Grade 5 Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Free Printable

Let’s read the passage carefully and understand what it’s about.

The story is about Bessie Coleman — a brave woman who became the first African American and first Native American female pilot. She faced many challenges because of her race and gender, but she didn’t give up.

Here’s what happened step by step:

1. Bessie was born in Texas in 1892. Her mom was African American, and her dad had Black and Choctaw (Native American) roots.
2. She went to a segregated school — meaning Black children couldn’t go to the same schools as white children.
3. She tried to go to college in Oklahoma, but they wouldn’t let her in because she was Black.
4. Later, she moved to Chicago and worked at a barber shop.
5. Her brother came back from World War I and told her stories about women pilots overseas — that gave her an idea!
6. She wanted to become a pilot too, but no flight school in the U.S. would accept her — again, because she was Black and a woman.
7. So she learned French and went to France to study flying. In 1921, she got her international pilot’s license!
8. When she came back to the U.S., people called her “Queen Bess” and “Brave Bessie.” She did amazing air shows and refused to perform where there was segregation.
9. She dreamed of starting a flight school for Black pilots — but sadly, she died in a plane crash in 1926 before she could do that.
10. Even though she’s gone, she inspired many other Black women to become pilots.

Now, since this is a reading comprehension task, you might be asked questions like:

- Who was Bessie Coleman?
- Why did she have to go to France to learn to fly?
- What did she say about prejudice?
- How did she inspire others?

But since no specific question was given in your request, I’ll assume you need to summarize or answer general understanding questions based on the text.

If you’re being asked to write a summary or answer a main idea question, here’s how to think about it:

Main Idea:
Bessie Coleman overcame racism and sexism to become the first African American and Native American female pilot, inspiring future generations despite facing unfair treatment.

Key Details:
- Born in 1892 in Texas
- Faced segregation and rejection from schools and flight programs
- Learned French and trained in France
- Became famous as “Queen Bess”
- Refused to perform at segregated events
- Died in 1926, but left a powerful legacy

Final Answer:
Bessie Coleman was the first African American and first Native American female pilot. She faced discrimination because of her race and gender, so she traveled to France to earn her pilot’s license in 1921. Back in the U.S., she became known as “Queen Bess” for her daring aerial stunts and stood against segregation by refusing to perform at places that didn’t allow all people. Though she died young in 1926, she inspired many Black women to pursue aviation.