First African-American woman pilot honoured in American Airlines flight

Bessie Coleman, the first black woman to own a pilot's license, was celebrated by an all-black female airline crew in recent American flight.

The all-black crew aboard of the American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Dallas has recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of Bessie Coleman, who was the first black pilot woman. Coleman completed flight training in France and later became a very skilled stunt pilot. Ironically, she died in a plane crash back in 1926.

"I think she would've been really amazed and in awe. I was in awe, and this is 2022. […] My great-aunt received her license two years before Amelia Earhart. She wasn't in the history books. No one knew about her," commented Gigi Coleman, Bessie Coleman’s great niece, during the celebrations.

Gigi runs the after-school program “Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars”, which focuses on inspiring and motivating young children to embrace a pilot career.

American Airlines 737 Captain Beth Powell also commented about the anniversary flight:

"I've never had an all-Black female flight crew in my entire career. Representation is so important today, because when you see someone in yourself, you know it's possible. 'I can do this, too.'"

According to Black women airline pilots organization Sisters of the Skies, the aviation industry in the U.S. currently gathers less than 150 black women pilots.

 

source: cnbc.com