Watch & Learn: The Bessie Coleman Story

Bessie Coleman Documentaries

“Start Here: Bessie’s Story in 9 Minutes” Aviator Bessie Coleman — PBS American Masters

This short film, about nine minutes, is a wonderful introduction to Bessie’s life. It tells how she overcame racial and gender barriers, learned French and traveled to France to earn her international pilot’s license. It also highlights her career as an exhibition pilot, her stand against segregation, and her dream of opening a flight school.

Watch on PBS:
https://www.pbs.org/video/aviator-bessie-coleman-ztdgjl/

“Explore Her Story in Depth” Bessie Coleman: Queen of the Skies

This documentary offers a more in-depth look at Bessie Coleman—the woman behind the legend. It explores her early life, determination to become a pilot, training in Europe, barnstorming career, struggles against racism and sexism, and the legacy she left for generations of aviators. There are several ways for visitors to watch Queen of the Skies. PBS offers a shorter broadcast version, while the full documentary is approximately 92–93 minutes and is available through other streaming services.

Watch on PBS:
https://www.pbs.org/video/bessie-coleman-queen-of-the-skies-UtdCZj/

Watch the full documentary free with ads on Tubi:
https://tubitv.com/movies/100014871/bessie-coleman-queen-of-the-skies

Also available on Curiosity Stream:
https://curiositystream.com/title/video/3924/bessie-coleman-queen-of-the-skies