What Was The Significance Of Amelia Earhart

The Significance of Amelia Earhart It’s easy to say that in the early to mid 20th century, it was a man’s world. The career field was dominated by powerful and famous men, until one woman stepped into the scene. Amelia Mary Earhart was a female aviator that forever changed the world’s view on women in the working world. Born on July 24, 1897 in Atcheson, Kansas, Amelia grew up with a supportive family and a lifelong desire of adventure. Her family moved to Chicago, and she graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1915. And from then on, began her road to fame. Earhart was one of the most influential women of the 20th century because she was set records in women’s aviation, broke the gender barrier to open up careers for women, and was a lifelong
She took her first plane ride in 1920, and said, “As soon as we left the ground, I knew I had to fly.” She bought her first plane, and so began her flying career. There are so many records Earhart has set, beaten, and beaten again, that it would be impractical to name them all. Although a basic timeline is important to establish. In 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, and set the record for the fastest non-stop transcontinental flight. In 1935, she became the first person to fly solo across the Pacific from Hawaii to California, the first person to fly solo from L.A to Mexico, and broke the speed record from Los Angeles, California, to Newark, New Jersey. One of her last major accomplishments before her tragic death was setting the speed record for east-west crossing from Oakland to Honolulu in 1937. With these feats, she began to open up the eyes of the world, and showed women everywhere that they were just as capable in the career field as men. For these inspirational accomplishments, she won several awards and honors. Including, but not limited to, The Distinguished Flying Cross award, Cross of the Knight of the Legion of Honor (from the French government), the Gold Medal of the National Geographic Society, and the Harmon Trophy as America’s Outstanding Airwoman (won,
She inspired millions of women around the globe, and became a motivational speaker. She encouraged women to pursue their dream jobs, regardless of what gender had typically held that position. Purdue University even hired her as Counselor in Careers for Women. Earhart undeniably shattered the gender barrier not only in aviation, but everyday life. Many women, even today, consider her a role model. She set unbelievable records in not only women’s aviation, but records in the entire history of flying. She showed the world that women could accomplish feats just as impressive as men. While her husband described her as not “offensively feministic”,(quote, George P. Putnam) she was a significant advocate for women’s rights. She believed that every person, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or age, should get an equal opportunity. She famously said. “Never do things others can do and will do, if there are things others cannot do or will not do.” , encouraging women to go out and do something that had never been done