Bessie Coleman dared to dream. The brave pilot flew through the skies and walked on the wings of airplanes. Toy company Mattel is honoring Coleman’s legacy with a brand-new Barbie. The doll launched on January 25.
Coleman was born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas. Coleman grew up poor. She helped her mother pick cotton to earn money. Young Bessie went to school in a one-room shack that was a 4-mile (6.4-km) walk from her home. There often was no paper to write on.
After high school, Coleman went on to attend college. However, she could afford only one semester. In 1915, Coleman moved to Chicago, Illinois. She became a . One day, her brother began teasing Coleman about her job. He said women in France had more rights. They could even fly planes. He said Black American women would never fly like French women.
“That’s it!” Coleman told her brother with a smile. “You just called it for me.”
Coleman made it her mission to become a pilot. However, American would not teach her. So, she studied the French language and saved up her money. Coleman took a ship to France in 1920. There, she enrolled in a flight school. She was the only person of color in her class. Coleman got her pilot’s license on June 15, 1921.
“Brave Bessie” returned to the United States. She amazed Americans with her stunts. In 1922, she became the first African American woman to stage a public flight. Coleman continued to perform flight shows. She earned a living by showing off her daring tricks. This form of entertainment performed by stunt pilots is called “barnstorming.”
Coleman’s stunts included making figure-8 shapes with her plane. She walked on her craft’s wings while in midair. She even shocked crowds by parachuting from the plane! A co-pilot would take control.
Coleman inspired other Black people to fly. She toured the country, giving flight lessons and speeches. Coleman also refused to perform for crowds. At one event, Coleman learned that there would be separate entrances for Black and white people. She said she would not perform unless there was only one gate. The event leaders agreed.
Coleman died April 30, 1926, at the age of 34, in a plane accident. However, her strength still inspires people today. Mattel hopes kids will be inspired by Coleman’s new Barbie. The doll wears a green aviator suit and tall boots. It also comes with a brown flight cap. Coleman’s initials are written in gold. Coleman’s story is on the back of the doll’s box.
Gigi Coleman is Brave Bessie’s great niece. She teamed up with Mattel to make the Barbie. “Keeping Bessie’s legacy alive has always been a labor of love for my family,” she shared. “We hope through this doll more people will discover Bessie’s story and be inspired.”
Updated January 27, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Alexa Tirapelli
