Bessie Stringfield: The Motorcycle Queen of Miami
Bessie Stringfield was a trailblazing motorcyclist who defied racial and gender barriers at a time when the world had little space for a black woman on the open road. Known as the “Motorcycle Queen of Miami,” Bessie would travel across the country through the 30s and 40s before ending up in Florida as a stunt rider.
Bessie Stringfield was born around 1911 in Kingston, Jamaica. Along with her parents, they traveled to Boston, where she was orphaned at a young age when her mother died, and her father left her in the care of a neighbor, an Irish Catholic woman who raised her. From an early age, Bessie showed an independent and adventurous spirit. While most young girls were playing with dolls, Bessie found herself fascinated by motorcycles. At just 16 years old, she received her first motorcycle. It didn’t take long before she was teaching herself how to ride.
And that origin story? Take it with a grain of salt, as it might be entirely fabricated by Bessie, and she could have actually been born in North Carolina.
In the 1930s, Bessie set out on her first of many solo cross-country rides across the United States. Her system on how to decide where to go. She took a penny and rolled it over a map and would go where it landed. At a time when both racism and sexism were deeply entrenched in American society, these trips were anything but easy as she would often receive harassment and discrimination, including being denied lodging because of her race. However, undeterred, if she couldn’t find a place to stay, she would sleep on her bike in a parking lot or out somewhere under the open sky. If she needed money, she would join a circus or carnival doing motorcycle tricks. Over the years, she completed eight solo cross-country trips, becoming the first black woman to ride a motorcycle through every one of the lower 48 states.
During World War II, she worked as a civilian motorcycle courier for the U.S. Army, delivering documents—a job that required exceptional riding ability. Motorcycle couriers were hired to deliver communications between bases. She did all this, crossing the country on her Harley-Davidson.
When she later settled in Miami, Stringfield became a local celebrity for her stunt riding skills, performing at carnivals and local events. When she received pushback from the police, who claimed women shouldn’t ride motorcycles, she changed their minds when she invited a police officer to a track where she rode circles around him, doing tricks and demonstrating her abilities on the bike. The police never harassed her after that.
Bessie Stringfield was married six times, though none of her marriages produced children. Beyond her personal relationships, her greatest love remained the open road and the freedom it represented. In her later years, she became a mentor to younger riders and was known for her warmth and generosity within the motorcycle community. She worked as a nurse for a while and started a motorcycle club.
Bessie would ride her Harley-Davidson around Miami into her 70s, earning the name The Motorcycle Queen of Miami. Bessie passed away in 1993 at the age of 81. After her death, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) honored her by creating the Bessie Stringfield Memorial Award, which is given to individuals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in motorcycling. She is in the AMA Hall of Fame.
Today, Bessie Stringfield remains an icon for women and riders of color who continue to chase freedom on the open road.