Qualities Of Amelia Earhart
Thanks to the efforts of twentieth century pilots, the world of aviation has become a place where all are equal. Most of the Earth has been explored and charted by these flyers, some of which were women. People like Harriet Quimby, for instance, broke “gender barriers” when she was the first woman to earn a pilot’s license and helped ease America into the idea of having female pilots (“The First Women”). Bessie Coleman was the first African American to gain a pilot’s license, and her stunt flying proved to men what women were fully capable of (“The First Women”). All of these women served as inspiration to Amelia Earhart, whose daring stunts brought publicity and record-breaking achievements smashed any barriers in her way. She was clever
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enough to use her popularity to speak on behalf of women everywhere who wanted the same rights as men when it came to flight (Fleming). Amelia Earhart should be an international treasure because of her fierce efforts to make aviation a place where men and women are equal.
Ever since childhood, Earhart had been an unusual girl; the way that she did what she wanted to do would help her to be a leader in the future. Her father always encouraged her not to worry about traditional expectations and to play freely. She loved baseball and basketball, and instead of the traditional dresses and skirts that young girls wore during her childhood, Earhart chose to wear homemade bloomers that allowed for better playing (Stone). When she wasn’t playing outdoors, Earhart was reading and learning at a much faster pace than her peers. She was a voracious reader, and devoured real literature from authors like Charles Dickens. She often wondered “why the girls in the books were not allowed to have the exciting adventures that boys did” (Fleming). Her school teacher described her as “brilliant, but she listens to another drummer” (Fleming). She wasn’t worried about traditional conventions and she detested children’s books because they were “boring”. From a young age Earhart could already be seen taking charge of her own life, without a care for society’s traditions.
Earhart’s rough family life contributed to her attitude of independence, an attribute necessary for someone who wishes to break barriers.
Her loving, encouraging father soon turned to drinking when he lost his job. He “brooded and raged” around the house and was generally unpleasant to be around (Fleming). His easy-going, supportive nature disappeared and the children were often scared of him when he was “sick” (Fleming). The family was left scrounging for pennies to pay the bills (Fleming). Earhart took charge of the family finances, one of her first leadership roles. She learned “a lesson in making do with cheerfulness” because of the lack of money. She was an excellent saver and walked everywhere to save the bus fare, no matter the weather (Fleming). After she left for college, Earhart saw her family sparingly, and her father even less; she became an independent woman very early in her life. These important life lessons will be crucial when she begins her efforts to make change in the world of …show more content…
aviation. Amelia’s determination to prove a woman’s worth in aviation allowed for her to win many competitions and awards throughout her career. At a time when planes were still very dangerous to fly, most pilots did not fly alone. Amelia Earhart made her first solo flight in 1922, only two years after she flew a plane for the first time ("Amelia Earhart" American Decades). She set a new altitude record on that same flight, soaring 14,000 feet into the air. She flew all across the country on her own, competing in air shows and setting records along the way. She came in 3rd in the Women’s Air Derby in 1929 (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades). Amelia was the first to succeed in many aviation adventures; she was a trailblazer in the sky. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger in 1928 ("Amelia Earhart" American Decades). Later, she decided that she would fly the route herself, because she wanted to “earn the fame” that she acquired from being a passenger (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades). She consecutively broke speed records, and was the first woman to ever hold a record in aviation (Haugen). She raced in the first ever cross-country race for women, where she garnered significant publicity for the event. Men were forced to see for themselves the capability of women in aviation. Crowds gathered to watch the spectacle. Women in this race worked together, and even waited for Earhart when her plane broke down. This attitude is what shaped Earhart’s organization, the “Ninety Nines”. The goal of the association was to “provide a close relationship among women pilots and to unite them in any movement that may be for their benefit or for that of aviation in general” (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades”). Whenever she was mentioned in the newspaper, the word “first” could often be found nearby. She was a trailblazer in her field and caught the world’s attention.
Over the years, Amelia became an international celebrity, who not only accomplished the impossible in the air, but fought for the rights of women on the ground.
She went across the country winning speaking engagements about aviation and the rights of women (Haugen). She believed that women should be treated equally, and because of her hard work, she won Outstanding Woman of the Year in 1932 from the Philadelphia Enquirer. She personally delivered a petition for an equal rights amendment to the US Constitution to President Hoover (Haugen). She used her fame to advocate for the furtherment of women’s rights, and she was completely dedicated to the cause. She believed that “publicity was necessary in order to advance the field” of aviatrixes. Because she believed the press would help carry her message worldwide, she took a job at Cosmopolitan Magazine writing articles about aviation, encouraging women to pursue careers in flight. Many companies wanted her, but after she left Cosmopolitan, she ended up choosing the role of assistant manager at Transcontinental Air Transport, where she had the special responsibility of “attracting women passengers onto the airlines” (Stone). Earhart knew exactly what needed to be done to draw attention to the problems she wanted to fix: publicize
them.
Though there were many difficulties and obstacles, Amelia Earhart set the pace for all women to follow in her footsteps. Many men thought that flying was “unfeminine” and that women were incapable of the intelligence needed to operate a plane. Others were worried that they might be outdone by a woman ("The First Women"). Some even thought that women needed to be protected from themselves so that they wouldn’t get hurt ("The First Women"). In her own words, “more than ever did I then realize how essentially this was a feminine expedition, originated and financed by a woman, whose wish was to emphasize what her sex stood ready to do” (Stone). Amelia saw the potential of aviation as a place where men and women could be equal, and she succeeded in becoming “one of its greatest pioneers” (Stone). Because of Amelia Earhart, more and more women began to pursue careers in aviation; this led to major improvements in women’s rights. Women were allowed to join the military and fly in support of the Allies in WWII ("The First Women").
Amelia Earhart was a role model for young men and women everywhere. She inspired young people to reach for their dreams (Haugen). She didn’t conform to traditional roles for women in society during her time (Stone). “At a time when women felt limited to the roles of wife and mother, she encouraged them to challenge themselves and seize their dreams” (Fleming). She was a brave girl in a “man’s world” (Fleming). Compared to Charles Lindbergh--the traditional, handsome male aviator who was also breaking records at the time--she was just as good. Soon she earned the nickname “Lady Lindy”, and was acknowledged in the world of flight as one of its foremost pilots, woman or not.
Unfortunately, her most well known flight is the one that resulted in her death. On May 21, 1937, Earhart left to accomplish her most ambitious journey yet; she wanted to fly around the world. Six weeks into her journey, her plane was lost (Fleming). When Amelia disappeared, she became a legend; her achievements would be memorialized forever. Her mysterious crash made headlines for weeks afterward, and there were many theories as to what exactly happened. The search for her plane was the largest rescue attempt for a single lost plane (Haugen). The National Women’s Party established a fund in her honor (Stone). Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships are still given out today (Stone). Students across the world have Amelia Earhart to thank for being given the chance to have an education because of the scholarships that her family’s organization sets up. Because of the impact of her mysterious demise, her accomplishments have been memorialized and inspire other great male and female pilots every day.
While the entire world mourned the loss of the world’s most famous female pilot, no one could deny the impact she left on the world. Women were now more free than ever before to pursue more “masculine” occupations, such as piloting and joining the air force. She was at the forefront of women’s rights and brought more awareness to the cause than there had ever been before. Even Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt admired how brave she was. Her true brave heartedness, perseverance, and intelligence are the perfect makings for a role model to last through the decades. As she herself once said, “my ambition is to have this wonderful gift produce practical results for the future of commercial flying and for the women who may want to fly tomorrow’s planes” (“A Shot”). With the help of other female pioneers and an iron will, Amelia Earhart created a new future for women in America.
enough to use her popularity to speak on behalf of women everywhere who wanted the same rights as men when it came to flight (Fleming). Amelia Earhart should be an international treasure because of her fierce efforts to make aviation a place where men and women are equal.
Ever since childhood, Earhart had been an unusual girl; the way that she did what she wanted to do would help her to be a leader in the future. Her father always encouraged her not to worry about traditional expectations and to play freely. She loved baseball and basketball, and instead of the traditional dresses and skirts that young girls wore during her childhood, Earhart chose to wear homemade bloomers that allowed for better playing (Stone). When she wasn’t playing outdoors, Earhart was reading and learning at a much faster pace than her peers. She was a voracious reader, and devoured real literature from authors like Charles Dickens. She often wondered “why the girls in the books were not allowed to have the exciting adventures that boys did” (Fleming). Her school teacher described her as “brilliant, but she listens to another drummer” (Fleming). She wasn’t worried about traditional conventions and she detested children’s books because they were “boring”. From a young age Earhart could already be seen taking charge of her own life, without a care for society’s traditions.
Earhart’s rough family life contributed to her attitude of independence, an attribute necessary for someone who wishes to break barriers.
Her loving, encouraging father soon turned to drinking when he lost his job. He “brooded and raged” around the house and was generally unpleasant to be around (Fleming). His easy-going, supportive nature disappeared and the children were often scared of him when he was “sick” (Fleming). The family was left scrounging for pennies to pay the bills (Fleming). Earhart took charge of the family finances, one of her first leadership roles. She learned “a lesson in making do with cheerfulness” because of the lack of money. She was an excellent saver and walked everywhere to save the bus fare, no matter the weather (Fleming). After she left for college, Earhart saw her family sparingly, and her father even less; she became an independent woman very early in her life. These important life lessons will be crucial when she begins her efforts to make change in the world of …show more content…
aviation. Amelia’s determination to prove a woman’s worth in aviation allowed for her to win many competitions and awards throughout her career. At a time when planes were still very dangerous to fly, most pilots did not fly alone. Amelia Earhart made her first solo flight in 1922, only two years after she flew a plane for the first time ("Amelia Earhart" American Decades). She set a new altitude record on that same flight, soaring 14,000 feet into the air. She flew all across the country on her own, competing in air shows and setting records along the way. She came in 3rd in the Women’s Air Derby in 1929 (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades). Amelia was the first to succeed in many aviation adventures; she was a trailblazer in the sky. She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger in 1928 ("Amelia Earhart" American Decades). Later, she decided that she would fly the route herself, because she wanted to “earn the fame” that she acquired from being a passenger (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades). She consecutively broke speed records, and was the first woman to ever hold a record in aviation (Haugen). She raced in the first ever cross-country race for women, where she garnered significant publicity for the event. Men were forced to see for themselves the capability of women in aviation. Crowds gathered to watch the spectacle. Women in this race worked together, and even waited for Earhart when her plane broke down. This attitude is what shaped Earhart’s organization, the “Ninety Nines”. The goal of the association was to “provide a close relationship among women pilots and to unite them in any movement that may be for their benefit or for that of aviation in general” (“Amelia Earhart” American Decades”). Whenever she was mentioned in the newspaper, the word “first” could often be found nearby. She was a trailblazer in her field and caught the world’s attention.
Over the years, Amelia became an international celebrity, who not only accomplished the impossible in the air, but fought for the rights of women on the ground.
She went across the country winning speaking engagements about aviation and the rights of women (Haugen). She believed that women should be treated equally, and because of her hard work, she won Outstanding Woman of the Year in 1932 from the Philadelphia Enquirer. She personally delivered a petition for an equal rights amendment to the US Constitution to President Hoover (Haugen). She used her fame to advocate for the furtherment of women’s rights, and she was completely dedicated to the cause. She believed that “publicity was necessary in order to advance the field” of aviatrixes. Because she believed the press would help carry her message worldwide, she took a job at Cosmopolitan Magazine writing articles about aviation, encouraging women to pursue careers in flight. Many companies wanted her, but after she left Cosmopolitan, she ended up choosing the role of assistant manager at Transcontinental Air Transport, where she had the special responsibility of “attracting women passengers onto the airlines” (Stone). Earhart knew exactly what needed to be done to draw attention to the problems she wanted to fix: publicize
them.
Though there were many difficulties and obstacles, Amelia Earhart set the pace for all women to follow in her footsteps. Many men thought that flying was “unfeminine” and that women were incapable of the intelligence needed to operate a plane. Others were worried that they might be outdone by a woman ("The First Women"). Some even thought that women needed to be protected from themselves so that they wouldn’t get hurt ("The First Women"). In her own words, “more than ever did I then realize how essentially this was a feminine expedition, originated and financed by a woman, whose wish was to emphasize what her sex stood ready to do” (Stone). Amelia saw the potential of aviation as a place where men and women could be equal, and she succeeded in becoming “one of its greatest pioneers” (Stone). Because of Amelia Earhart, more and more women began to pursue careers in aviation; this led to major improvements in women’s rights. Women were allowed to join the military and fly in support of the Allies in WWII ("The First Women").
Amelia Earhart was a role model for young men and women everywhere. She inspired young people to reach for their dreams (Haugen). She didn’t conform to traditional roles for women in society during her time (Stone). “At a time when women felt limited to the roles of wife and mother, she encouraged them to challenge themselves and seize their dreams” (Fleming). She was a brave girl in a “man’s world” (Fleming). Compared to Charles Lindbergh--the traditional, handsome male aviator who was also breaking records at the time--she was just as good. Soon she earned the nickname “Lady Lindy”, and was acknowledged in the world of flight as one of its foremost pilots, woman or not.
Unfortunately, her most well known flight is the one that resulted in her death. On May 21, 1937, Earhart left to accomplish her most ambitious journey yet; she wanted to fly around the world. Six weeks into her journey, her plane was lost (Fleming). When Amelia disappeared, she became a legend; her achievements would be memorialized forever. Her mysterious crash made headlines for weeks afterward, and there were many theories as to what exactly happened. The search for her plane was the largest rescue attempt for a single lost plane (Haugen). The National Women’s Party established a fund in her honor (Stone). Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships are still given out today (Stone). Students across the world have Amelia Earhart to thank for being given the chance to have an education because of the scholarships that her family’s organization sets up. Because of the impact of her mysterious demise, her accomplishments have been memorialized and inspire other great male and female pilots every day.
While the entire world mourned the loss of the world’s most famous female pilot, no one could deny the impact she left on the world. Women were now more free than ever before to pursue more “masculine” occupations, such as piloting and joining the air force. She was at the forefront of women’s rights and brought more awareness to the cause than there had ever been before. Even Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt admired how brave she was. Her true brave heartedness, perseverance, and intelligence are the perfect makings for a role model to last through the decades. As she herself once said, “my ambition is to have this wonderful gift produce practical results for the future of commercial flying and for the women who may want to fly tomorrow’s planes” (“A Shot”). With the help of other female pioneers and an iron will, Amelia Earhart created a new future for women in America.