AMELIA EARTHART

*Amelia Mary Earhart – Biography
*Amelia Mary Earhart (1897 – 1937)* was an American aviation pioneer, author, and champion of women’s rights. The first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, she set multiple distance and speed records, inspired a generation of female pilots, and vanished mysteriously while attempting a round‑the‑world flight in 1937.

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Early Life & Family
- *Born 24 July 1897*, *Atchison, Kansas*, to *Edwin Stanton Earhart*, a railroad claims officer, and *Amy Otis Earhart*, a suffragist.
- Childhood was nomadic (Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois) due to her father’s job transfers.
- A tomboy who climbed trees, hunted rats with a .22 rifle, and kept scrapbooks of women succeeding in male‑dominated fields.

Education & War Service
- Graduated from *Hyde Park High School (Chicago, 1916)*.
- 1917‑1918: Volunteered as a *nurse’s aide* in Toronto during World I, tending wounded soldiers.
- Briefly attended *Columbia University (medicine)* and *Ogontz School (Pennsylvania)*, but left to pursue aviation.

First Flights & Training
- *1920:* First airplane ride at an airshow; declared, “I knew I had to fly.”
- Began lessons with *Neta Snook* (one of the first female instructors).
- *December 1921:* Earned *National Aeronautics Association (NAA) pilot’s license*.
- Bought a bright yellow *Kinner Airster biplane* (nicknamed “*The Canary*”) with money saved from jobs (photographer, truck driver, stenographer).

Historic Achievements
1. First Woman Across the Atlantic (Passenger, 1928)
- *June 17 1928:* Joined pilots *Wilmer Stultz* & *Louis Gordon* aboard *Friendship*, flying Newfoundland → Wales (21 hrs).
- Became an overnight media sensation; publicist *George P. Putnam* (later husband) promoted her fame.

2. Solo Transatlantic Flight (1932)
- *May 20‑21 1932:* Piloted a *Lockheed Vega 5B* from *Harbour Grace, Newfoundland* to *Culmore, Northern Ireland*.
- First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic; awarded the *Distinguished Flying Cross*.

3. Other Records (1930‑1935)
- *Altitude (autogiro): 18,415 ft (1931).*
- *First solo Hawaii → Oakland (1935).*
- *First solo Los Angeles → Mexico City → Newark (1935).*

Marriage & Partnership
- Married *George P. Putnam* (1931), a marriage framed as a partnership; she kept her maiden name and prioritized independence.

Writing & Advocacy
- Authored best‑sellers: *20 Hrs. 40 Min.* (1928), *The Fun of It* (1932).
- Aviation editor for *Cosmopolitan*, promoted commercial air travel.
- Cofounder of *Ninety‑Nines* (organization for female pilots).

Final Attempt – Around‑the‑World Flight (1937)
- *June 1 1937:* Departed Miami with navigator *Fred Noonan* in a *Lockheed Electra 10‑E*.
- Completed 22,000 mi; remaining 7,000 mi over the Pacific.
- *July 2 1937:* Lost radio contact near *Howland Island*; disappeared. Declared dead *5 January 1939*.

Legacy
- Symbol of courage and women’s empowerment; *Distinguished Flying Cross*, *National Women’s Hall of Fame*.
- Streets, schools, airports, and a *NASA research aircraft* named after her.
- Enduring mystery of her disappearance fuels theories (crash, capture, etc.), but no conclusive evidence found.