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Bessie Coleman, Barnstorming Pioneer

Bessie Coleman, often referred to by her nickname "Brave Bessie," was brave indeed, and equally brilliant. Coleman overcame intersectional barriers as a Black and Native American woman in aviation. This short documentary (less than 15 minutes long) details her life and career, from her education and training to her time as a pilot and stuntwoman. Coleman made history as the first African American woman and the first Native American woman to earn a pilot's license; in her words, "the air is the only place free from prejudices." She fought against this discrimination in and beyond her field (notably, she refused to perform at airshows that did not allow African American attendees). Coleman died in a tragic airplane accident in 1926, but her legacy lives on. While Coleman "never saw her dream of an African American flight school come to fruition," she paved the way for Black, Native American, and women pilots who followed in her impressive footsteps. This homage was produced by The History Guy, a YouTube channel uplifting influential, but underreported, historical narratives.
Archived Scout Publication URL
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Date of Scout Publication
December 18th, 2020
Date Of Record Creation
December 4th, 2020 at 2:57pm
Date Of Record Release
December 7th, 2020 at 11:49am
Resource URL Clicks
70
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