pilot.
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Category:Historical References
Category:Celebrity References