Honeyman Tees
First Black Woman Pilot storybook watercolor design First Black Woman Pilot on a heather gray tee mockup

History & Science

First Black Woman Pilot T-shirt

A funny, cute First Black Woman Pilot gift for a history teacher, pilot or anyone who loves aviation history. The First Black Woman Pilot T-shirt is a Honeyman Tees print-on-demand tee from the History & Science collection. The design shows the first Black woman pilot in a brown leather flying cap with goggles, a white scarf and an olive flying coat, holding a small wooden propeller, saying “They said no. So I learned French.” Available on Etsy.

“They said no. So I learned French.”

Buy on Etsy (opens in a new tab)

About this design

A brown leather flying cap, goggles, a white scarf and a small wooden propeller.

The story behind it

In the early 1920s, flight schools in the United States would not admit her, so she learned French, sailed to France and trained there. In 1921 she became the first Black woman to earn a pilot's license, and she went on to thrill crowds as a barnstorming aviator.

Proposed colors: Heather Gray

Mockups show the print at true scale on a size M tee. Colors are proposed, not final.

Where to buy

Available on Etsy: see this tee on Etsy (opens in a new tab). See all our shops or follow on Instagram (opens in a new tab) for new drops.

More from History & ScienceAll 264 designs

Questions about the First Black Woman Pilot shirt

Who is the First Black Woman Pilot shirt for?

It is a funny, cute gift for history teachers, pilots and anyone who loves aviation history. The kawaii-style chibi art is storybook watercolor, so the shirt works as a thoughtful gift for any occasion.

What is the joke on the First Black Woman Pilot shirt, and what is the story behind it?

The speech bubble says: “They said no. So I learned French.” In the early 1920s, flight schools in the United States would not admit her, so she learned French, sailed to France and trained there. In 1921 she became the first Black woman to earn a pilot's license, and she went on to thrill crowds as a barnstorming aviator.

Is the shirt printed to order, and how does shipping work?

Yes, every shirt is printed to order, so production takes 3-10 days before it ships. Shipping is free to US addresses.

More from History & Science