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Quick Facts
- NAME: Amelia Earhart
- OCCUPATION: Pilot
- BIRTH DATE: July 24, 1897
- DEATH DATE: c. January 05, 1939
- EDUCATION: Hyde Park High School, Columbia University
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Atchison, Kansas
- AKA: Amelia Earhart
- Full Name: Amelia Mary Earhart
Best Known For
Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, mysteriously disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937.
Videos see all videos
Amelia Earhart - A Daring Pilot
Watch a short video about Amelia Earhart and fly through her childhood as a daring little child to her mysterious disappearance as an adult.
Amelia Earhart - Mini Biography
After a plane ride at an air show, Amelia Earhart decided she would learn to fly. After becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, she embarked on her flight around the world and disappeared over the Pacific Ocean.
Amelia Earhart - Intrepid Lady Flyer
Amelia Earhart embarked on the longest non-stop flight by a woman.
Amelia Earhart - Recovery Expedition
Remains of Amelia Earhart's plane lead to theories about her demise. From the "Biography: Amelia Earhart - Recovery Expedition" video.
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Play NowAmelia Earhart. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:16, May 23, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280.
Amelia Earhart. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280 [Accessed 23 May 2013].
"Amelia Earhart." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 23 2013, 04:16 http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280.
"Amelia Earhart," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280 [accessed May 23, 2013].
"Amelia Earhart," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280 (accessed May 23, 2013).
Amelia Earhart [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 23] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280.
Amelia Earhart, http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280 (last visited May 23, 2013).
Amelia Earhart. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/amelia-earhart-9283280. Accessed May 23, 2013.
Synopsis
Aviator Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. In 1923, Earhart, fondly known as "Lady Lindy," became the 16th woman to be issued a pilot's license. She had several notable flights, becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928, as well as the first person to fly over both the Atlantic and Pacific. In 1937, she mysteriously disappeared while trying to circumnavigate the globe from the equator. Since then,
Contents
Quotes
"The woman who can create her own job is the woman who will win fame and fortune."
"Adventure is worthwhile in itself."
several theories have formed regarding Earhart's last days, many of which have been connected to various artifacts that have been found on Pacific islands—including clothing, tools and, more recently, freckle cream. Earhart was legally declared dead in 1939.
Early Life
Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas, in America's heartland. She spent much of her early childhood in the upper-middle class household of her maternal grandparents. Amelia's mother, Amelia "Amy" Otis, married a man who showed much promise, but had never been able to break the bonds of alcohol. Edwin Earhart was on a constant search to establish his career and put the family on a firm financial foundation. When the situation got bad, Amy would shuttle Amelia and her sister Muriel to their grandparents' home. There they sought out adventures, exploring the neighborhood, climbing trees, hunting for rats, and taking breathtaking rides on Amelia's sled.
Even after the family was reunited when Amelia was 10, Edwin constantly struggled to find and maintain gainful employment. This caused the family to move around, and Amelia attended several different schools. She showed early aptitude in school for science and sports, though it was difficult to do well academically and make friends. In 1915, Amy separated once again from her husband, and moved Amelia and her sister to Chicago to live with friends. While there, Amelia attended Hyde Park High School, where she excelled in chemistry. Her father's inability to be the provider for the family led Amelia to become independent and not rely on someone else to "take care" of her.
After graduation, Amelia Earhart spent a Christmas vacation visiting her sister in Toronto, Canada. After seeing wounded soldiers returning from World War I, she volunteered as a nurse's aide for the Red Cross. Earhart came to know many of the wounded who were pilots. She developed a strong admiration for aviators, spending much of her free time watching the Royal Flying Corps practicing at the airfield nearby. In 1919, Earhart enrolled in medical studies at Columbia University. She quit a year later to be with her parents, who had reunited in California.
Early Career
At a Long Beach air show in 1920, Amelia Earhart took a plane ride that transformed her life. It was only 10 minutes, but when she landed she knew she had to learn to fly. Working at a variety of jobs, from photographer to truck driver, she earned enough money to take flying lessons from pioneer female aviator Anita "Neta" Snook.
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