You probably know about Amelia Earhart’s legacy as a groundbreaking aviator. But did you know she also blazed a trail for women at the Indianapolis 500? Earhart served as honorary referee at the 1935 #Indy500, making her the first woman to hold an official position in the iconic auto race. That same year, Earhart started a three-year tenure at #Purdue as an advisor in aeronautics and counselor in the study of careers for women. Earhart’s invitation to serve as referee came directly from Eddie Rickenbacker, the decorated World War I flying ace who purchased IndianapolisMotorSpeedway in 1927. The Indianapolis News quoted Rickenbacker in a May 14, 1935, story announcing the appointment, with the speedway owner crediting Earhart for “fighting her way to a well-established position among the best flyers in the world” with solo flights across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and a nonstop flight from Mexico City to New York. As part of Earhart’s ceremonial role, she posed for photos in ...