Black History Month Transportation Legends: Bessie Coleman

She said that she refused to take no for an answer, even when she was denied entry to flight school. She taught herself French and moved to France where she became the first black woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1922. Her name was Bessie Coleman and she quickly became known as, “Queen Bessie.”

Born on January 26, 1892 to family of sharecroppers in Atlanta, Texas, Coleman was one of 13 children.  She attended a one-room, segregated school and excelled in math and reading.

According to Biography.com, in 1915, Coleman moved in with her brothers in Chicago and became a manicurist. But not long after she moved to the “Windy City,” she read stories about World War I pilots and heard stories of their adventures in the skies. This sparked her interest in aviation.

Despite gender and racial discrimination, which was common in the early 1920s, she earned her pilot’s license from a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in France. She had high hopes of starting a flying school for African Americans. Although she didn’t get a chance to see that dream become a reality, she did return to the United States and soared to fame with exhibition flying. Coleman performed complicated stunts and aerial tricks while flying for spectators across the country. During this time, she earned her nickname.

Only a few years after she received her pilot’s license, Coleman was tragically killed when an accident during a show rehearsal caused her plane to crash. She was only 34.

Although she left this world at a young age, she continues to inspire all who wish to achieve their dream of flying.

“The air is the only place free of prejudices,” she once said. 

Kansas couple accomplishes aerial feat

There are 137 public-use airports in Kansas and Kent and Cindy Stone decided to visit all of them.

On Friday, March 10, as their plane landed at the Philip Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka, they accomplished their goal with a total of 12 days of flying under their wings.   

Cindy and Kent Stone were honored with a certificate of merit from Kansas Department of Transportation Division of Aviation for visiting all 137 public-use airports. 

The couple began their flight in December and according to their Facebook page, they had visited all 52 airports in Western Kansas in just four days.

“Boredom got us going,” Kent said. He and his wife kept flying their renovated Beechcraft E33 Bonanza to the rest of the public-use airports in Kansas.

Although the couple took a break for a few weeks, they started up again early last month. Their arrival in Topeka ended their saga and earned them a certificate of merit from the KDOT Division of Aviation and the compliments of Aviation Director Merrill Atwater. 

“Kent and Cindy show how passion fuels aviation,” Atwater said. “They exemplify for anyone that aviation has something for everyone.”

Kent Stone (middle) shows off his well-earned certificate with representatives of  KDOT Division of Aviation: Dennis O'Connor (right) and Lindsey Dreiling. (left) 

After visiting 137 airports, the Stones said they still found something new each time they landed.

“Every airport has a story to tell or an experience to be enjoyed,” Kent said.

                                     
Their endeavor may have had a turbulent start over thirty years ago when the couple bought their Beechcraft E33 Bonanza.

“There was a long interval of engine troubles after buying the plane in 1986,” Kent said. “It kept cutting in and out after (doing) virtually everything to fix it. I had three choices: Hanger it, sell it, or start over and restore it.” 

It would appear that they made the correct choice.

This image from Kent and Cindy's Facebook page shows all 137 airports they visited. 

For more information on their journey check out their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/flykansas138/