June 15
Bessie Coleman Earns Pilot License
On June 15, 1921, Bessie Coleman earned her pilot's license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in France, as no American flight school would accept her. She became a barnstorming pilot and aviation pioneer.
Bessie Coleman Gets Pilot License
On June 15, 1921, Bessie Coleman earned her pilot's license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in France, as no American flight school would accept her. She became a barnstorming pilot and refused to perform before segregated audiences.
Queen Nanny of the Maroons Born
Queen Nanny was an Ashanti woman who was either brought to Jamaica as an enslaved person or came as a free woman. She became the spiritual and military leader of the Windward Maroons, using guerrilla tactics and deep knowledge of the terrain to defend the Maroon settlement of Nanny Town against repeated British attacks. She is celebrated as one of Jamaica's seven National Heroes and remains a symbol of resistance throughout the Caribbean.
Erroll Garner Born
Born June 15, 1921, Erroll Garner was an entirely self-taught pianist who could not read music. His composition "Misty" became a jazz standard and was later a pop hit for Johnny Mathis. His 1955 album "Concert by the Sea" is one of the best-selling jazz albums ever.