Bessie Coleman (January 26, 1892 - April 30, 1926) was the first African-American woman to become an airplane pilot. Ms. Coleman was married briefly to Charles Wilson Pankey.

Born in Atlanta, Texas, Coleman was subjected to many scenes of racism as a young child. Near her home, a Black man was accused of raping a five year old girl and burned to death. Her family could not make use of many White-only public services. The elementary school that she attended very often lacked such materials as chalk and pencils.

Coleman desired to progress from her poverty-stricken beginnings, so she moved to Chicago by the age of 23. She worked at a supermarket there with her brothers. Her life would change there, however, thanks to her brother and pilots who were returning home from World War I. They told stories about flying in the war and Coleman started to fantasize about being a pilot. Her brother used to tease her by commenting that French women were better than African-American women because French women were flying as pilots already.

Coleman took French language class at the Berlitz school in Chicago, and then travelled to Paris on November 20, 1920. It should be noted that she was denied education at American institutions because she was a Black woman.

Coleman was the only non-White student at her French pilot school, and she learned while using a plane that had failed many times. One time, she saw a fellow student die during practice. However, she learned quickly: in seven months, she was granted a pilot's license.

In September of 1921, she became a media sensation when she flew to the United States. Invited to important events and often interviewed by newspapers, she was admired both by Blacks and Whites. In 1922, she participated at her first air show, in Long Island.

On April 30, 1926, alongside mechanic William Wills , who was driving the plane, Coleman died in a tragic plane crash, caused by a wrench that Wills had accidentally left loose and that got stuck in the control gears. Wills also died.

Her funeral was attended by 10,000 mourners. Many of them, including Ida B. Wells, were prominent members of Black society. Being the first African-American woman pilot, she has been honored in several ways since her death: In 1931, a group of Black male pilots performed the first yearly fly-by over Coleman's grave, in 1977, a group of African American women pilots established the Bessie Coleman Aviators Club and in 1995, she was honored with her image on a postage stamp by the United States Postal Service.