Annie Elizabeth "Bessie" Delany was an American dentist and civil rights pioneer, renowned for her resilience and contributions to social change. She was born on September 3, 1891 and lived a remarkable life until September 25, 1995.

Delany gained prominence as the subject, alongside her elder sister Sarah "Sadie" Delany, of the New York Times bestselling oral history, Having Our Say, authored by journalist Amy Hill Hearth. This narrative brought their incredible stories of overcoming racial and gender barriers in America to a wider audience when it was published while Bessie was at the age of 101.

She earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Columbia University in 1923, becoming the second Black woman licensed to practice dentistry in New York State. Delany’s professional achievements were groundbreaking during a period when both racial and gender discrimination were pervasive.