Bessie Coleman

Name: Bessie Coleman

Made by and When: Madame Alexander, 2009

Material: Hard plastic

Marks: ALEXANDER (on the back)

Height: 10 inches

Hair/Eyes/Mouth: Black wig styled in a bob with bangs/brown sleep eyes, painted lower eyelashes/closed mouth with painted red lips

Clothes: The doll’s very detailed outfit consists of a brown leatherette jacket, black vinyl belt with silver buckle, white sleeveless semi-sheer blouse, black Jodhpur-style pants; black vinyl knee-high, lace-up boots; and black vinyl aviator cap with chinstrap and attached silver goggles.

Other: Alexander’s 2009 Coquette Cissy from “The Arts Collection” pays homage to this remarkable, early Twentieth Century African American woman who became the first Black woman in the world to earn an international pilot’s license. After being denied enrollment in American aviator schools because of her race, Coleman enrolled in aviator school in France during the 1920s where she completed her training.

Bessie Coleman did not allow racism and sexism to impede her goal to fly.

“The air is the only place free from prejudices.”

–Bessie Coleman

https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2011/02/16/bessie-coleman/#.YBrzSehKiPk

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