Bessie Coleman was a pioneering African American aviator who broke barriers in the field of aviation. She was the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license and the first African American to hold an international pilot's license.

Born in 1892 in Texas, Coleman faced racial and gender discrimination in the United States, which prevented her from pursuing her dream of becoming a pilot. Determined to achieve her goal, she moved to France in 1920 to attend flight school, as no American flight school would admit her due to her race and gender.

After completing her training in France, Coleman returned to the United States as a skilled aviator. She became a celebrated figure in the African American community, performing daring aerial stunts and advocating for the inclusion of African Americans and women in aviation.

Tragically, Coleman's life was cut short when she died in a plane crash in 1926 while preparing for an airshow. Despite her untimely death, Bessie Coleman's legacy as a trailblazing aviator and an inspiration for future generations of African American pilots lives on.