A rambunctious Kansas girl took to the sky and soared above the rest. Her story has become legend due to its sad, mysterious ending. Amelia Earhart should be remembered as a true pioneer - showing the world that flying would become a common way to travel. Along the way she challenged gender roles, encouraged women to challenge themselves, and became a style icon. Amelia Earhart will never be forgotten. Born July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas, Amelia Mary Earhart was raised to never be a girly girl. Her mother, also Amelia, encouraged Earhart and her sister Grace to wear bloomers instead of dresses. The sisters loved the outdoors and trouped around Atchison with a gang of kids getting dirty climbing trees. Amelia's father, an alcoholic, had trouble holding down a job. He moved the family to Des Moines, Iowa. It was there in 1907 Amelia saw an airplane for the first time. She was, however, too afraid to fly. Amelia graduated high school in 1916. She trained as a nurse's aide for...
What do you do if you are a recognized beauty afraid of losing your looks? You fill your face with paraffin wax that settles an odd lumps towards your chin. Such was the situation for Gladys Deacon, a noted Gilded Age beauty who modeled for Pond's Soap and had her portrait painted by Boldini . Gladys Deacon faced a rocky childhood, life as a Gilded Age socialite and a terrible marriage to the man of her dreams. Gladys Deacon's story is most definitely one of the most unusual socialite stories ever. Gladys was born in Paris February 7 1881. Gladys was one of three sisters and the family lived the European life of wealthy expatriated Americans. In 1892 Gladys's mother went away for a week tryst with a lover. Gladys's father followed them, burst into their room, and shot his wife's lover. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Gladys was sent to a convent school but her mother kidnapped her so Gladys his father could not claim her upon his release. After his releas...
We of the 21st century have our fair share of divas - J Lo, Mariah, Ariana, but Gilded Age operetta start Lillian Russell paved the way for all divas to come. She drew enormous crowds in New York and London and lived a lavish lifestyle with a paramour for 20 years. Raised by a suffragist mother and a newspaper man father she wrote a column in support of women's suffrage. She originated many roles in popular operettas of the day. Called "the most beautiful actress on legitimate stage," Lillian Russell was a star before there was recorded music, radio, or Hollywood. Lillian Russell was born Helen Louise Leonard on December 4th either in 1860 or 1861, the fourth of five daughters. Her father Charles Leonard, managed a newspaper in Clinton, Iowa, and her mother Cynthia Leonard worked to promote women's suffrage ; eventually she would become the first woman to run for mayor of New York City. The family moved to Chicago in 1865. Helen, called Nellie, acted in school theat...
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