Bessie Coleman was a pioneering African American aviator and the first woman of African American and Native American descent to hold a pilot's license. She was born on January 26, 1892, in Texas. Facing racial and gender discrimination in the United States, Coleman traveled to France to earn her pilot's license in 1921, as American flight schools refused to admit her.

Coleman became a barnstormer, performing daredevil aerial stunts and giving flying lessons to African American students. She aimed to inspire other African Americans to pursue aviation and overcame numerous obstacles to achieve her dream of becoming a pilot. Tragically, Coleman died in a plane crash in 1926, but her legacy as a pioneer in aviation and a symbol of courage and determination lives on. She continues to be celebrated as a trailblazer for women and people of color in the field of aviation.