This week the Rebel is non other than The Negro Motorcycle Queen, Bessie Stringfield. Born in Kingston Jamaica in 1911 Bessie and her family got hell bent on coming to America. Shortly after their arrival, her parents died and Bessie was adopted by an Irish woman.
At the ripe age of 16, Bessie Stringfield taught herself how to ride on an Indian Scout. By 19 she had traveled across the lower 48 and even made it to Europe, Brazil and Haiti for a romp on her scoot. Her story becomes much more that epic when we find out how she made her money for gas and food...
Bessie was a stunt woman in any and all of the carnival shows she passed throughout her journey. Speed maneuvers, long jumps, high jumps, you name it, she did it on her motorcycle. Due to her skin color, she was not allowed to stay in any motels or inns of any kind. She would pull over at a fill station and sleep on her bike when she needed to. The struggles didn't stop there. Bessie lived to ride. She lived for speed. Even though women were not allowed to enter flat track races, she would race and then be denied any recognition for her placements. Her passion never let her quit.
When WWII broke out, Bessie found her place in the fight against those communist bastards by becoming a civilian mail courier for the military. Within her 4 years delivering important info, she crossed the US 8 more times on a motorcycle.
In 1950 she moved to Miami and settled in, not down though. The local coppers pulled her over when she was out riding and told her that, "Nigger women are not allowed to ride motorcycles." So what did she do? Bessie Stringfield started the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club and stuck it to the man! This is around the time she was dubbed the "Negro Motorcycle Queen." After a long run with the club she died due to a heart condition. Bessie never stopped riding.
In 2000, the American Motorcycle Association created the Bessie Stringfield Memorial Award. Two years later, she was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
At the ripe age of 16, Bessie Stringfield taught herself how to ride on an Indian Scout. By 19 she had traveled across the lower 48 and even made it to Europe, Brazil and Haiti for a romp on her scoot. Her story becomes much more that epic when we find out how she made her money for gas and food...
Bessie was a stunt woman in any and all of the carnival shows she passed throughout her journey. Speed maneuvers, long jumps, high jumps, you name it, she did it on her motorcycle. Due to her skin color, she was not allowed to stay in any motels or inns of any kind. She would pull over at a fill station and sleep on her bike when she needed to. The struggles didn't stop there. Bessie lived to ride. She lived for speed. Even though women were not allowed to enter flat track races, she would race and then be denied any recognition for her placements. Her passion never let her quit.
When WWII broke out, Bessie found her place in the fight against those communist bastards by becoming a civilian mail courier for the military. Within her 4 years delivering important info, she crossed the US 8 more times on a motorcycle.
In 1950 she moved to Miami and settled in, not down though. The local coppers pulled her over when she was out riding and told her that, "Nigger women are not allowed to ride motorcycles." So what did she do? Bessie Stringfield started the Iron Horse Motorcycle Club and stuck it to the man! This is around the time she was dubbed the "Negro Motorcycle Queen." After a long run with the club she died due to a heart condition. Bessie never stopped riding.
In 2000, the American Motorcycle Association created the Bessie Stringfield Memorial Award. Two years later, she was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
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