There’s been much more buzz about Bessie Stringfield prior to now few years than there had been shortly, and for good cause. Though the legendary American rider died in 1993, increasingly motorcyclists, within the a long time since, have been studying about her story and maintaining it alive.
In 2024, a short documentary film called To Myself, With Love made the rounds of a number of movie festivals. It solely took place after years of analysis and collaboration from a number of individuals, and it is these people who received in contact with Stringfield’s property and had been allowed entry to many important gadgets and items of historical past from Bessie’s life.
Quick-forward to 2025, and the Harley-Davidson Museum opened a special exhibit on Bessie Stringfield’s life at the end of September. Lead curator Ann Sinfield was type sufficient to take time to talk with RideApart in regards to the exhibit previous to its opening, and gave us an up-close and private have a look at a few of the actually cool items of Stringfield’s historical past that had been about to be displayed as a part of the exhibition. which is able to stay open to most people within the Museum’s Golf equipment and Competitions gallery for the subsequent three years.
Those that know Stringfield’s story already know the way cool that is, however in the event you’ve by no means heard it earlier than, she’s a motorcyclist who began driving as a teen and simply saved going, it doesn’t matter what. She was a WWII dispatch rider, owned at the very least 27 bikes over her lifetime (most of which had been Harleys, although there have been just a few Indians in there as effectively), crossed the US on bikes at the very least eight occasions, and lived her whole life precisely because the proud individual she was.
That included being a petite Black lady, and one who was driving throughout the Jim Crow South. And but, even regardless of these two information current on the identical time, she nonetheless did not let anybody boss her round. Oh, and did I neglect to say that she was additionally a stunt rider again within the day? She’s your favourite auntie’s favourite auntie, no query.
There’s an incredible story about sure outdated AMA guidelines again when she settled in Miami and went to start out a bike membership that you’re going to hear (and see documentation of) on this video. It completely made my day once I heard it, and it completely encapsulates why so many fashionable riders nonetheless, to this very day, discover inspiration in Bessie Stringfield’s story.
As a result of actually, she represents the most effective of that rebellious streak that appears to run by means of most (if not all) motorcyclists, to a point or one other. The concept that everybody else can have their opinions and concepts and be mistaken all they like, however she’s going to go dwell her life, and he or she does not a lot care whether or not she has your approval or not. That finally, she would discover the individuals who had been for her, and he or she’d have a good time doing it. In so some ways, Stringfield’s story represents a lot of what is good about motorcycling, and bike tradition at its finest.
It is an honor and a privilege to get to share her story as soon as once more with the world, and I hope you will watch this video and skilled that pleasure and spark for your self. If you happen to can go to the Harley Museum and see the exhibit in individual, a lot the higher. As a result of actually, extra now than ever, the spirit of Bessie Stringfield is the vitality we want on the earth.
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