Born to a family of sharecroppers in Texas, as a young girl Bessie Coleman worked in the cotton fields. At an early age, she developed an interest in flying, but minorities had no flight training opportunities in the United States. After saving enough money, Coleman traveled to France for flight school and returned to the United States to become a high profile pilot. She also dreamed of starting a school for African-American fliers, but she died in a plane crash in 1926 while testing a new aircraft. Her pioneering role was an inspiration to early pilots and to the African-American and Native American communities. Please note this title contains mature themes related to race which includes images and songs from historical time periods.