Bessie Coleman, an aviation pioneer, died on April 30, 1926, at the age of 34. Coleman was the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license. Born in 1892 to a sharecropper family in Houston, Texas, Coleman developed an interest in aviation as a young girl and started studying mechanics. She attempted to join the Women's Airforce Service Pilots, but was unable to for financial reasons. In 1921, Coleman moved to France to begin flight training. After a year, she returned to the United States and soon after, in 1922, earned her pilot’s license. Coleman was an advocate of the civil rights movement, appearing in the press to attempt to garner greater representation and recognition in the aviation community. Coleman’s impressive displays of aerobatics left an everlasting impact on the American aviation industry, and she continues to inspire generations of budding aviators. Bessie Coleman’s death in 1926 was marked by great sadness, as her pioneering spirit and groundbreaking achievement are remembered fondly.