Amelia Mary Earhart (1897–1937?) was an American aviator, writer, and advocate whose courage and trailblazing achievements made her a global icon. 

Born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, she was raised in a family that encouraged curiosity and independence. From an early age, Earhart defied traditional gender roles, climbing trees, collecting insects, and showing a fascination for adventure. 

Her first encounter with aviation came in 1920, when a brief airplane ride ignited a lifelong passion for flying. Just three years later, she became one of the first women in the United States to earn a pilot’s license. 

Determined to prove that women could excel in aviation, she set numerous records, including in 1932 when she became the first woman—and only the second person after Charles Lindbergh—to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean. 

She went on to establish new speed and distance records, publish books about her experiences, and champion opportunities for women in aviation and beyond. In 1937, Earhart set out with navigator Fred Noonan on her most ambitious journey yet: a flight around the world along the equatorial route. 

After covering more than 22,000 miles, their plane vanished on July 2 near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean. 

Despite massive search efforts by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, no trace of the plane or its crew was ever found. Her disappearance remains one of history’s greatest unsolved mysteries.