Atlanta in Cass County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Bessie Coleman

(1892-1926)

Photographed by Jeff Martin, September 15, 2007

1. Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) Marker

Inscription.
The tenth of 13 children born to tenant farmers Susan and George Coleman, famed aviatrix Bessie Coleman was a native of Atlanta, Texas. The family moved to Waxahachie when Bessie was two years old. She followed her brothers to Chicago in 1915 and developed an interest in flying. Because she could find no one in the United States who would teach an African-American woman, Coleman learned to fly in France and obtained her international pilot’s license in 1921. Upon her return to the United States, she was hailed as the first Black woman to pilot an airplane. Bessie Coleman died in an air accident in Jacksonville, Florida in 1926 and is buried near Chicago.

Erected 2002 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12597.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Air & Space • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1915.

Location. 33° 6.848′ N, 94° 9.931′ W. Marker is in Atlanta, Texas, in Cass County. It is on East Street (County Route 249) near Main Street. Located in a rail park next to the depot and a retired, yellow-painted rail car with large print on its side that reads “Union Pacific UP 25602”. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 North East Street, Atlanta TX 75551, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and in the Piney Woods.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Atlanta Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Pine Crest Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); World War II Memorial of Atlanta, TX (approx. 0.6 miles away); Mathews - Powell House (approx. 2.6 miles away); Laws Chapel Cemetery (approx. 3.8 miles away); Law's Chapel (approx. 3.8 miles away); Cass County (approx. 7.3 miles away); Old Liberty Cemetery and Site of Enon Primitive Baptist Church (approx. 7.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Atlanta.

More about this marker. This location also contains a geocache. See http://geocaching.com. My cousin and I found this marker while on a motorcycle geocaching roadtrip.

Also see . . . Bessie Coleman. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on January 21, 2008, by Jeff Martin of San Antonio, Texas.)

Bessie Coleman image. Click for full size.

via Wikipedia

2. Bessie Coleman

Photographed by Jeff Martin, September 15, 2007

3. Bessie Coleman (1892-1926) Marker

Union Pacific Caboose Next to Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Martin, September 15, 2007

4. Union Pacific Caboose Next to Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 20, 2008, by Jeff Martin of San Antonio, Texas. This page has been viewed 9,988 times since then and 84 times this year. Last updated on November 23, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on January 20, 2008, by Jeff Martin of San Antonio, Texas. 2. submitted on April 1, 2009, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 3. submitted on January 20, 2008, by Jeff Martin of San Antonio, Texas. 4. submitted on January 21, 2008, by Jeff Martin of San Antonio, Texas. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.