-
birth
Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. -
nurse aid for Red Cross
After Amelia graduated, she went to Canada to go visit her sister. As she saw wounded soldiers coming home from World War 1, she decided to volunteer as a nurse for the Red Cross. While she was working there, she got to know many wounded soldiers who were pilots. Amelia was very inspired by these aviators and spent a lot of her free time watching the watching the Royal Flying Corps practicing at the airfield. -
Long Beach Air Show
She took a plane ride which then changed her life. It only lasted 10 minutes but by the time the plane landed she knew she wanted to learn how to fly. She worked various jobs (photographer, truck driver, etc.) she made enough money to take flying lessons with Anita "Neta" Snook. Because she was determined to fly, she read everything she could find about it and spent most of her time at the airfield. -
Long Beach Air Show Part II
Amelia cut her hair short because that was the style of other aviators. She was also worried about what other aviators would think of her so she slept 3 days in her new leather jacket so it would look worn in. -
Reason for Fame 1
Amelia set a world altitude record of 18,415 feet. At this time she also became the first president of an organization of women pilots to advance the cause of women in aviation called the Ninety-NInes -
Reason for Fame 2
She departed from Harbour Grace, Newfoundland on the first women solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Although she made it across the ocean, she did not make it to Paris as Lindbergh did because of clouds, ice, and mechanical difficulties. This earned her a gold medal from the National Geographic Society, The Distinguished Flying Cross from the U.S. Congress, and The Cross of the Knight of the Legion of Honor from the French governemnt. -
Reason for Fame 3
Another notable flight was a solo trip from Honolulu, Hawaii to Oakland, California. This trip established her as the first women and the first person, to fly across both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. She also flew from LA to Mexico City and Mexico City to New York. These flights helped her set 7 women's speed and distance flight records in a variety of aircraft. -
Reason for Fame 4 continued
and low fuel, they never made it to the Island. On January 5, 1939, she was declared legally dead. -
Reason of Fame 4
Amelia decide she would be the first person to circumnavigate the world around the equator going west from Oakland, California. After many problems with the plane, her plans were changed and the route left Oakland going east with only herself and Captain Noonan. They landed in New Guinea on June 29th, 1937 completing 22,000 miles of the journey. The last 7,000 miles would take place over the Pacific. There next part of the plan was to land on Howland, due to weather, poor communication, -
death
Amelia Earhart died on July 2, 1937. The Lockheed aircraft that was carrying Amelia and Fredrick Noonan (the navigator), was reported to be missing near Howland Island, in the Pacific. -
Important Today
Besides her accomplishments, she wanted to prove that the role and worth of women are just are equal as men. She devoted a chunk of her life to prove that women can exceed in their chosen professions. This relates to today because now women can vote, fly airplanes, become police officers, etc.