Bessie Coleman paved the way for African Americans. She began flying in the early 1920s and became the first African-American woman pilot. Coleman went to France for initial flight training and received her license in 1921. She returned to the United States in 1922 and performed in air shows in the South, concentrating on performance for predominately African American audiences. Coleman was never able to achieve her life long dream of establishing an aviation training school for African Americans. She died in a flying accident on April 30, 1926.