Amelia Earhart: courageous and adventurous

Amelia Earhart has been a positive role model for women since the 1930's. The Library has twenty-three books, both adult and children's, on her life and mysterious death in 1937. The movie, "Amelia", in theatres now, is a biography of aviation pioneer, Amelia Earhart and her fateful 1937 attempt to fly around the world. Hilary Swank, Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor star in this film.

There are many reasons for continuous interest in the life story of this courageous, adventurous, charismatic, talented, articulate, gracious and glamourous woman. Her fascination with aviation began in Topeka Kansas as a young girl. She was six years old when Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first sustained flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. Amelia was seventeen when her father took her to a Winter Air Tournament near Los Angeles. Her father arranged her first flight during which she knew she "had to fly." Lessons began soon thereafter.

She is most famous for her decision to fly around the world at its waistline. "Here was shining adventure," she said. Her route of 27,000 miles would be the longest world flight ever attempted. Fred Noonan, a respected and experienced navagator joined Amelia on the projected circling of the globe. On June l, 1937, after a first aborted attempt, Amelia Earhart began her second attempt to circumvent the world. The Navy and Coast Guard thought they were prepared to offer every aid near tiny Howland Island where their plane was scheduled to refuel. Amelia's last radioed message to the Navy ship, Itasca, "We are on the line of position 157-337...we are running north and south." Then there was silence. They had never been close.

A popular song in 1937 after Amelia Earhart's last flight ends:
"Happy landings to you Amelia Earhart.
Farewell first lady of the air."

JG