Amelia Earhart was born in 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. She spent her early years splitting time between her parents’ and grandparents’ homes. Even as a child, Earhart stood out for her curiosity, independence, and desire to do things that girls were not expected to do. When her family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, Earhart encountered the first of many disruptions caused by her father’s alcoholism. These unstable years forced Earhart, her mother, and her sister to move frequently. They eventually landed in Chicago after Earhart’s parents separated. In high school, Earhart stood out as a loner who spent most of her time reading alone in the library, developing a lifelong interest in adventure stories and women who defied expectations.

After high school, Earhart briefly attended Ogontz School, a prestigious school in Pennsylvania. Although Ogontz prepared most girls for marriage, Earhart’s interest in science, politics, and adventure set her apart. Her time at Ogontz was cut short when she visited her sister in Toronto, Canada, during World War I; she was so moved by the sight of wounded soldiers that she left school to become a volunteer nurse’s aide. It was during this period, while watching military planes fly overhead, that Earhart first became fascinated with flight. After the war, she briefly enrolled at Columbia University to study pre-medicine. Restless and unsure about her future, she left school again to join her parents in California. It was there, in 1920, that Earhart took her first ride in an airplane.

Determined to fly herself, Earhart took odd jobs to pay for lessons. Within a year, she had purchased her own plane and set her first altitude record for women, climbing to 14,000 feet. However, her aviation dreams were repeatedly interrupted by family obligations and financial struggles. After her parents’ divorce, she sold her plane and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, with her mother. She worked at Denison House, a social service organization, where she taught immigrant girls sports and English. Though flying was on hold, she joined the local chapter of the National Aeronautic Association.

Earhart became famous in 1928 when she became the first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean by air. After the flight, she immediately capitalized on her fame to fund her aviation career. She published a book, gave lectures across the United States, and signed endorsement deals. These activities allowed her to stay financially independent and continue flying. During this period, she also became aviation editor for Cosmopolitan, where she wrote articles encouraging the development of commercial air travel and promoting women’s participation in aviation.

In 1932, Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Afterward, she continued setting records; she became the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California in 1935 and completed a flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City and then from Mexico City to New York later that year. During this time, she also accepted a position at Purdue University, where she served as a career counselor for female students and as a technical advisor in the aeronautics department. 

In 1937, Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, attempted to fly around the world along the equator. After mechanical problems caused a delay, they restarted in Miami, Florida, successfully crossing South America, Africa, and Asia. On July 2, 1937, they departed New Guinea for Howland Island, but they lost radio contact while approaching their destination. No trace of Earhart, Noonan, or the plane was found.

George Putnam was a successful publisher and publicist who played a central role in shaping Earhart’s career and public image. Before meeting Earhart, Putnam had already built a reputation for working with explorers and adventurers, including Charles Lindbergh. After Earhart was chosen to be the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air in 1928, Putnam was tasked with handling the publicity for the flight. From the moment Earhart returned from that trip, he worked to turn her into a national celebrity, arranging press events, interviews, and public appearances that introduced Earhart to the world.

Putnam understood that public attention could open doors for future opportunities and helped Earhart publish her first book, 20 Hrs. 40 Min., about the transatlantic flight. He also arranged a series of speaking engagements and product endorsements, from clothing to luggage. Through this work, Putnam secured Earhart’s financial independence, allowing her to fund her flying career.

At the time, Putnam was married to his first wife, Dorothy Binney. However, as Putnam and Earhart’s working relationship deepened, the two grew closer, and he began pursuing Earhart romantically. His marriage to Binney ended in 1929, and after years of persistence, Putnam married Earhart in 1931. Throughout their marriage, Putnam continued to manage Earhart’s career, helping to plan her record-setting flights and maintain her public profile.

Putnam was also involved in organizing and supporting Earhart’s attempt to fly around the world. After her disappearance, he led efforts to search for her and lobbied the US government to expand its rescue operations. Even after Earhart was declared legally dead in 1939, Putnam continued to protect and promote her legacy, publishing her writings and maintaining her public image.

Edwin Earhart was Amelia Earhart’s father. He worked as a lawyer and later as a claims agent for the Rock Island Railroad, a position that allowed the family to live comfortably at first. His job required frequent travel; during Earhart’s earliest years, he was often away. Despite this, Edwin played an important role in encouraging Earhart’s curiosity and sense of adventure. He bought her and her sister toys typically meant for boys, took them fishing, and allowed them to stay up late to watch eclipses. In 1920, it was Edwin who took Earhart to her first air show in Long Beach, California. When Earhart expressed interest in flying, Edwin arranged for her first ride in an airplane, a 10-minute flight over Los Angeles.

Edwin’s career and personal life began to unravel due to alcoholism. When the family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, for his railroad job, he started drinking heavily. His drinking worsened over the years, and by the time Earhart was a teenager, his behavior had become an embarrassment to the family. Instability strained the family financially and emotionally, especially after Edwin lost his job for mishandling claims while intoxicated. The family’s financial collapse forced multiple moves—from Des Moines to St. Paul, Minnesota, and then to Chicago, Illinois. Edwin and his wife, Amy, ultimately separated.

In 1935, Purdue University hired Earhart to serve in two roles: as a career counselor for female students and as a technical advisor for Purdue’s Department of Aeronautics. Purdue’s president, Edward Elliott, was eager to inspire young women to pursue careers beyond the traditional expectations of the time, and Earhart’s fame and career made her an ideal role model. In her advisory position, Earhart encouraged female students to think boldly about their futures. She also advised Purdue on its growing aviation program.

The university became a financial backer of her most ambitious project: her planned flight around the world along the equator. Purdue’s Research Foundation helped fund the purchase of her plane, the Lockheed Electra 10E. In addition to funding the plane itself, Purdue provided technical resources and engineering advice to support the complex planning that such a journey required.

Fred Noonan was a highly experienced navigator. He joined Earhart as a navigator for her 1937 attempt to fly around the world. Before meeting Earhart, Noonan had built a strong reputation in aviation circles. He had worked for Pan American Airways, where he helped plot the first transpacific air routes, establishing flight paths across the vast Pacific Ocean. By the time Earhart hired him, Noonan had recently resigned from Pan American under unclear circumstances. However, Earhart believed that his expertise outweighed the risk.

Noonan’s role on the flight was to help guide the plane using a combination of charts, compasses, and the stars. His skills were considered especially valuable during the long ocean stretches, where visual landmarks were scarce and radio signals were unreliable. Though Earhart was an experienced pilot, navigation—particularly over oceans—was not her forte, and she depended heavily on Noonan to handle this responsibility. The two began the flight from Miami in June 1937, and over the next month, they successfully flew across South America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, with Noonan calculating their positions at every stage.