Bessie Coleman: First Black Woman Pilot

This book is intended for children, but can be profitably read by adults as well. I read this at the same time as Doris L. Rich's Queen Bessie, probably the best full-length biography. I was impressed at how well this book conveyed Bessie Coleman's life and character, although the reader may also want to read Rich's book for additional personal, historical and contextual information. The book is lavishly illustrated with black and white photographs. The Rich book is also well-illustrated, and since there is not a great overlap, the reader in search of visuals should probably consult both. The book is well annotated and indexed. There is a very short biography and a few relevant websites.

Bessie Coleman was a truly remarkable woman. During the 1920s, not many women or black Americans were drawn to flying. Bessy, a black American woman, had to fight many prejudices to realize her dream. Plantz tells Bessie's story from birth to her tragic and suspicious death in a plane crash as a compelling narative. Bessie tackled many challenges in her short life and can be considered a role model, if not hero, for black Americans and all women. This is a good read for 10-year-olds to adult.

This is a wonderfully rich and enjoyable biography on a very important woman in history. Not only does the author make Bessie's amazing story come to life, but it is written in an enjoyable stye that helps you absorb the facts and significants of her life & times. I'd highly recomend this to anyone intersted in flight, black history, or women's rights.