Determined to Fly (Bessie Coleman)
by Stacy Jex
Links by Stacy Jex
- This is a work of fiction based on the true account of Bessie Coleman. Bessie was the first African American woman to receive a pilot’s license, back in 1921. The following is a made-up letter that she could have written once she finally received her pilot’s license. It is written as if her mother were telling the story.
Oh, how I love to receive letters from my dear daughter, Bessie! She is number twelve out of my thirteen children and she is a very strong-willed and determined child. I pray often for all my children. Being black in these times does not offer many opportunities for them. My Bessie has had it set in her mind that she wanted to fly planes, but of course, no aviation schools would accept her because she was a woman and she was black. Well, Bessie was not about to give up. When she heard from Mr. Robert Abbott, the editor of the Chicago Weekly Defender, that people in Europe were more accepting of blacks, she saved up her money, took French lessons, and headed to France. Bessie has been attending flight school at the very prestigious Federation Aeronautique Internationale and should have her pilot’s license any day now. I am so very proud of my Bessie! I’m going to read this letter now and find out how she is doing.
August 25, 1921
Dear Ma,
I am sending this letter to share with you the greatest news of my life thus far. Today, I finally earned what I have desired and worked for so very long. An international pilot's license was placed in my hands at 10 am this morning! I am told that I am the first woman, as well as the first African American, in the world to receive a pilot's license! Ma, all the years of battling the discrimination towards me for my color and my gender are finally being rewarded! I would love to take this license and show it off to all those schools that discriminated against me because I was a black woman.
I am more determined than ever to go back to the United States and open an aviation school of my own, one that will accept women and blacks. I have begun thinking about how I can earn the money to open this school. Ma, I could travel the U.S. giving lectures about flying and about going after your dreams, and maybe even do some demonstrations! I would be earning the money for the school and talking about the thing I love most, all at the same time. I don’t think I could go back and just do any old job again. The excitement of flying, and of having my own license, would make any other way of earning money seem incredibly boring!
I am really looking forward to coming home again and seeing you and Pa and the rest of the family! That has been the most difficult part of being here. I long to fly, but I also long to be home with my loving family. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. I could never have come this far without a family like ours behind me. You always encouraged me to find something I wanted to do and do it with all my heart. Thanks for that example.
Well, I must close this letter. I am planning on coming home in September and seeing how things go from there. I can’t wait to see everyone! I love you!
Love always,
Bessie
Well, how wonderful! Bessie is going to go down in history as the first African American woman to receive a pilot’s license! How exciting! I am so glad to hear she is doing fine and will be coming home soon. I must go and tell the rest of the family!
- Bessie Coleman did come back to the United States in September of 1921. She toured the country for five years, lecturing and performing stunt-flight exhibitions. She became known as "Brave Bessie", for the many stunts she attempted while flying. Her dream continued to be the opening of an aviation school that would admit African-Americans and women, but she did not live to see that dream realized. While she was making a test run for a flight exhibition in Florida in 1926, her plane suddenly went out of control and she plunged to an untimely death at the age of 33. Bessie=s friends could not let her vision die, so they opened the school for her a few years later. Bessie is an example to all to go after your dreams courageously and to have the determination to work at it with all your heart.
For some great websites on Bessie Coleman:
www.netsrq.com/~dbois/coleman.html
www.dot.state.mn.us/aeronau...PUBLICATIONS/SKYSLIMIT/bessie.html
www.infinet.com/~iwasm/bessie.htm
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who told Bessie Coleman about flight schools accepting black women in Europe?
2. In what year did Bessie finally receive her pilot’s license?
3. Why do you think the aviation schools in America would not take a black woman?
4. Do you think that Bessie and her family were close? How can you tell from the story?
5. What is Bessie Coleman now famous for becoming?
Stacy Jex Determined to Fly (the story of Bessie Coleman)
Outline:
I. Introduction (Mother speaking)
A. Describes Bessie as a child
1. twelfth of thirteen children
2. strong-willed and determined
3. black children did not have many opportunities to succeed
B. Describes Bessie’s desire and attempt to attend aviation school
1. not accepted in U.S. schools because she was a black woman
2. attended flight school in France
II. Letter from Bessie
A. Tells of receiving pilot’s license
1. first woman to receive license
2. first black to receive license
3. her feelings
B. Tells of desire to open flight school in USA for blacks and women
1. will earn money for the school by lecturing and doing flight exhibitions
2. expresses excitement over opportunity
C. Thoughts of family
1. homesick
2. expresses thanks to them
3. coming home in September
D. Conclusion of letter
III. Mother’s concluding comments
A. Excitement for daughter
B. Excitement about being first black woman to get license
IV. Conclusion
A. Back in U.S. in September 1921 to tour for five years
1. lectures/flight exhibitions
2. earns title of "Brave Bessie" for stunt-flying
3. raising money for the school
B. Death in 1926
1. during test run for flight exhibition
2. at age of 33
C. Friends open aviation school for her
D. Bessie is example of courage and determination for all
Props/Extensions:
1. Since story is told by Bessie’s mother, dress like an older lower class woman and have an envelope with the letter in it to read out loud.
2. Have students research other famous aviators and do storytelling presentations on them.
3. Have students find out as much about Bessie Coleman as they can and then role play her life.
4. Follow story or any of the above activities with discussion about how they would feel being Bessie and not being accepted places because she was a black woman.
Answers to Comprehension Questions:
1. Robert Abbot, editor of the Chicago Weekly Defender
2. 1921
3. Possible answers: did not think women had ability to fly; women not strong enough to fly; blacks were not treated well back then; blacks or women may not have been thought of as smart
4. Yes; can tell this by affection between Bessie and her mom and how much Bessie misses her family
5. The first African-American and woman to get a pilot’s license
Sources:
http://encarta.eng.msn.com/schoolhouse/womensci/coleman.asp
http://www.infinet.com/~iwasm/bessie.htm
http://www.netsrq.com/~dbois/coleman.html
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/aeronauYPUBLICATIONS/SKYSLIMIT/bessie.html