Bessie Coleman Flying the Blues - A Short Film by Opio Sokoni

Bessie Coleman Flying the Blues

Short film by Opio Sokoni

PART 2

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eBook: Bessie Coleman Flying the Blues

Bessie Coleman Statute at Jax International Airport

Headed to the Jax International Airport to talk to them about a statute or bust of Bessie Coleman to be placed there. Another airport here (Craig's Executive Airport) is where I rented a hangar to do the Bessie Coleman research several years ago. That airport has a street named after Amelia Earhart (who idolized Queen Bess).  www.poli-tainment.com

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Opio Sokoni's St. Philips Episcopal Church Speech about Aviatrix Bessie Coleman

 

SPEECH TEXT
April 28, 2013

He knows my soul so weak and blind, 
So full of fears of mortal mind,
And He will lead, and I shall find
The way to Him, I know.
He guides my steps, and He knows best,
He will not harm where He is blessed.
And so goodnight, I'll take my rest,
Where sweet wild roses grow.

Thank You:   Father Hugh Chapman, Rector
                      The St. Philips Church Family

                      And a special thanks to your administrator
                      Mrs. Barbara Lee who gave me a church
                      tour during the week.

             The words I opened with are lyrics to “I’ve Done My Work” - the favorite song of Pioneering Aviatrix Bessie Coleman who died here in Jacksonville in 1926. She had two funerals here in the city. One was at Bethel Baptist Church and the other funeral was here. That song would have been sung here that day.

A movement is now under way to properly honor her memory here in Jacksonville.

I would like to read to you the letter I read before the City Council last week at their meeting.

[Opio Sokoni’S SPEECH TO THE JACKSONVILLE, FL. CITY COUNCIL]

          I would like to personally thank St. Philips Episcopal Church for being among the first to honor Bessie Coleman. And, for still being here in the same place for so many years.

          Bessie’s story has some parallels to the disciple Philip in the Bible. I’m the grandson of two pastors and I seem to remember that Apostle Philip was with Jesus when he fed the multitudes with the five loaves of bread and fish. That feast is held around May 1. Bessie came her to headline the airshow here on the very month and day in 1926. Bessie’s funeral was held here almost to the exact day.

Bessie died doing what she loved in the field of aeronautics. Her dream was to open up a school so that Blacks did not have to go to France to learn how to fly. When she died, people were so inspired that flight schools were opened in her honor. One such school created the Tuskegee Airmen who were heroes of WWII.  I think about the Apostle Philip being hung upside down and preaching from the cross. Bartholamew was released as a result of St. Philips preaching. He, himself, refused to be taken off the cross and died for his convictions. Your church and you are special. You are here for a reason.

          I want to end by citing the words of another song that the research said was sung at her funerals. The song is entitle, “Jesus Savior Pilot Me.” The last verse of the song goes…

When at last I near the shore,
And the fearful breakers roar
’Twixt me and the peaceful rest,
Then, while leaning on Thy breast,
May I hear Thee say to me,
“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Thank you so much for having me. This is such an honor.

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This is how St. Philips Episcopal Church would
have looked during Bessie Coleman's Funeral

Order of Leadership at
St. Philips Episcopal Church
Note: Reverend Parchment is
the Rector in 1926, the year
Bessie Coleman's funeral
was held at the church.

Reverend Satterwhite
would have been at
Bessie Coleman's Funeral.
He was the Rector before and
after Reverend Parchment who
was the Rector when the funeral
was held for Bessie Coleman at
St. Philips Episcopal Church.

Current Picture of St. Philips Episcopal Church

Father Hugh Chapman is the current Rector of
St. Philips Episcopal Church

Reverend Hugh Chapman and Opio Sokoni

Opio Sokoni is an activist, researcher of
Pioneering Aviatrix Bessie Coleman
in Jacksonville, Florida

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Program - April 28, 2013

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Honor Aviatrix Bessie Coleman Speech by Opio Sokoni at Jacksonville, FL City Council Meeting

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Below is the text of the speech given at the Jacksonville, Florida City Council's April 23, 2013 meeting. Opio Sokoni requested that the City commit to officially honoring Bessie Coleman who died in Jacksonville, Florida April 30, 1926. 

SPEECH TEXT:

              I come before you to respectfully request that we as a city properly honor aviatrix pioneer Bessie Coleman. The city of Jacksonville, Florida is the only town relevant to her storied life that has not formally recognized her memory with a street, building or other major city honor.

            Bessie Coleman earned an international pilot’s license from the most prestigious flight school in France. She was the first African American female to fly a plane. Bessie was immensely popular during the 1920s and was admired by many pilots of the day. She was known for breath-taking air maneuvers and highly entertaining parachute jumps. The Norman Studios here in Jacksonville communicated with Bessie about a film based on her incredible flying.

            On April 27th, 1926 Coleman came to Jacksonville to headline an airshow sponsored by the Negro Welfare League. Her contact here was an impressive, young 21 year old name John Thomas Betsch, a Howard University graduate. He is the father of our very own Johnetta B. Cole. While here in Jacksonville, Bessie made speeches at the Strand Theatre, Stanton High School, Davis Street Elementary and Darnell Cookman.

             On April 30, 1926, while flying over the now defunct Paxon Airfield, Brave Bessie fell 2000 feet from her airplane. She died instantly. Bessie’s body was taken to the Lawton L. Pratt funeral home. Bessie was to appear at the Elite Circle and Girls’ DeLuxe Club’s much anticipated dance that evening, a memorial was held for her instead. A funeral was held for Bessie here at the Bethel Baptist Institutional Church. Thousands of mourners filed past her coffin in Jacksonville. Reverends Scott Bartley, T.H.B. Walker and John E. Ford presided over the massive funeral. The choir sung Bessie’s favorite gospel song; “I’ve Done My Work.” A second service was held for her in the city at the St. Philips Episcopal Church on Union Street - presided over by Reverend Parchment. 

              When Bessie Coleman died, The Florida Times Union newspaper refused to mention her by name; simply calling her “that woman.” A letter has been sent to their editor asking them to run a story to correct the record.

              Bessie would not live to see the Norman Studios make its most famous film, The Flying Ace. The United States Postal Service, however, did recognize Bessie’s pioneering achievements with a postage stamp.  The city of her childhood in Texas and her adopted city (Chicago) have both named major roads and schools in Bessie’s honor. Jacksonville, on the other hand, has streets named after Amelia Earhart and the Wright brothers. Bessie has a closer tie to Jacksonville than either of these great aviation pioneers but has not been honored as they have. It is my belief that this woman belongs to this city as much as she belongs to either of the other cities mentioned. This was the place she made her last flight, before she fell into history, doing what she loved while contributing to the new world of aeronautics.

            I say let’s formally commit to doing something major to honor this woman. It will be long overdue for the life and memory of Elizabeth Bessie Coleman.

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Opio L. Sokoni, MSCJ, JD at the Jacksonville, FL

city hall on April 23, 2013 - after making a speech

to the City Council concerning formally honoring

female pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman.

Opio Sokoni is from Jacksonville, Florida where he did an independent graduate study on pioneering aviatrix Bessie Coleman at the University of North Florida. He is also a political science graduate from Norfolk State University and has a law degree from Howard University.

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Frankfurt Germany has a Street Named in Bessie Coleman's Honor

Did you know that Frankfurt Germany has a street named in Bessie Coleman's honor near their Main airport. So does Chicago (Bessie Coleman Drive).  The hotel below is on Bessie Coleman Street. There are no streets or anything named after her in Jacksonville, Florida (the place she made her last flight before falling to her death). It is time that someone spoke up about this omission.

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MEININGER Hotel Frankfurt/Main Airport

Bessie - Coleman - Straße 11, 60549 DR Frankfurt/Main

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Chicago's Bessie Coleman Drive 

Bessie Coleman Honored, but Not in Jacksonville, Florida

Bessie Coleman has been honored in many cities and by the federal government. She has not been properly honored however in the city of her death - Jacksonville, Florida. www.Poli-Tainment.com.

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Inscribed plaque honoring Bessie Coleman at the Paxon High School in Jacksonville, Florida

Bessie "Queen Bess" Coleman 

1892-1926 

The first African American Female Pilot, on April 29, 1926 visited the local schools in Jacksonville, FL to encourage young individuals to explore aviation. While rehearsing for her well-renowned aerobatics show held at Paxon Airfield, which today is Paxon School for Advanced Studies, a few miles away from the airfield her plane crashed. Bessie Coleman's last day was in Jacksonville Florida, on April 30, 1926.

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This marker is in Waxahachie, Texas.

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