Bessie Coleman Biography

The Autobiography of Bessie Coleman… From the Grave I stepped out of the house and took a deep breath. Today was the day… In Atlanta, Texas in the year of 1892, I, Bessie Coleman, was born on the 26th day of January. I’m sure you know this, but the south wasn’t an easy place for the African-Americans and being a woman… well, that made it even harder. My parents were sharecroppers and I was the tenth of thirteen children, but not all of my siblings survived. Sounds rough. Don’t it? We moved to Waxahachie when I was only two. At age six, my mother encouraged me to attend school, even though she was illiterate herself. I had to walk four miles to get to school. I missed many days to work in the cotton fields, but that was the only way for me to find my love for reading and math. My father? Well, he left us when I was eight or nine (I forget), so that he could go find better opportunities. It was tough on my mother

I was going to be performing at a May Day Celebration that was sponsored by the local Negro Welfare League. I made plans, in preparation of the event, to have a test flight on April 30, 1926 to have a test flight with my mechanic.

On the day of the test flight, I was ecstatic because I was finally going to see what was underneath me in the air. William Wills, my young Texas mechanic, met up with me and we made the game plan. I looked. He flew.

We prepared for take off and I was overcome with overwhelming joy. When we were finally at 3,500 feet, I leaned out of the plane.

Trees stood underneath, but there was one Treaty Oak Tree that stood out. This tree had think branches and it was as big as a circus tent. The trees had a strong scent and there was a faint smell of Orange Blossom’s in the distance. Tiny bugs flew into my mouth as the plane zoomed through the air. Gushes of hot air hit the sit the side of my face. The plane’s