#2956 - 32¢ Bessie Coleman

Order Pre-cut Mounts 25 x 40 mm - 40 per pack

Bessie Coleman, or "Queen Bess" as she would eventually become known, was the first African-American to hold an international pilot's license. Hearing stories about pilots in World War I Bessie became infatuated with the idea of becoming a pilot and left Chicago for Paris in search of a flight school that would accept an African-American woman. After training under a French Ace Pilot, Coleman returned to the US and began performing at air shows across the country. Sadly, her life was cut short when a wrench used to service the plane she was flying slid into the gearbox and jammed the controls, causing the plane to dive and crash into the ground. Scott 2956 Bessie Coleman