Graphological Psychogram (Roman-Staemptli) for Bessie Coleman

The writing was provided from the R.E. Norman Manuscripts, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. No reproduction or other use of this writing may be made without the express written permission of the Lilly Library and Editor of GOLD NIBS. Background material was from Queen Bess, Daredevil Aviator by Doris L.Rich, Smithsonian Institution Press © 1993.

Bessie Coleman, the First African American woman to fly an airplane and the First African American to earn an international pilot's license. In celebration of Black Heritage Month, the pen-and-ink drawing of Coleman appeared on the 32-cent stamp in 1995. The drawing was from a Coleman's photograph issued by Ddration Aronautique Internationale in Paris on June 15, 1921.

At the age of 30, on April 30, 1926, Bessie Coleman died falling 500 feet from an aircraft piloted by her partner.

Some of the highlights from Coleman's writing which is an excerpt from page 2 of a letter written 2 months before her untimely death to R. E. Norman, Afreican American film producer in Arlington, Florida:

• A very strong need to accomplish
• A strong need to engage life
• She could be both conforming and dauntless
• She was not above celebrating her own accomplishments
• Her vim, vigor, and feistiness served her well in her own pursuits as well as her unrelenting work to overcome segregation
• Unacceptable emotions and feelings were generally stuffed and overcome by strong family ties and network
• Strong, basic intelligence, shrewd, realistic assessment of her environment allowed her a resourcefulness and flexibility in pursuit of her goals

This small, petite, beautiful woman with a flair for dramatic dress commanded large audiences whenever she flew exhibitions. At her funeral in Jacksonville, Florida, over 5,000 attended. Over 10,000 people filed past her casket at the Memorial Services in Chicago. A remarkable woman.

Evaluator: Dr. Ellen Bowers, GRAPHEX International