Amelia Earhart, (born July 24, 1897, Atchison, Kansas, U.S.—disappeared July 2, 1937, near Howland Island, central Pacific Ocean), American aviator, one of the world’s most celebrated, who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Her disappearance during a flight around the world in 1937 became an enduring mystery, fueling much speculation.