First Black Female Pilot: Killed Days Before Her Dream Bessie Coleman became the first Black woman pilot in 1921 after every U.S. flight school rejected her. For 5 years she saved to open a flight school for Black aviators. April 30, 1926—3 days after buying her own plane—a loose wrench killed her at 34. She wasn't even flying. SOURCES & REFERENCES: First Black woman pilot June 15, 1921 - Wikipedia; National Air and Space Museum; Smithsonian Institution Rejected by U.S. flight schools - Women's

✈️ Learn about Bessie Coleman, the first Black and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license. | Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Bessie Coleman made history 100 years ago as the first Black woman & person of color to get an international pilot's license. Her great niece Gigi Coleman says she proved "the sky was the limit" for people like her 🛩️ | Windy City LIVE

On June 15, 1921, Bessie Coleman became the first Black and Native American woman to earn a pilot's license. Bessie was a pioneer and inspiration to early pilots in the African American and Native American communities. She paved the way for female aviators everywhere including United First Officer Carole Hopson. 100 years later Carole honors Bessie's legacy with a goal of enrolling 100 Black women in flight school. | United

In 1921, Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license. But she didn’t get it in America—because no U.S. flight school wouldn't teach a Black woman. So she did something bold. She taught herself French, boarded a ship to Europe, and enrolled in flight school in France, where the sky was open—even if the world was not. When Bessie returned home, she didn’t just fly—she amazed. At airshows, she performed dèàth-dèfying loops and dives, earning a reputation as “Bra