Amelia Earhart

After the Friendship flight, Earhart was flooded with invitations to speak to different groups. Because she had lived outside of Chicago for several years, many invitations came from that area. In mid-July she traveled to Chicago, where she was greeted by the mayor and a huge crowd of admirers. Among the highlights of her visit was a trip to the high school from which she had graduated in 1915. This photograph shows her with students at Hyde Park High School. During this same time, Earhart had also teamed with publicist George Putnam to write an account of her transatlantic trip, 20 Hrs., 40 Min. Drafted in a mere six weeks, this book and Earhart’s subsequent national lecture tour made her the public face not only for women in aviation but also for the changing role of women in American society.