How did Time Magazine Person of the Year begin?

It actually began in 1927 as the "Man of the Year"-- most news-makers back then were men, since women's roles were very restricted. Time's editors wanted to select the man who had been the biggest influence on the news, or the most important news-maker, for that year. The first Man of the Year was aviator Charles Lindbergh. Gradually, as times changed and so did women's roles, Time adapted accordingly and these days, it's the Person of the Year, a title change that occurred in 1999.