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Proclamation honoring in memoriam Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman, the first female pilot of African-American descent and the first person of African-American descent to hold an international pilot license.
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WHEREAS, it is the duty of Allegheny County Council to recognize and honor outstanding individuals in both the County and across the nation for their extraordinary achievements. In the month of February, Black History Month, we especially recognize members of the African-American community for their historic accomplishments; and
WHEREAS, aviator Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was the first female pilot of African American descent, and the first person of African American descent to hold an international pilot license. Born in 1892, Bessie grew up in rural Texas, where she completed grade school before being accepted into the Missionary Baptist Church at the age of 12. In 1915, at the age of 23, Bessie moved to Chicago, Illinois; and
WHEREAS, hearing the stories of returning soldiers from World War I, Bessie became interested in becoming a pilot. Although she was denied admission to American flight schools due to her race and gender, she sought out other opportunities and eventually earned her pilot’s license in Paris, France. After a short return to the United States, Bessie headed back to Europe to receive training in exhibition flying in order to perform airplane stunts; and
WHEREAS, Bessie flew in her first American airshow in 1922 at an event honoring the veterans of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment of WWI, where she was billed as “the world’s greatest woman flier.” Bessie continued to have a successful career as a stunt pilot with the dream of opening her own flight school for African American aviators; and
WHEREAS, sadly, in 1926, at the young age of 34, Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was killed when she was thrown from a crashing plane. Bessie has roads at two international airports named in her remembrance as well as a U.S. Postal Servi...
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