In honor of Bessie Coleman, an American Airlines flight took off from Dallas to Phoenix with an all-Black female crew. In 1921, Coleman became the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license.
All about AA’s Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars tour
American Airlines hosted the ‘Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars tour’ marking the 100th anniversary of Coleman earning her pilot’s license. She was also the first ever woman of color to get it. The airlines mentioned that all crew, from pilots to flight attendants were by an all-Black female crew. Additionally, the cargo team and aviation maintenance tech were also back women.
In a statement, the airline revealed, that it hosted Gigi Coleman on the flight between Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix. Gigi is Bessie’s grant niece who is currently running an after-school aviation program named after her great aunt. “I think she would’ve been really amazed and in awe. I was in awe, and this is 2022. My great-aunt received her license two years before Amelia Earhart. She wasn’t in the history books. No one knew about her,” she told CBS News. Through her organization, Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Stars Gigi is doing her bit of promoting aeronautical studies among kids.
Diversity in air
American Airlines added that it is planning on ramping up its efforts to diversify the flight deck. “Through the American Airlines Cadet Academy, the airline is committed to expanding awareness of and increasing accessibility to the pilot career within diverse communities,” stated the airline. This was the first time in the airline’s history that an all-Black female crew operated a flight.
Providing data, the official statement also mentioned that Black women are “notably underrepresented in the aviation industry”. Moreover, the representation is worse when it comes to pilots. Recent data reveals under one percent of black women make up the pilots in the commercial airline industry.
