Bessie Coleman was an American of both black and native American descent. She was inspired to become a pilot in the 1910s, but had to overcome huge obstacles in order to train. She rejected social norms placed on both African-Americans and woman at the time and found other unconventional ways to achieve her dreams and she never gave up.
No American flight schools would admit Coleman due to her race and gender, and additionally, black U.S. aviators would not train Coleman either, because she was a woman.
Instead of giving up, Coleman left the US. She received some funds from a banker, learned French, and traveled to France - and was finally able to earn her pilot’s license there.
Later Coleman encountered another obstacle in that pilots at that time did not have an obvious way to profit in their careers. So Coleman received additional training, became a stunt pilot, and performed for a living.
Throughout her life, Coleman also retained a strong sense of self respect. For example, she refused to appear in a movie called “Shadow and Sunshine” she was invited to participate in when she learned that she would have to appear onscreen in ragged clothes. Historians believe she did not want to give in to representing derogatory black stereotypes in the media.