Before Bessie Coleman blazed a high trail with her plane. Before she was performing death-defying flying shows, that would earn her fame as, 'Queen Bess.' Before she traveled the country speaking out against discrimination. Bessie was a little girl with a big imagination that took her to the sky, through the clouds, and past the birds.

Knocking down barriers, one by one, Bessie endured racism and grueling training to become the first female African-American pilot, and an inspiration to Mae Jemison, Josephine Baker, and many more influential people of color for years to come.

Illustrated by: R. Gregory Christie