Bessie Coleman--Someone You Should Know About

by Pamela S. Meyers

Resource: Chicago Tribune

Who was or is Bessie Coleman? I’d ask myself that every time I drove to O’Hare Airport. Rather than take the popular entrance to the airport, I always use an access road called Bessie Coleman Drive. And whenever I've driven on that road I've wondered who Bessie Coleman was. But by the time I arrived home, I’d forgotten to look up the name on the Internet--until now. 

My book Rose Harbor’s heroine is a female WWII-era pilot, and when I learned that Bessie Coleman was a pilot long before WWII, I was intrigued. Born in Texas in 1892, the tenth of thirteen children born to sharecroppers; her father an African American, and her mother Cherokee and African American. 

Bessie knew she’d have a struggle working her way out of poverty, but she was a determined girl and managed to squeak out one year of college before her money dried up. At age 23, she joined some of her brothers in Chicago, Illinois and worked as a manicurist at a barbershop. WWI was just over and many returning war pilots frequented the barbershop telling stories about flying during wartime. She yearned to do the same but back then it was difficult for a woman to be taken seriously when applying to flying school, let alone a black woman. 

Undated Photo
Resource: Chicago Tribune

Challenged by her brother, saying she’d never learn to fly, after hearing how women in France were attending pilot schools, she enrolled in a French language course and the next year, headed to Paris. She received financial support for her endeavor from Robert Abbott, publisher of the Chicago Defender. A newspaper that catered to the black community. In France, she entered one of the premier aviation schools of the time. Aviation was not for the faint of heart back then and each student in the school had to sign a release of liability that the school wouldn’t be held liable if they were injured or killed while being trained.

Dr. Neal Gale, Ph.D. reports on his website: “On June 15, 1921, Coleman became the first Negro and American Indian woman to earn an aviation pilot's license and an international aviation license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Determined to polish her skills, Coleman spent the next two months taking lessons from a French ace pilot near Paris and in September 1921 she sailed for New York. She became a media sensation when she returned to the United States." He quotes Coleman:  “The air is the only place free from prejudices. I knew we had no aviators, neither men nor women, and I knew the Race needed to be represented along this most important line, so I thought it my duty to risk my life to learn aviation.” 

When Bessie returned to the states with her pilot's license, the only way she could earn a living by flying was to become a stunt flyer. It would be years before passenger planes would make an appearance. In 1924, she purchased a used two-seater aircraft in Dallas, then paid William Wills, a mechanic, to fly the plane from Dallas to where she'd moved in Florida. Bessie had already opened a beauty parlor there to finance the air shows she hoped to put on. 

One of Bessie's honors was having a commemorative 
stamp issued in her honor. Resource: DRLIH

Her first show using her new plane was to be over the Jacksonville, Florida race track. She and Wills took the plane over the track to get a feel for things. She didn’t fasten her seatbelt and had opened her window to practice climbing out on the wing for her stunt which involved her parachuting to the ground. The plane stalled and went into a spin, throwing Coleman out of the plane. She died on impact. 

The plane crash killed Wills instantly. Her remains were brought to Chicago for her funeral and burial. Not only is an access road to O’Hare Field named for her, but a number of other tributes and honors have been named for her, including a street in Germany, as well as a Chicago public library. Additionally, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp in her honor in 1995.You can see the entire list of her accomplishments during her short life by going to The Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal at 3s1Bf  (DRLIH)

Resource: Chicago Tribune

The next time I drive to O’Hare Airport and see Bessie’s name on the street sign, I will know she was one incredible lady. Wouldn't she be amazed to see how large O’Hare Field is and all the jets that land and take off from there? 

Have you ever learned something surprising about someone from the past who lived where you do now?

RESOURCES: 

 The Digital Research Library of Illinois History JournalT. (see link above).

 Chicago Tribune; Ron Grossman, That Road O’Hare is On? It’s named for Bessie Coleman, who 100 Years ago became the first black woman pilot in America, November 24, 2021.

Pam Meyers's historical novels are set in her hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. She loved growing up in the popular vacation getaway small town, but never really appreciated the beauty and history of the lake and area until she was grown. 

She currently lives in northern IL, with her two rescue cats, grateful she's only about an hour away from Lake Geneva. 

Pam's books are available at Amazon in Kindle or Print, and at local stores in the Lake Geneva area.

Barnstorming's Famous Ladies

With Nancy J. Farrier

What is barnstorming and where did the name come from? I’ve heard the term for years but knew little about the fascinating history of the sport. I knew even less about the women who participated in an area dominated by men. 

Breitling Wingwalkers:
Photo by Tech Sgt Lee Osberry
Wikimedia Commons

Barnstorming took off in the 1920’s. After WWI, the US had a surplus of planes produced for use in training pilots to fly and fight overseas. They put the planes up for sale for as little as $200. The pilots, who returned from the war with a love of flying and needed an occupation, bought those planes. Known for their daring and skill, these pilots began a series of aerial shows across the country that delighted people everywhere.

To perform in a town, the pilot or pilots would fly over a town, staying low and getting the attention of the people. Then they would choose a farm and land in a field near a barn—thus the name barnstorming. They would then bargain with the farmer for the use of his field to put on a show, and the townspeople would come to watch.

"Jersey" Ringel Wingwalking with Camera By Underwood and Underwood, Wikimedia Commons

"Jersey" Ringel Wingwalking with Camera

By Underwood and Underwood, Wikimedia Commons

There were two types of showman: stunt pilots and aerialists. The stunt pilots put their planes through a variety of aerial stunts, from dives to flying upside down, they were willing to try almost anything. The aerialists put on a show on the airplane while the pilot flew above the crowd. Aerialists were the wing walkers, the ones who dangled from the airplane, or the ones who navigated between planes or from a car to a plane. They had many stunts to thrill the crowds below.

Bessie Coleman

Wikimedia Commons

In this male-dominated profession, two women who were pilots and aerialists caught my attention. The first is Bessie Coleman. Bessie was the first woman or African-American and Native-American descent to earn her pilot license. Bessie was born to a sharecropper family in Texas. She worked hard and saved money to go to a school for pilots in France since she was not allowed to take flight training in the USA. 

Bess returned to the United States and realized she needed to learn to do stunts in order to make a living. She returned to France once again and learned the needed skills both in France and Germany. In 1922, she gained recognition at an event honoring the 369^th Infantry Regiment of WWI. She was billed as the “world’s greatest woman flier.” She performed many maneuvers, such as figure eights, loops, and near-ground dips. Her daredevil flying earned her great admiration. 

Bess's Aviation License
Wikimedia Commons

Queen Bess, as she was sometimes called, did not live long enough to see her dream of starting a school for young black aviators. In 1926, she was testing a plane with her mechanic and agent, William Wills. She was not fastened in as they took the plane up because she wanted to scout out the terrain for a stunt the following day.

Bess and Her Plane
Wikimedia Commons

Wills was piloting when the plane went into a dive and then a spin flinging Bess from the aircraft. She died when she hit the ground. The plane crashed and Wills also died. Many people mourned the loss of Bess Coleman. It is sad she died so young.

Lillian Boyer 1922

Wikimedia Commons

Lillian Boyer was working as a waitress in Chicago when she met a couple of pilots. They offered to take her up in their plane and she loved the ride. One of them offered to take her up again and this time she wore more appropriate clothing. When they were up in the air, the pilot asked if she wanted to stand on the wing. She did, wasn’t afraid at all, and decided to walk to the end of the wing. When she turned around she realized the pilot was screaming for her to come back, but she never felt afraid.

News of Lillian’s lack of fear ended up with her teaming up with pilot, William Brock. They made between $1,000 and $2,000 per day flying aerial shows and thrilling audiences. 

Lillian Hanging from Wing
Wikimedia Commons

Lillian performed feats that many men hesitated to try. She was the first woman to go from a speeding automobile to a plane. She also went from plane to plane, hung by her teeth, toes, knees, or ankles, balanced on her head, walked the wings, did stunts on a ladder, and more. Lillian lived a long life, passing away at 88-years of age in San Diego.

Lillian Standing on Wing
Wikimedia Commons

The end of barnstorming came in the late 1920’s. Aviation rules were made and enforced. The planes began to break down and the government quit selling any more. Many a daredevil put on shows for crowds across the United States. What an amazing sight that would have been.

Have you heard of barnstorming? Have you ever read about Lillian Boyer or Bess Coleman? They were such brave women who stepped out to do something they loved.

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.