Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman

Introduction In the United States in the 1920s, few women flew planes, and it was unthinkable that an African-American woman could fly. Yet Bessie Coleman did just that. Bessie was a brave African-American woman who fought discrimination to follow her dream of becoming a pilot. Her determination opened doors for other African-Americans and women who came after her.

Growing Up In Texas Bessie Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892. Her mother was African-American and her father was of African-American and Choctaw Native American descent. Her parents were sharecroppers. Bessie was one of thirteen children. Two years after Bessie's birth, the family moved to Waxahachie(WAK-sah-HACH-ee), Texas, where Bessie's father hoped that the busy town would offer good jobs. Bessie started school in Waxahachie. She had to walk miles each day to an all-black school. She loved reading and books, and she was a whiz at math.

Bessie's father was disturbed by the racial barriers in Texas. He believed that the family would be treated better if they moved to Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. Unable to convince his wife to accompany him, Bessie's father left the family when Bessie was nine years old. Around that time, Bessie's older brothers grew up and also moved away. Bessie's mother worked as a maid, while Bessie helped take care of her younger sisters.

In Texas, cotton growing was big business. During the cotton harvest, everyone in the family worked in the fields for extra money. Bessie hated picking cotton. It was hot, boring work, and during the harvest, African-American children couldn't go to school. Even though she worked in the fields, Bessie managed to finish all eight grades in the local school. She decided that she wanted to go to college, so she got a job washing people's clothes to save money. In about four years, she had enough to begin school. She enrolled in a college for African- Americans, but after one year she ran out of money and had to return home.

Moving To Chicago Two of Bessie's brothers had traveled east to Chicago, Illinois, in search of work and a better life. One day, one of her brothers, Walter, contacted Bessie. He thought she could get a good job in the big city. At the age of 23, Bessie boarded a train and made the trip to Chicago. It was a long and uncomfortable trip. African-Americans were forced to sit on hard wooden benches in a separate part of the train from white people.