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Amelia Earhart |
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Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, the first woman to fly alone across the continent, and the first to cross it non-stop. She was daring, determined and outspoken. She was also photogenic and glamorous. Yet Amelia Earhart, "The First Lady of the Air," has remained an enigmatic idol whose colorful and complex life has been overshadowed by her mysterious disappearance on July 2, 1937. |
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Born on July 24, 1897, Earhart took her first airplane ride at the age of 23 and knew she was hooked. "As soon as we left the ground," she wrote, "I knew I myself had to fly ... I told my family casually that evening, knowing full well I'd die if I didn't." |
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In 1928, Earhart's life changed forever when she came to the attention of publisher and promoter George Palmer (G.P.) Putnam. Putnam, who had published Charles Lindbergh's bestselling account of his famous solo flight, now set out to create a "Lady Lindy." Earhart went on a month-long trip around the country flying her bi-plane, giving hundreds of interviews and speeches. To maintain her high public profile, Earhart competed with top flyers in the first cross-country Women's Air Derby in 1929. It was clear, however, that Amelia's flying ability had not caught up with her celebrity. |
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In 1936, Earhart announced the most ambitious flight of her career ― to circle the Equator. Despite the criticism that the flight was a self-serving stunt, Earhart and Putnam forged ahead. When Earhart came to the critical last leg of the flight, everything that could go wrong did. Three weeks before her 40th birthday, Earhart disappeared. It was this disappearance that created the legend of Amelia Earhart. |
