Annie Oakley

Phoebe Ann Mosey (August 13, 1860 – November 3, 1926), known professionally as Annie Oakley, was an American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter who became a cultural icon of the American frontier. Born in rural Ohio to a Quaker family, she learned to shoot at a young age out of necessity to help feed her impoverished family. Her exceptional marksmanship caught the attention of Wild West show promoter Buffalo Bill Cody, and she joined his traveling Wild West exhibition in 1885, where she performed daring feats of accuracy for audiences across America and Europe. Oakley became the first American female superstar, earning equal pay to male performers and captivating audiences with her ability to shoot playing cards in half, extinguish candles from a distance, and hit targets while riding horseback. Beyond her show business career, she was a progressive advocate for women's rights and independence, using her fame to encourage women to learn shooting and self-defense. Her legacy transcended entertainment, making her a symbol of American frontier spirit and female empowerment in an era when such visibility was extraordinary.