Annie Oakley

Annie Oakley, born Phoebe Ann Mosey in rural Ohio, turned a childhood of poverty and a talent for hunting into an international legend. As a teenager, she won a shooting match against vaudeville marksman Frank Butler, who later became her husband and manager. Together, they joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, where Oakley, under the spotlight, became 'Little Sure Shot'. Night after night, she performed impossible feats: slicing playing cards edge-on, snuffing candles, and hitting distant targets while riding a galloping horse. In an era of rigid gender roles, Oakley presented a new ideal—feminine, modestly dressed, yet utterly in command of a dangerous skill. She was a global celebrity, performing for queens and presidents, and used her fame to advocate for women learning to shoot and for the service of women in the military, crafting an enduring image of American self-reliance.