Bessie Coleman was an American civil aviator and the first African-American woman to hold a pilot's license. Born in 1892 in Texas, she faced racial and gender discrimination while pursuing her dream of becoming a pilot. Coleman traveled to France to earn her pilot's license in 1921, as no flight school in the United States would admit her due to discrimination. Upon returning to the U.S., she became a renowned and inspirational figure, performing in airshows and advocating for aviation and civil rights for African Americans.