The Bessie Coleman Aviation Film Festival

The Bessie Coleman Aviation Film Festival honors the first African American and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license—a fearless trailblazer who defied gravity and expectation. This groundbreaking event, the first Aviation Film Festival in North America, unites film, innovation, and flight to explore how Coleman’s legacy continues to rise through today’s pioneers of electric aviation, drones, and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). 

🎬 Film Showcase
Independent and student films inspired by Bessie Coleman’s legacy, women in aviation, and the future of flight. Featuring world premieres, documentaries, and shorts that explore innovation, equity, and sustainability across the aerospace frontier.

⚡ Electric Aviation & eVTOL Demos
Hands-on exhibits with electric aircraft and drone technology that reveal the quiet, zero-emission revolution shaping the skies of tomorrow.

🚁 STEM & Drone Education Zone
Interactive workshops where students can pilot drones, explore coding, and learn aviation science—guided by women pilots and aerospace innovators.

As electric aviation redefines what’s possible, Bessie Coleman’s courage reminds us that true innovation takes inclusion.
The Centennial Festival celebrates her enduring influence—bridging the pioneering past with a cleaner, more connected, and more equitable future of flight.