Bessie Coleman: Black Aviatrix
Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman is an unknown figure in American history. At first, "she complied with society's standard of job opportunities for women at the turn of the century by working as a domestic and later a manicurist" (Creasman 162-3). After feeling unfulfilled, she turned to flying. The search for flying lessons by an African American in the 1920's alone could have discouraged anyone, but not Bessie. Her dream was to open a flight school where young African American men could learn how to fly. This was a bold endeavor for any person regardless of race. After acquiring an international pilot's license, she became somewhat of a novelty. She was African American, a woman, and a pilot. Realizing her power as an attraction, she would only fly in air shows with the understanding that they not be segregated (Freydberg 91). Bessie was very intelligent, often surrounding herself with women and men of power. Examples being Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Josephine Baker, Ethel Waters, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Robert Abbott, Miriam A. "Ma" Ferguson, and Kojo Touvalou-Houenou. Ms. Coleman was also active in both the NAACP, and Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (Freydberg 28). She also attended the Second Pan Afr
In these shows, she desegregated the gates and the audiences. She went to school to become a manicurist, which led to two jobs (Malveaux 34). Celia, however, was considered property and not human. The Chicago Defender gave a tremendous amount of publicity for the first public flight of an African American woman in the United States. This would only serve to help Bessie in the future. Bessie Coleman: The Brownskin Lady Bird. Bessie considered it all part of her physical training in preparation of her International pilot's license (Rich 32). There some friends held a second funeral, which was followed by yet another train ride. Upon completion of her training, Bessie returned to the United States. Unable to secure a job as a commercial pilot, she had no other option. After completing all eight grades in Texas, Bessie moved on to the Colored Agricultural and Normal University in Langston, Oklahoma. Bessie lived with her brother Johnny who was a cook for Al Capone (Freydberg 69).
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Acceptance Essays
