She was a forward-thinking leader. And not surprisingly, fans nicknamed her “Queen Bess.” Coleman broke racial barriers and inspired many people. Sadly, as the first black female pilot, she also dealt with racism and sexism along the way. Eventually, Coleman’s perseverance paid off. She turned an incredible dream into a reality. A pioneer and a visionary, Bessie Coleman is one of history’s greatest inspirational leaders. So, without further ado, we present 20 Bessie Coleman Facts: America’s First Black Female Pilot. Sadly, he left the family when Coleman was very young. She, along with her siblings helped their single mother to survive. Coleman was a longtime Orlando resident and the city wanted to honor her. Luckily, she was able to see the name change before she died. In one incident, she walked off a set and angered her investors. They withdrew their contributions and called her actions “temperamental” and “eccentric.” Unfortunately, when the plane made a sudden nosedive, Coleman was ejected from her seat and she died on impact.