A ready‑to‑use excerpt from Bessie Coleman: Flying the Blues by Opio Sokoni—designed for journalists and educators who want deeper Black history coverage with a Jacksonville connection.
She
Dared
to Fly
Get
FREE
Pages
Get FREE Pages Emailed to You
Bessie Coleman Flying the Blues
Her Story
Bessie Coleman wasn’t just “the first Black woman pilot.” She was a daring aviator in the 1920s whose life and death—on April 30, 1926, in Jacksonville, Florida—open powerful conversations about race, gender, risk, and representation. This free chapter gives you narrative detail, context, and themes you can use immediately in your reporting, lessons, or presentations.
Enter your email to get instant access to the free pages from Bessie Coleman: Flying the Blues and occasional updates on Black history resources for storytellers and teachers.
A narrative slice of Bessie Coleman’s journey that goes beyond the usual one‑line bio
Rich historical context around 1920s aviation, Jim Crow, and the South
A clear look at her final days in Jacksonville, Florida
Story angles and discussion questions tailored to journalists and educators