Speaker: Lena Andrews, SPP
Abstract: This talk examines the life of Bessie Coleman as both a singular biographical subject and a prism through which scholars can examine the intersections of race, gender, class, and American national identity at the turn of the twentieth century. The first Black and Native American woman to earn an international pilot's license, Coleman was not just a celebrity but a national hero in her time. Yet despite her remarkable achievements, few outside a small circle of historians know the details of her story today. Drawing on archival sources, period press, and genealogical research, this talk presents a new, fuller picture of Coleman's life and argues that she not only engaged with but shaped national narratives on aviation, entertainment, and identity in a profound and enduring way.