1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: Hi everybody, and Happy Saturday. Coming up this week on 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: the show, we have an episode in which we briefly 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: mentioned pilot Bessie Coleman, who was the first African American 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: woman to get a pilot's license. Back in previous hosts 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: Sarah and Bablina did an episode on her, so we 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: are sharing that episode today and it is also a 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: little taste of something that will be coming up on 8 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: the show in one of our new episodes this week, 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class from how 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: Stuff Works dot com. Hello and welcome to the podcast. 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: I'm to blame a Choko reboarding and I'm fair Dudie. 12 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: And as Black History Month is drawing to a close 13 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: and Women's History Month is right around the corner, we 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: thought it would be nice to do an episode that 15 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: kind of bridges the gap between the two a little bit. 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: And it's also a great excuse to return to a 17 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: subject we really love but haven't touched on since last 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: Mystery of st X episode, and that's aviation. Of course, 19 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: this episode won't include many mysterious disappearances or Little Prince impersonation. 20 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: Felina's Little Prince voice one of my favorite podcasts moments. 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,320 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean that the life of this subject, 22 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: Bessie Coleman, is any less fascinating, not at all. Coleman 23 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: was the first African American woman in the world to 24 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: earn a pilot's license, and she was also the first 25 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: licensed African American pilot of either sex. According to Flight Journal, 26 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: she was a contemporary of Amelia Earhart and in fact 27 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: earned her pilot's license a year before Earhart did. Of course, 28 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: she managed to do this in the early nineteen twenties 29 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 1: during a time when most Americans, even those in the 30 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: black community, still felt that a woman's place was in 31 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: the home, not in the workplace, and certainly not flying 32 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: around in the sky. What's more, segregation was still a 33 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: big factor, and there weren't any white flight instructors who 34 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: were willing to take on Coleman as a student. So 35 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: we're gonna be taking a look at how Coleman overcame 36 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: these obstacles to pursue her dream. After all, if there 37 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: weren't white flight instructors who were willing to take her on, 38 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 1: how did she learn to fly? Because there weren't black 39 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: flighting chatter. So, yeah, that's going to be the one 40 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: of the mysteries we enveil, and then we're gonna take 41 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: a look to it. Why she wanted to learn to 42 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: fly in the first place, and how after becoming a 43 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: pilot she used her position to fight for equality for 44 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: others of her race. But to truly understand what Coleman 45 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: was up against in pursuing her dream of flying, you 46 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: really have to go all the way back to her childhood. 47 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: She was born Elizabeth Coleman on January eighteen nine in Atlanta, Texas, 48 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: and she was one of thirteen children in a family 49 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: of poor sharecroppers. Her mother, Susan Coleman, was black, and 50 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: her father, George Coleman, was of mixed race, part African 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: American and part Cherokee. Neither of Bessie's parents could read 52 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: her write, so in eighteen ninety four, George Coleman moved 53 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: his family to walk the Hatchiet, Texas, and bought a 54 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: small plot of land there to build a three room house. 55 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: So in their new town, the Colemans earned a living 56 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: by picking cotton, and all the kids pitched in to 57 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: to help raise money for the family, but they also 58 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: went to school because their parents wanted a better life 59 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,679 Speaker 1: for them. Of course, schools were segregated at the time, 60 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: so Bessie had to walk four miles every day to 61 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: her school, which was basically just a single room that 62 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: handled all eight grades that were offered. But despite those circumstances, 63 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 1: that long trip to school and the combined nature of 64 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: the classroom, Bessie's academic abilities really became clear even at 65 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: a young age. She was especially good at math, and 66 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: she even used her skills to make sure the foreman 67 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: of the fields her family worked and didn't cheat them 68 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: when it was time for them to get paid. But 69 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: when Bessie was somewhere in the age range of six 70 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: to nine years old, sources seemed to differ on the 71 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: exact timing of that her father left them. He felt 72 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: that discrimination really limited his opportunities for advancement in Texas, Sin, 73 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: so he wanted to move to Indian Territory, where as 74 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: we've talked about on some previous podcasts, his Native American 75 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: ancestry would have made him more of an equal citizen. 76 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: But Susan Coleman didn't want that life. She didn't want 77 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 1: to be a tough pioneer family, so she stayed behind 78 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: with the kids and supported the family on her own 79 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: by working as a cook and a housekeeper for a 80 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: white family, which was also tough, of course, I mean 81 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: as you would expect it to be. But meanwhile, Bessie 82 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: had to take on the housekeeping duties with her mother away, 83 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: working this the day in her own household, and take 84 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: care of her younger sisters while her mother was away, 85 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: and often she had to miss school to to do 86 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: all this, which must have been hard for such a 87 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: bright student. She still had really big dreams, though, and 88 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: Bessie's mother encouraged that. According to an article in Flight 89 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: Journal by Dennis Morausie, Bessie's mom was known to say, 90 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 1: if you stay a mule, you'll never win the race. 91 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: And she used to have her kids copy the manners 92 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: of the white family that she worked for, and she 93 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: talked to them about the great achievements of African Americans, 94 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: like a book or T. Washington and Harriett Tabman. And 95 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: it must have made an impression because when Bessie completed 96 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: all eight grades in her one room schoolhouse, and that 97 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: was all that they offered because they just expected, okay, 98 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: work exactly, We're going to go work in the fields now. 99 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: She graduated in nineteen and at that point she knew 100 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: that she wanted more after that, she wanted to become 101 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: something else. So she had saved up some money by 102 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: working as a laundress this whole time, and in that year, 103 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: at the age of eighteen, she used the savings to 104 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: enroll in the Colored Agricultural and Normal University in Lankston, 105 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: Oklahoma it's now Lankston University, but she only had enough 106 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: money to attend for one term, so as soon as 107 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,559 Speaker 1: that was up, she had to go back home start 108 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: doing laundry and cleaning again to save up some more money. 109 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: So at that point it seemed like she wasn't quite 110 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: sure what her next move was going to be. I mean, 111 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 1: obviously that's a difficult scenario to maintainane working saving money 112 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: than going for for a term. It all changed, though, 113 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: when her older brother Walter invited her to come and 114 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: live with him in Chicago, and she still had to 115 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: save up for a couple of years to make that 116 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: move possible. But at the age of twenty three, Bessie 117 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: headed up North in Chicago was just a different world. 118 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: They had an entire area of the city, the South Side, 119 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: which was settled by mostly blacks and there were just 120 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: more job opportunities and their were back in Waxahatchie, so 121 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: Bessie enrolled in a beauty school and she ended up 122 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: becoming a manicurist at the White Sox Barbershop. A few 123 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: years after she moved up to Chicago, her mom and 124 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: sisters moved up there too, while her brother's Walter and John, 125 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: went off to France to fight in World War One. 126 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: By this time, African Americans were allowed to serve in 127 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 1: the military in segregated unit kind of an update from 128 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: our Massachusetts fifty four episode. So nobody seems to know 129 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: exactly when Bessie became interested in flying. It might have 130 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: been as far back as Walksahatchie, and airplanes were of 131 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: course invented in nineteen o two probably made a pretty 132 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: big impression on most children around then. But it might 133 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: have also had something to do with the use of 134 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: airplane technology in World War One and the advancements that 135 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: were being made in their technology their use at the time, 136 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: and probably she had an interest in World War One 137 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: with her brother's away fighting, it definitely seemed like airplanes 138 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: were the wave of the future, and she took an 139 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: interest at some point or another, but regardless of how 140 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: she got interested, by the end of the war, flying 141 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: had become Bessie's goal. Most sources actually relate a story 142 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: about how her older brother, John, who had just come 143 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: home from the war, visited her in the barbershop one 144 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 1: day and kind of started taunting her, sort of bragging 145 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: about the women he had met in France, saying that 146 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: they were so beautiful and intelligent, and some of them 147 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: could even fly planes, and he regaled her with these 148 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: stories of female pilots. Bessie supposedly responded, that's it. You 149 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: just called it for me, So that could have been 150 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: the moment when she knew for sure she wanted to 151 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: be a pilot, or maybe she just knew that France 152 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: was an option for her. They're probably not the reaction 153 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: her brother was expecting from his teasing, but either way, 154 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: it was probably right around that time that she started 155 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: to apply to American flight schools, except that she kept 156 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: on getting rejected from them. Some of the schools would 157 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: tell her they thought women shouldn't be flying at all 158 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: because it was too risky, but race very well might 159 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: have had something to do with it too. There were 160 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: no black flight instructors. There were no black flight schools 161 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: at the time. But Bessie did not quit. She did 162 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: not give up on this on this dream. She had 163 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: told one of her barbershop patrons, Robert Abbott, about her 164 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,199 Speaker 1: dream to fly and the problem she was having making 165 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: it a reality. And Abbott was a pretty good guy 166 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: to to tell your problems too. He was pretty influential. 167 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: He was the editor of a black weekly newspaper called 168 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: The Chicago Defender. I think that's popped up in in 169 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: several episodes we've covered, But one of his biggest goal 170 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: was to quote uplift the race, and according to Jacqueline 171 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: McLean's profile of Bessie in Women with Wings, Abbott wanted 172 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: to help her achieve her goals because he thought it 173 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: would help prove what African Americans could accomplish. I mean, 174 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: if you're interested in uplifting the race, what better way 175 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 1: than to sponsor a pilot who can literally fly up 176 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: in a way, Yeah, because people can't say you can't 177 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: do something if you actually show it to it's just 178 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: a powerful it's a powerful metaphor for too. For what 179 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: he was trying to do, flying, yes, taking flight. So 180 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: when Bessie passed on to Abbot what her brother had 181 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: told her about France. He of course encouraged her to 182 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: pursue flight school there. He was basically like, well, if 183 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: no one in America will take you, you gotta go 184 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: somewhere else. So at about age twenty eight, Bessie used 185 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: for savings to start taking French classes so she could 186 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: learn the language. She also applied for a passport and 187 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: picked up an extra job at a restaurant just to 188 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: save up some more money for school, and after applying 189 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: to a few French flight school she was finally accepted 190 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: to the Kadron Brothers School of Aviation in France. So 191 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: Abbott did prove to be of benefactor. True to his word. 192 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: He helped Bessie secure funds for school so she could 193 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: cover tuition, and in late nineteen twenties she headed off 194 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: to France to start a ten month flight course. So 195 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: for about the first seven months of her training Bessie 196 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: simply took lesson. She learned to fly in a French 197 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: Newport Type eight two biplane, and according to the McLean's 198 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: profile we mentioned, during the lessons a teacher would just 199 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: sit in the front seat working all the controls and 200 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: a student pilot like Bessie would have to sit in 201 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: the back seat and you couldn't necessarily see the instructor 202 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: from there or even here the instructor because of course 203 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,160 Speaker 1: the engine was roaring, So students just learned to fly 204 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: by feeling the movements of the controls men, the king, 205 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: the instructor's motions, just really kind of picking it up 206 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: along the way. Then, on June fifteenth one, at age 207 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: twenty nine, Bessie earned her license from the Federation Aeronautique Internacional. 208 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: As we mentioned earlier, she was the first black woman 209 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: in the world to earn a pilot's license, and the 210 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: f AI license in particular was so highly regarded it 211 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: was accepted by every country in the world. So this 212 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: is the license that you wanted. Coleman finished up her 213 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: program and returned home to the States that September, where 214 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:34,840 Speaker 1: she was met by reporters from both black and white 215 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,079 Speaker 1: newspapers who wanted to interview her. So pretty famous at 216 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: this point, and while in New York, she was invited 217 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: to see a Broadway musical with an all black cast 218 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: called Shuffle Along. She was the guest of honor there 219 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: and the performers gave her a silver cup and intermission, 220 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: and she also started to form some new pretty big 221 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: dreams about advancing the African American cause. I mean, now 222 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: that she had achieved this this seemingly intermounimal dream of 223 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: of flying, she had new goals and she started to 224 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: think about opening an aviation school for black people, and 225 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 1: according to McLean's profile, she said, in an interview with 226 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: the Chicago Defender, quote, we must have aviators if we 227 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: are to keep up with the times. I shall never 228 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: be satisfied until we have men of the race who 229 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 1: can fly. Do you know you have never lived until 230 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: you have flown. But of course to open a school, 231 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: she would need some cash, and at that moment, there 232 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,280 Speaker 1: really was no way for her to make it in 233 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: the nineteen twenties. After all, there weren't any commercial airlines 234 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: to work for, and although there were some pilots who 235 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: are working for the postal service, they were pretty much 236 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: all white man. I mean, we've talked about that in 237 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: the Saint X episode, exactly what he did working carrying 238 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: nail and doing that sort of thing. So Bessie realized 239 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: she would have to make a living as an entertainer 240 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: performing in air shows, but she needed more training to 241 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: do this because she didn't really learn how to do 242 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: stunts during her first stint in flight school. Air show 243 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: performers at this time usually did things like loop the 244 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: loops and barrel rolls and having people parachute out of plane. 245 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: So in February nineteen two, Bessie went right back to 246 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: France learned some tricks, so she trained there for two 247 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: months and went to Germany to to train for ten 248 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: more weeks, and while she was there she was filmed 249 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: flying over Berlin. She returned to the United States in 250 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,599 Speaker 1: August nineteen twenty two, and her old friend and benefactor, 251 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: Robert Abbott, who was still one of her biggest supporters, 252 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 1: immediately scheduled an air show on Long Island that would 253 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: feature her talents, and the show took place Labor Day, 254 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: September three, nineteen two, at Curtis Field, and according to 255 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: Encyclopedia Britannica, this was the first public flight by an 256 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 1: African American woman in America. But the people who she 257 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: porrowed a plane from for this special occasion wouldn't allow 258 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 1: her to do stunts, so she just kind of had 259 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: to fly around still, though a huge crowd of people 260 00:13:57,480 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 1: turned out to see her and and see this remarkable 261 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: feat of African American woman pilot. After that, she did 262 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: another exhibition at Checkerboard Field in Chicago, and there she 263 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: did get to show off her acrobatic flying techniques, including loops, 264 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: figure eights, and some spine tingling dips and dives, and 265 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: the audience was really thrilled by it. I mean, I 266 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: think at one point I read an account where one 267 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: of the moves she did was a dive that almost 268 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: made it look as if the plane were going out 269 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: of control. So the audience was really shocked. I mean 270 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: they thought something was going wrong, and then kind of 271 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: at the last second she pulled up yep and and 272 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: she was fine, and they were all really thrilled by that. 273 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: So her stunts earned her the nickname Queen Bess Daredevil 274 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: a via trix and also Brave Bessie. So Abbott was 275 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: the one who first started calling her Queen Bess, and 276 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,479 Speaker 1: that's where that is going to promote his his investment 277 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: a little bit. Indeed, So Bessie was pretty famous, as 278 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: you can imagine by this point. And not long after 279 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: that Chicago show with all of the exciting stunts. The 280 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: African American Seminal Film producing company got in touch with 281 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: her about starring in a movie based on her life 282 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: and at her accomplishments, called Shadow and Sunshine. Bessie initially agreed. 283 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: She signed on, but right from the beginning the script 284 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: called for her to dress in rags and represent this poor, 285 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: uneducated girl coming to the big city, which of course 286 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: hadn't been her situation at all. She had worked hard 287 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: to accomplish what she could in Texas and and then 288 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: made her way to Chicago. She didn't like the way 289 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: that the story, in general, though portrayed black woman. She 290 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: thought it made people Black people in general look ignorant. 291 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: So she quit. And quitting this project really meant she 292 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: lost the support of the black entertainment community, dropping out 293 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: so suddenly, and I mean, one can't help but wonder 294 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: if she had done this movie, would her name be 295 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: better known today? That's true, I didn't think about that. 296 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 1: But she still needed money after this. She didn't have 297 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: the support of the entertainment community, but she still needed 298 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: some cash to say, but for her aviation school. I mean, 299 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: besides the fact that she just needed some money to 300 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: live as well. And I mean we mentioned before her 301 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: borrowing planes, she still didn't have a plane of her own, 302 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: so every time she performed somewhere, she had to rely 303 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: on somebody else to learn her a plane. So Bestie 304 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: needed to find some gigs fast, and she thought she 305 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: found a really good one in Oakland, California in early 306 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: nineteen three. She made a deal with the Coast Tire 307 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: and Rubber company that was based there, and they offered 308 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: to buy her a plane if she would agree to 309 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 1: drop ads for them from a plane during an air show. 310 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: And the show took place February fourth, ninety three, but 311 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: it didn't exactly go as planned. It seemed like it 312 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: was off to a good start. Bessie was for the 313 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: first time flying her own plane, which was a Curtis 314 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: j N four, better known as a Jenny. It was 315 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: a used plane, though she couldn't afford a brand new plane, 316 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: so I was left over from World War One and 317 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: wasn't in the best condition. Soon after she took off 318 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: that day, the plane's motor stalled and it fell three 319 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: hundred feet and crashed. Bessie was okay, but she was 320 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: really badly injured. She had a broken leg, fractured ribs, 321 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 1: and internal injuries. But what probably surprises me the most 322 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: about this whole story is that rather than just being 323 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: shocked and concerned, the audience, according to McLean's profile, was 324 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: really angry that they hadn't gotten the show that they 325 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: came to see, and they asked for their money back. 326 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 1: That is pretty surprising. I mean, you would think okay, 327 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: shows over and I'm worried the pilot didn't even make 328 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: it or at least just horror, you know, And I 329 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,479 Speaker 1: don't know. Yeah, I'm concerned for another hoping for some 330 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: barrel rolls and and seeing all the tricks that you 331 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: paid for. But with a long road to recovery ahead 332 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: of her, and of course her plane demolished, not to 333 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 1: mention no funds anymore, Bessie had to go home to 334 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: Chicago to recoup again. That she didn't let that set back, 335 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: i mean, breaking her leg keep her down. She told 336 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 1: her friends, tell them that as soon as I can walk, 337 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: I'm going to fly. About a year later, she made 338 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: good on that she was fully recovered, and she planned 339 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: a tour of lectures and air shows across Texas, which 340 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: took her to Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and her old 341 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 1: hometown of Waxahatchie, and the tour was a big success, 342 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 1: even though Bessie drew some pretty serious lines in the 343 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: sand along the way. For example, right before performing in Waxahatchie, 344 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: she learned that black audience members were required to use 345 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: a separate entrance to the grounds from their white counterparts, 346 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,959 Speaker 1: so Bessie refused to fly unless everyone got to use 347 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: the same entrance. So this was taking a really big 348 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 1: risk on her part because she needed the money she 349 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: needed that gig. But surprisingly the event organizers complied with 350 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,919 Speaker 1: her requests because after all of the show did not 351 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: take place, they weren't going to make any money off 352 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: of it either. In a way, again, it reminds me 353 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: of Satil Page. I think everything reminds me of Saturl Page, 354 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: but his his putting his foot down on certain issues 355 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: about how events were segregated. Bessie managed to make enough 356 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: money though off of that Texas tour to save a 357 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: little cash and put another down payment on a Jenny 358 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: the plane that she had crashed in originally hoping to 359 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:20,400 Speaker 1: get a better version this time. After a brief visit 360 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,159 Speaker 1: to Chicago at the end of she set off again 361 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: for another tour, this time a tour of the Southeast, 362 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: during which she lectured at churches and theaters and schools 363 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: and both Georgia and Florida. And there was another incident 364 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 1: at the Chamber of Commerce flower show in Orlando, Florida. 365 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: Bessie was supposed to perform, and then she found out 366 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: that the event was advertised for whites only. Again she 367 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: refused to perform unless blacks were allowed in, and again 368 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: the organizers relented. I guess when it came down to 369 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 1: making money or standing on their questionable principles. Yeah. So 370 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: during these Southeastern tours, Bessie also met Edwin M. Beaman, 371 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: who was the heir to the Beaman chewing Roo. Unfortune, 372 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: he helped her pay off the Jenny plane she'd started 373 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: to buy back in Dallas, and she planned to use 374 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: that plane to perform a very special trick, a parachute 375 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: jump at the Negro Welfare League field day in Jacksonville, Florida. 376 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 1: So she needed a partner for this. She got a 377 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: white pilot mechanic named William Wills to fly the plane 378 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: over from Dallas to Jacksonville, and he had to make 379 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: two emergency landings along the way because the plane kept 380 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: on experiencing engine problems. Again, this was not a new plane, 381 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 1: it was the best Bessie could afford um and she 382 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 1: was having to make do. So Will's managed to get 383 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: the plane to Jacksonville and then he worked on the 384 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: mechanical issue. By the morning of April thirti n he 385 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: told Bessie that the plane was ready to fly. The 386 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 1: air show was actually scheduled for the next day, but 387 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: Bessie wanted to take the plane up to fly over 388 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: the jump site and kind of get a feel for 389 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,679 Speaker 1: how things were going to go on a day of 390 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: just be prepared prepared. So they took off and Will's 391 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: was up front since he would be flying the plane 392 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: during the actual jump, and Bessie was in the rear cockpit. 393 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: She didn't have her seatbelt fastened because she was only 394 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,920 Speaker 1: around five ft three ish inches tall, and she wouldn't 395 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: be able to lean over the side of the plane 396 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: and see the ground if she were strapped in, so 397 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: would kind of defeat the purpose of going out in 398 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 1: the first place. So they flew out, and they circled 399 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 1: the area where the jump was going to take place, 400 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,959 Speaker 1: and then they rose to about three thousand five hundred 401 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: feet as they started to head back. They were traveling 402 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: along at that elevation and an eighty miles per hour, 403 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: and suddenly the plane nos dived at about one thousand feet, 404 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: it went into a tailspin, and then at five dred 405 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: feet it completely flipped over, throwing Bessie out of the 406 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: plane and the fall killed her. Wills meanwhile, tried to 407 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: write the plane, but it crashed about one thousand feet 408 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: from where Coleman landed, and he too was killed in 409 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: the crash, and an investigation that followed revealed that the 410 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 1: accident had been caused by a wrench that was left 411 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: in the engine and had gotten all jammed up in 412 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: the gear. So memorial services were held for Coleman in 413 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: both Jacksonville in Orlando, and on May five, her remains 414 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: were returned to Chicago. The Illinois Central Train station was 415 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,359 Speaker 1: apparently packed with mourners upon her arrival, and at the 416 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: service that was held for her at Pilgrim Baptist Church 417 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 1: in Chicago, about ten thousand people showed up to pay 418 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: their respects. Bessie Coleman was buried in Lincoln Cemetery. At 419 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: her grave, there's a five foot high monument that has 420 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 1: a photo of her on it, all dressed up in 421 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: her leather flight gear that she preferred, and she's standing 422 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,439 Speaker 1: in front of her plane, so you guys can google 423 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: pictures over too. She's actually really beautiful and her outfits 424 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 1: are cool to look at, and it's just neat to 425 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: look at. Because I didn't know about her before I 426 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: researched this podcast. I thought it was neat to just 427 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: look at her face. It looks kind of intense. Some 428 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: of those photos twenties era aviation cost hims are always 429 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: pretty cool looking, indeed, but not everyone really celebrated or 430 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: paid their respects to Bessie after her death. White newspapers 431 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: at the time, when they recounted the crash, seemed to 432 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: focus more on Wills, implying that he was teaching Bessie 433 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: how to fly and the situation flight isn't it it is? 434 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 1: And sometimes they didn't even refer to Bessie by name, 435 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: calling her simply the woman. The Chicago Defender, though, of course, 436 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: knew what she truly was and wrote though with the 437 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: crashing of the plane, life ceased for Bessie Coleman, enough 438 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: members of the race have been inspired by her courage 439 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: to carry on in the field of aviation. Whatever is 440 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: accomplished by members of the race and aviation will stand 441 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: as a memorial to Miss Coleman. And this reminded me 442 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: a little bit of the Tuskegee Airman episode. I think 443 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: Candice and Jane did a while back, because there, of 444 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: course the most famous African American aviators. And I guess 445 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: since neither of us had heard of Bessie Coleman before, 446 00:23:55,760 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: it is interesting to think of her as as a 447 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: memorial almost too till later aviators. Yeah, and though a 448 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 1: lot of people don't know her story today, I mean 449 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: compared to Amelia Earharts, who, as we mentioned, was a 450 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: contemporary of hers, she has been remembered in that way 451 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: that the Chicago's under mentioned as an inspiration, especially to 452 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:20,360 Speaker 1: others of her race and her gender. In the nineteen thirties, 453 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 1: black entrepreneur William J. Powell founded the Bessie Coleman Aero 454 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 1: Clubs to encourage more African Americans to participate in flying, 455 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: and then in nineteen seventy seven, a group of female 456 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: black pilots founded the Bessie Coleman Aviators Club. She also 457 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: has a few tributes back in Chicago In nineteen ninety, 458 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 1: a road at O'Hare Airport was renamed Bessie Coleman Drive, 459 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: and in nineteen nine two, Chicago's mayor declared may Second 460 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: Bessie Coleman Day. So she still remains an inspiration for 461 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: aviators and even just people who want equality. There's a 462 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: great quote of hers that I wanted to share before 463 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 1: we finish off this episode, and it's the sky is 464 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: the only place. There is no prejudice up there. Everyone 465 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 1: is equal, everyone is free. That is a really great quote. 466 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,480 Speaker 1: And I think it's also interesting to consider her not 467 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: just an inspiration for African American aviators or women, but 468 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: just somebody who went out and accomplished things that she 469 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 1: raised money for her French lessons and moved abroad found 470 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: a school that would teach her what she was trying 471 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: to learn. I mean that's inspirational, gender and race aside. Yeah, 472 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: and she went through a lot to get there. I mean, 473 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: I think people tend to get discouraged sometimes when they 474 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: get off track of what they want to do, like, oh, 475 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: I have to work this other job. But she worked 476 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: as a laundress and as a manicurist and did all 477 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: kinds of random things. You know, worked in a restaurant 478 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: and eventually, at the age of thirty, finally got to 479 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: do which where she was trying to. Thank you so 480 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 1: much for joining us for this Saturday classic. 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