Amelia Earhart’s Legacy

Many men and woman throughout history have exhibited the qualities of service, where they have used their ideas, passions, and actions towards a higher cause to ultimately change the direction of the world. Biographies have been written to tell the story of these historical figures, and to share their legacy and passions with the purpose of inspiring others. It is now my purpose to share the legacy of one historical figure who has inspired many and has created a path for others to follow. This task of this biography is to share the life story of the women’s advocate and aviatrix, Amelia Earhart, with the purpose of sharing her inspiring story of service with others, and to spread her passion of woman’s advocacy and empowerment. Her service is important because it has impacted all women, by giving them a leader to look towards as she has broken the boundaries faced by woman of her time. (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.” )

Amelia Earhart was born in 1897, growing up in the midst of the women’s suffrage movement, between 1848 and 1920. She grew up in an unconventional time, a time when women had to fight for their rights to be treated equal as men and had to earn the right to vote (Infoplease). At this time, women were known to peruse careers out of society’s comfort zone, they began to justify the norms that were placed upon them, such as housewife, or stay at home mom. Woman pushed for a positive outlook, they wanted a title that represented them as strong and powerful, as women should be seen as. This positive women’s attitude got placed upon Amelia at an early age. She lived beyond the normal standards woman were supposed to follow. She liked to act in a tomboyish manner, and her mother never forced her to conform to the girlish standards she was supposed to succumb too. She even wore bloomers under her dress to school at a time when they were not completely accepted, so she could have more freedom of movement to allow her to be more active, play outdoors and climb trees (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”). From there on, Amelia continued to have a huge ambition to do the unthinkable for a woman, she wanted to go above and beyond the standards not only for herself, but for all the women in her time period. The time period she grew up in shaped her into the woman she became, because when her social standard held her back, she pushed past it and began an incredible life journey as a one of the first female aviators and was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, and the first person to ever cross the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to California on a solo mission (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”).

Her beginning as an aviatrix started in her mid-twenties when her father took her to an air show in California. After experiencing her first flight in a plane, Amelia knew what her future held. In her own words Amelia expressed her feelings of being in the air: “By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground, I knew I had to fly”- Amelia Earhart. Her inspiration towards flying is what started her career. She held multiple jobs so she could earn enough money to purchase flying lessons and her first aircraft a Kinner Airster biplane (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”). Her flying instructor was in fact a women, Neta Snook who chaperoned Amelia on over fifteen hours of flight time until Amelia finally took her first solo flight (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). She faced many difficulties while learning how to fly a plane, as it did not come easy to her. Often facing mishaps when she tried to land the plane, Amelia admitted that her first solo plane landing was “exceptionally poor” (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). After worked time and time again to achieve her goal, and looked towards only herself to do it. She did not want to rely on anyone else to help her achieve her dream (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). Amelia loved the thought of becoming a pilot and flying, but she had not considered it to be her actual career until after she received an offer to do her first major flight achievement. She was asked to be the first women to fly transatlantic, over the Atlantic ocean (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). Amelia accepted the offer, and sustained the role of the log keeper on the flight, and took advantage of the opportunity even after finding out she would not receive any compensation for her efforts unlike the men who flew with her (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”).

Her life began to change once she arrived back from her journey across the Atlantic. She became seemingly famous overnight when she returned home to crowds of cheering fans. In the moment, she became the first women to fly across the Atlantic Ocean, and she made a mark on history (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”). From that point forward she continued to use her new-found fame to benefit and serve women across the world. Her flights inspired the women around her, they began to purchase the books she had written about her journeys, and the clothing brand Amelia designed that had a “stylish, sleek and comfortable” look, that was aimed towards woman who were looking for a more mobile choice of apparel (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”). She continually lifted the barriers that held women back in her time, and aimed her focus not only on the role model position she played for female aviators, but as a role model for all women (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). Many places began to offer her job opportunities that focused on women’s advocacy, so she could become a larger spokesperson towards the issue. Cosmopolitan Magazine offered her a job as an Associate Editor, so she could voice her opinion on women’s rights, and her position as a largely successful female aviator. Her opportunities did not stop there as she was offered a position at Purdue University to become a Female Career Counselor, where her main focus would he to inspire young women to push far beyond there expectations for themselves, and to never settle for anything less then what they could achieve (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy.”). She specifically wanted women to follow in her footsteps, to continue them march towards women’s success in “male” careers. Her achievements were not only personal, but renowned by all women. She became admired by both men and women, as she continued to break down gender barriers (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”).

Following her time supporting women’s advocacy, Amelia continued to widen her achievements as a female aviatrix. She began to set altitude and speed records as a woman, and started to pursue solo flights. Her achievements include, in 1932, she became the first women to fly across the Atlantic Ocean on a solo mission, and the first person to cross the Atlantic twice. She was also the first person to ever fly from Hawaii to California in 1935, and the first person to solo from Los Angeles to Mexico City, also in 1935 (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). Even with all those accomplishments she had made as a largely successful female aviatrix, she still strived for more. In May 1937, Amelia and her co-pilot Fred Noonan, set off on an expedition to become the first pilots ever to fly around the world. (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy”) . They began their journey from Oakland California, traveled across the United States, then the Caribbean, and finally landed in Brazil. The second part of the flight they traveled to West Africa, flew over India and Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, then finally New Guinea. From there, their next stop was Howland Island, but while they were communicating with The United States Coast Guard, Amelia and Fred Noonan never received the directions to land due to failed radio transmissions. Unfortunately, they never landed on the island. It was speculated that the plane ran out of fuel when they were unable to find the island to land (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy”). Amelia and her co-pilot were announced dead in 1939, two years after they set off on the expedition. Many theories have developed since their disappearance, and to this day sufficient evidence of their crash has still not been found (“Amelia Earhart’s Life and Lasting Legacy”).

The tragic death of an inspirational women has continued to break the hearts of many. In her short life time, Amelia achieved more than what was thought possible of women. She broke gender limitations and served all women with the integrity for them to achieve women’s equality. It was in her passion to become a leader for all women, and to make sure all women had the opportunity to achieve everything they wanted to in their lifetime, and to not settle for anything less. She had exhibited in the quality of service of in more ways than one, by diminishing the standard that was held against women, encouraging more women to pursue a career in flight, creating a clothing brand, becoming spokesperson for women’s advocacy, and becoming a brave inspirational aviatrix (“Amelia Earhart: The Flying Feminist.”). Amelia Earhart has inspired many, and has shared her passions to unlimitedly change the world.

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