Article from Beliefnet.com

Bessie Coleman

This sharecroppers’ daughter had dreams bigger than her home state of Texas could hold. Bessie Coleman became interested in aviation in her early 20s, but as an African American woman, she was denied admission to flight schools. She eventually learned to fly in France. In 1921, she became the first African American female pilot and the first to have an international aviation license.

Jackie Robinson

Most people know Jackie Robinson as the famous baseball player who ushered in a new era for African Americans in the Major Leagues. Not only did he create a presence for Blacks on the baseball diamond, but he also was the first to receive high profile awards. He was the first African American to win the League’s Most Valuable Player award in 1949. His prestige earned him a cover story in Life magazine in 1950 — the first African American…