Fly High.
“ Tell them all that as soon as I can walk I’m going to fly!”
- Bessie Coleman
Bessie Coleman made history as the first Black woman and the first Native American to earn a pilot's license. Her daring aerial maneuvers and captivating performances earned her the nicknames "Brave Bessie" and "Queen Bess," inspiring audiences worldwide and encouraging women and African Americans to pursue their dreams.
Born on January 26, 1892, in Atlanta, Texas, Bessie was the tenth of thirteen children born to Susan Coleman, a Black woman, and George Coleman, a man of mixed-race heritage with Cherokee ancestry. Raised in a modest household where her mother worked as a maid and her father as a sharecropper, Bessie's early education began in a segregated one-room wooden schoolhouse four miles from her home. Despite the challenges, she excelled in subjects like reading and math.
At twelve years old, Bessie earned a scholarship to attend the Missionary Baptist Church School, where she continued to demonstrate her academic prowess. Upon turning eighteen, she enrolled at the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University (now known as Langston University) in Langston, Oklahoma. However, her educational journey was cut short after just one semester due to financial constraints. Exhausting her savings to cover tuition costs, Bessie was compelled to return home.
“The only source of knowledge is experience.”
At the age of 23, Bessie relocated to Chicago to live with her brothers. By 1919, she found employment as a manicurist on Chicago's South Side. One evening, her brother, John came home drunk and began taunting Bessie about her job, asserting that French women were superior because they could fly. Having served in the Army in France during World War I, John often teased Bessie about the opportunities available to women there, contrasting them with the limitations faced by Black women in the United States.
Infuriated by her brother's remarks, Bessie resolved to prove him wrong. Despite facing rejection from several pilots who refused to teach her due to her race and gender, she remained determined to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot. Recognizing that her best chance lay in France, where she believed racial and gender barriers might be less restrictive, Bessie embarked on a mission to prepare for the journey.
To prepare for her trip, Bessie diligently studied French, sought financial assistance from benefactors to fund her venture, and secured a higher-paying job managing a chili restaurant. On November 20, 1920, she departed for Europe aboard the liner S.S. Imperator and enrolled at the flight school established by aviation pioneers Gaston and René Caudron in Le Crotoy, located in the Somme region of northern France.
“I knew the Race needed to be represented along this most important line, so I thought it my duty to risk my life to learn aviation.”
On June 15, 1921, Bessie achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Black woman and the first Native American to obtain an aviation pilot's license. Additionally, she earned the distinction of being the first Black person and the first Native American person to receive an international aviation license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. Following the acquisition of her license, Bessie dedicated two more months to further refining her flying skills under the tutelage of a French ace pilot near Paris.
In September 1921, Bessie returned to the United States, where she garnered widespread attention and acclaim from the media. The Associated Press hailed her as "a full-fledged aviatrix, said to be the first of her race." Bessie captivated audiences with her daring aerial maneuvers, such as walking on the wings of her aircraft while in flight and performing parachute jumps while a co-pilot assumed control. Her remarkable feats were extensively covered in the press, particularly by Black newspapers, and she became a symbol of glamour and courage.
Utilizing her newfound platform, Bessie advocated for the inclusion of Black people and women in aviation, asserting that they must have access to flying if they were to keep pace with the advancements of the time. She also took a principled stand against racial discrimination, refusing to perform at venues that prohibited Black attendees, thereby using her influence to challenge segregation and inequality.
“The air is the only place to be free from prejudices.”
Initially, Bessie had to rely on borrowed planes for her performances, showcasing her flying prowess to the world. However, her ultimate ambition was to establish a flight school for Black pilots, a goal that necessitated her owning her own aircraft. After diligent saving, she accumulated enough funds to purchase her first plane—a military surplus Curtiss JN-4 known as a Jenny.
To retrieve her newly acquired plane, Bessie traveled to Santa Monica. While in the vicinity, she seized the opportunity to stage an air show near Los Angeles. However, as she ascended for the flight to the fairgrounds, disaster struck when her motor malfunctioned, causing her to plummet from an altitude of 300 feet. The crash resulted in a broken leg, fractured ribs, and the destruction of her aircraft. Despite her injuries, Bessie, ever determined, implored the attending doctor to swiftly attend to her wounds so she could fulfill her commitment to the air show. Recognizing the severity of her condition, the doctor promptly summoned an ambulance.
Despite her resilience, Bessie faced an arduous road to recovery, enduring a two-month convalescence before she could resume flying. It would be an additional two years before she could once again take to the skies with regularity. Despite setbacks and challenges, Bessie remained unwavering in her commitment to aviation and her aspiration to inspire others through her remarkable journey. She was worried that the accident would disappoint her supporters, so she sent them a message: “Tell them all that as soon as I can walk I’m going to fly!” Her recovery took two months, and it was another two years before she was flying again regularly.
“Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.”
Upon her return to Chicago, Bessie remained resolute in her mission to establish a flight school that would offer Black individuals and women the opportunity to pursue aviation. Despite facing financial constraints—with minimal funds, no employment, and lacking an aircraft—she resolved to open an office in Chicago. However, sustaining the office proved untenable without additional financial backing, prompting Bessie to reassess her strategy.
Realizing the imperative of generating income, Bessie made the difficult decision to temporarily set aside her dream of launching the flight school and instead return to flying. In April 1926, she managed to procure another plane, another surplus Jenny, with the hope of reigniting her career in aviation. However, tragedy struck on April 30, 1926, during a practice flight for an upcoming air show.
While flying at an altitude of 3,500 feet with William Willis at the controls, an unsecured wrench became entangled in the control gears, causing the plane to suddenly lose control and plummet toward the ground. Regrettably, Bessie, who was not secured with a seatbelt, was ejected from the aircraft and tragically lost her life in the fall. The aviation world mourned the loss of Bessie Coleman, whose pioneering spirit and indomitable determination had left an indelible mark on the history of flight.
Despite the lack of acknowledgment from the mainstream press, Bessie Coleman's passing garnered front-page coverage in many Black newspapers, highlighting her significance within the African American community. Approximately 10,000 mourners attended her funeral, where civil rights activist Ida B. Wells led the commemorative ceremonies.
In the decades following her death, Bessie Coleman's legacy endured and continued to inspire generations. Beginning in 1931, black pilots from Chicago initiated an annual flyover of her grave as a tribute to her pioneering achievements. In 1977, a group of African American women pilots established the Bessie Coleman Aviators Club, further commemorating her contributions to aviation history. Moreover, in 1992, a resolution passed by the Chicago City Council urged the U.S. Postal Service to issue a Bessie Coleman stamp. The resolution emphasized that Bessie Coleman's adventurous spirit, positive attitude, and unwavering determination continue to inspire countless individuals, particularly young people striving to achieve their dreams.
“You’ve never lived till you’ve flown.”
How Yoga Can Help
"Sometimes our body is willing, but our mind is weak. Sometimes our mind is willing, but our body is weak. Do not be afraid. Strive to extend your capacity but do not be disappointed with yourself. What does not challenge us, cannot change us.”
- B.K.S. Iyengar
This class is an introduction to the arm balancing poses. The arm balances increase flexibility and strength, particularly developing our upper body strength. In this class we will work to strengthen the muscles in the arms and upper back, and breakdown the alignment of the pose, so that we prepare ourselves physically, but also understand how to get in and out of the pose safely and correctly. So that no matter where we are in our practice, if we are new to the arm balancing poses, or have experience we can still get the benefits of boosting self- confidence and courage, as well as the playfulness of these poses.
Notes on Practice
Poses 1- 3
Adho Muka Virasana (Downward Facing Hero Pose/ Child’s Pose) Adho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose/ Standing Forward Bend) These poses strengthen and stretch the muscles in the arms, legs, and shoulders. And they prepare us for the arm balances, as B.K.S. Iyengar explains in these poses “The abdominal muscles are drawn towards the spine and strengthened… This is an exhilarating pose.”
Pose 4
Adho Muka Vrksasana (Full Arm Balance/ Handstand) According to Light On Yoga this pose “develops the body harmoniously. It strengthens the shoulders, arms, and wrists and expands the chest fully.” On a psychological level inversions like handstand help us let go of fear of trying something new and challenging. They teach us to trust ourselves to find balance even when things are turned upside down. This greatly prepares us for the arm balancing poses.
Poses 5- 7
Lolasana (arm balance moving to and fro like a dangling earring) Eka Hasta (arm balance where one leg is draped over one arm and hand) Dwi Hasta Bhujasana (variation of eka hasta bhujasana, where both legs are draped over the arms) In these poses we learn to take flight. The arm balances strengthen and stretch the muscles in arms, legs, and upper back. The abdominal muscles are toned, and promote a feeling of self- confidence and courage.
Poses 8-9
Adho Muka Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) Adho Muka Virasana (Downward Facing Hero Pose/ Child’s Pose) The stretch of the arms and legs in these poses support the release of the head and neck, allowing the brain to rest, the mind becomes calm, and the senses of perception are turned inwards. These poses help us wind down after a strong practice.
Pose 10- 11
Viparita Karani (Legs UP The Wall Pose) Savasana (Corpse Pose) This final resting position helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and helps promote a deeper awareness to ourselves, and a higher consciousness.