Orlando International Airport honors aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman with special exhibit

ORLANDO, Fla. — In honor of Black History Month, Orlando International Airport will host a special exhibit of aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman.

The exhibit, located on the third level of the main terminal, chronicles the life and accomplishments of the first African-American woman ever to hold an international pilot’s license.

Among the vintage photographs, several panels chronicle the life of “Brave Bessie” and her brief time in Orlando.

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Born in 1892, the Texas native made history when she became the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in France on June 15, 1921.

Coleman would travel the country giving flying lessons and performing her signature stunts in airshows, all while encouraging African Americans and women to learn how to fly.

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Bessie once refused to perform before a large crowd in Texas until organizers allowed African Americans and white people to use the same entrance.

Before her tragic death in 1926, Coleman lived in Orlando with the Rev. Hezekiah Keith Hill and his wife, Viola Tillinghast Hill, on West Washington Street.

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Since her death, she has been honored by the National Aviation Hall of Fame and multiple airports and schools nationwide.

The Florida legislature designated West Washington Street in Orlando as “Bessie Coleman Street” in 2014. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority executive conference room is named for the aviation pioneer.

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Orlando International Airport honors aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman with special exhibit (WFTV)

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