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    History and Headlines
    You are at:Home»April»April 24»April 24, 1885: Annie Oakley Becomes First Female Superstar
    April 24

    April 24, 1885: Annie Oakley Becomes First Female Superstar

    Major DanBy Major DanApril 24, 2016Updated:March 14, 2020153 Comments4 Mins Read
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    A Brief History

    On April 24, 1885, Phoebe Ann Moses, better known as Annie Oakley, joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and was a star attraction for the next 16 years.

    Digging Deeper

    Annie was born in North Star, Ohio in 1860, a somehow appropriate location considering her future stardom.

    Born into poverty in a log cabin, Annie took to trapping and shooting by the age of 8 years.  Even at an early age her marksmanship skills became well known and her ability to kill game animals considerably assisted the family finances.  When a traveling shooting show came to town the professional marksman put up a $100 bet that he could out shoot any of the local shooters.  Annie, at 15 years old and at her maximum height of 5 feet even represented the locals and out shot the professional.  Oddly enough, Annie became that marksman’s wife, the two working together as exhibition shooters.

    By 1885 Annie’s fame was such that she joined Bill Cody’s western extravaganza and quickly became a crowd favorite.  Shooting a playing card in half (edgewise) at 30 yards was a considerable feat, but Annie not only did that but also shot the card a few times before the halves hit the ground.

    Wild West Show poster

    The great Native-American chief, Sitting Bull, was also part of the show and this wise old man considered Annie like a daughter, whom he called “Little Sure Shot.”  When the US appeared ready to go to war with Spain, Annie offered to raise a force of 50 female sharpshooters, but was turned down by the government.

    Injured severely in a train accident, several spinal surgeries ended Annie’s career with the Wild West Show, and she started acting in a play written just for her.  While performing her feats of marksmanship, Annie performed for the Queen of England, King of Italy, President of France, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, as well as other heads of state, royalty, and celebrities.  It is estimated that Annie taught about 15,000 women and girls how to shoot firearms.

    Annie Oakley shooting over her shoulder using a hand mirror.

    In a cracked turn of events, William Randolph Hearst incorrectly reported that Annie had been arrested while stealing to finance a cocaine addiction in 1904.  Apparently, a stripper used “Annie Oakley” as an alias and gave that false name when arrested.  Annie sued and won 54 of 55 libel suits related to this incident. It seems newspapers were no more fact conscious then than now!

    Retaining her shooting skills as she aged, even getting better with time, Annie also starred in a silent movie in 1922, but was injured along with her husband in a car wreck shortly afterwards.  Her health declined steadily after that and she died in her native Ohio in 1926. Annie had been quietly generous throughout her life, especially toward young girls and women, with her entire considerable earnings having gone to charities and her family.

    Oakley in 1922

    This wonderful lady is remembered by the slang term “Annie Oakley” meaning a free pass or ticket, which is usually punched with one or more holes similar to the playing cards she used to shoot.  Annie has been portrayed in numerous films, plays and books, and has been played by actresses such as Barbara Stanwyck, Ethel Merman, Geraldine Chaplin (Charlie’s daughter), Mary Martin, Reba McEntire, Betty Hutton, Marilu Henner, Bernadette Peters, and Cheryl Ladd.  If you are too young to know these names, be advised that they make an  impressive list of famous actresses indeed.  Rock bands Squeeze and The Geraghty’s both recorded songs about Annie.

    Gone but obviously not forgotten, Annie lives on in print and film, the first female superstar of American entertainment.  Question for students (and subscribers): What other women of the wild west comes to your mind when you think of those days?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Spinner, Stephanie and Who HQ. Who Was Annie Oakley? Penguin Workshop, 2002.

    Wills, Chuck. DK Biography: Annie Oakley. DK Children, 2007.

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    Major Dan
    Major Dan

      Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

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      <span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1851 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=1851">153 Comments

      1. Avatar
        KM on April 24, 2014 9:57 am

        Annie Oakley is the prominent female I usually think of when I think of the wild west but I did not know that much about her. This was an interesting post!

        Reply
      2. Avatar
        Carol on April 24, 2014 7:01 pm

        Very interesting.

        Reply
      3. Avatar
        Kristin Schlabach on April 24, 2014 11:19 pm

        This was a cool article!

        Reply
      4. Avatar
        Ashton on April 27, 2014 7:13 pm

        Love Annie! I went to see the play when I was little & I loved it!

        Reply
      5. Avatar
        Alycia Krosnick on May 5, 2014 10:20 pm

        This was a very interesting article. Never heard of Annie before.

        Reply
      6. Avatar
        Rhonda Donda on April 24, 2015 5:23 pm

        Very interesting! I have heard of Annie Oakley, I didn’t know about her life though.

        Reply
      7. Avatar
        Madeline Bowen on January 14, 2016 2:31 pm

        I found this very interesting! It surprises me that a girl at such a young age beat a professional shooter and that’s how she got her fame.

        Reply
      8. Avatar
        Emmaline K on January 19, 2016 7:01 pm

        What an amazing woman! She accomplished so much. The fact that she taught 15,000 women and girls to shoot is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself. This was a very interesting article, and I enjoyed learning about Oakley.

        Reply
      9. Avatar
        Amber Moore on January 20, 2016 3:16 pm

        As soon as I read the first paragraph, I thought of the rage about Katniss Everdeen, a character of the popular series and movies: The Hunger Games. She hunted for the good of her family and became very skilled with her weapon. There are many female characters in today’s movies that emulate Annie.

        Reply
      10. Avatar
        Danielle on January 24, 2016 5:06 pm

        I genuinely enjoy hearing of empowering women. She was a big source of her family’s finances. She taught so many women to shoot and clearly was a role model to many women in the U.S for her generosity, skillfulness, and courageousness.

        Reply
      11. Avatar
        NF on January 25, 2016 2:57 pm

        I was really surprised that her success began from her childfood. In addition, I always feel glad when I hear about the success of strong women.

        Reply
      12. Avatar
        Sarah G on January 25, 2016 10:00 pm

        She is such an inspiring woman, being able to teach that mean girls throughout her life is such an accomplishment.

        Reply
      13. Avatar
        Meghan R on January 28, 2016 4:19 pm

        I always enjoy hearing stories about women who made a difference. I’m glad to know that she tried to help other women and girls improve on their skills as well.

        Reply
      14. Avatar
        KC on February 10, 2016 12:58 am

        She is so inspiring as a person. To know that she taught women how to shoot after her acting career was over is truly inspiring.

        Reply
      15. Avatar
        Ahmed Alnassar on February 10, 2016 1:34 am

        even though she was just as good as the men she was still treated diferent from them.

        Reply
      16. Avatar
        Diana N on February 15, 2016 11:52 am

        It’s sad to see that her idea of female shooters was turned down (probably because of their sex).

        Reply
      17. Avatar
        Raquel F on February 15, 2016 2:49 pm

        I found it every interesting that Annie could out shot professionals at the age of 15. Another wild west woman that come to my mind would be Belle Star.

        Reply
      18. Avatar
        Yasser Alkhayal on February 25, 2016 10:21 pm

        I believe that educated females can help and improve the area around them. Imagine that Annie is well-educated, she will be remarkable person who inspire people around her.

        Reply
      19. Avatar
        Nicole Z on March 3, 2016 7:42 pm

        I really enjoyed learning about Annie. I think it was very interesting that she was shooting at such a young age. I also liked how she taught many women how to shoot.

        Reply
      20. Avatar
        Austin Miko on March 10, 2016 8:40 pm

        It was very interesting learning about Annie Oakley, it was very interesting to see she could outshoot people even when she was just a teenager.

        Reply
      21. Avatar
        Brett Nagy on April 26, 2016 12:14 am

        I have never heard of North Star, Ohio. Amazing to see that some things were so close to home. I liked that she was such a sharpshooter at a young age.

        Reply
      22. Avatar
        Erika Grumbach on April 27, 2016 9:15 am

        I really liked how she taught all those women how to shoot firearms. Her story is very inspiring.

        Reply
      23. Avatar
        Sabrina Peelman on May 2, 2016 5:02 pm

        Its really awesome to read about how talented she was even at such a young age.

        Reply
      24. Avatar
        Colton M on May 4, 2016 12:27 pm

        Just one of the many great talents from the state of Ohio.

        Reply
      25. Avatar
        JW on May 7, 2016 9:02 pm

        I’m amazed at what she manage to accomplish in a time period when women were under empowered.

        Reply
      26. Avatar
        Andrew R on May 8, 2016 4:07 pm

        Really cool to learn she was from Ohio. Ohio is filled with talent everywhere.

        Reply
      27. Avatar
        Brandon on May 8, 2016 4:57 pm

        Annie Oakley, a dangerous, dangerous woman, from the great state of OH-IO

        Reply
      28. Avatar
        Melody Ortiz on May 9, 2016 10:37 am

        it was surprising she started at such a young age. it was good to learn of Annie and that she was from Ohio!

        Reply
      29. Avatar
        MM on September 6, 2016 1:25 pm

        I really had no idea who Annie even was until I read this article. Not to mention, it’s also extremely interesting that she was born in Ohio and came to fame at 15 years old over a bet!

        Reply
      30. Avatar
        SR on September 7, 2016 1:46 pm

        It’s crazy to think a little girl was shooting guns at the age of eight.

        Reply
      31. Avatar
        BS on September 10, 2016 6:31 pm

        I remember watching a movie about Annie Oakley as a child, but I had no idea how spectacular she was. The card shot sounds almost impossible.

        Reply
      32. Avatar
        JT Siurek on September 11, 2016 2:13 pm

        She was so different for the time and that is why people loved it. Shooting was a spectacle back then and the fact that this little girl was a “sharpshooter” was just amazing to people back then and some even today.

        Reply
      33. Avatar
        Allison Lester on September 11, 2016 7:37 pm

        She sure seemed to go to great measures when it came to contributing to feminism. She proved to men that she could not only beat them when it came to sharpshooting, but she got herself (and many other fellow women) the respect they deserved and always have deserved during that time period. Good for her. -Allison Lester

        Reply
      34. Avatar
        Tim Burris on September 12, 2016 8:47 am

        It is crazy to think she was a poor Ohio girl in a time that women were looked down on as inferior but still to this day she is a superstar

        Reply
      35. Avatar
        TC on September 14, 2016 12:45 pm

        I am nothing like Annie Oakley but i still think how she managed to get her name out there in a time when women were so inferior to men is amazing.

        Reply
      36. Avatar
        jo on September 14, 2016 7:36 pm

        Annie is a girl i wouldn’t mess with when she can out shoot professional.

        Reply
      37. Avatar
        Jacob Oswalt on September 15, 2016 1:04 pm

        Annie proved that she and other women could do what men also did.

        Reply
      38. Avatar
        AA on September 15, 2016 9:38 pm

        Annie was a woman that helped inspire young females and donated to other charities while showing the world that it was possible for a woman to shoot better than a man.

        Reply
      39. Avatar
        EK on September 16, 2016 12:14 am

        I think it’s awesome that even back in those days Annie didn’t let anyone tell her no and she was able to participate in an activity which was primarily male dominated.

        Reply
      40. Avatar
        LF on September 16, 2016 4:43 pm

        amazing how well she shot for someone so young

        Reply
      41. Avatar
        AM on September 18, 2016 5:50 pm

        I liked to read about Annie Oakley because my roommate is actually from the same town as Oakley . I had never even heard of it before I met my roommate.

        Reply
      42. Avatar
        CM on September 18, 2016 11:39 pm

        Annie has such a good shot. I always wish I could shoot like she did at such a young age.

        Reply
      43. Avatar
        VV on September 20, 2016 12:57 pm

        I never knew Annie Oakley was born in Ohio. There are so many famous people that are linked to Ohio.

        Reply
      44. Avatar
        pw on September 20, 2016 1:26 pm

        It’s cool that Annie was born in Ohio but I am not familiar with the west so I don’t have any west women coming to my mind.

        Reply
      45. Avatar
        Kayla Fox on September 21, 2016 5:27 pm

        You do not hear much about famous female leaders, especially back then. Annie is definitely not someone I would have wanted to mess with!

        Reply
      46. Avatar
        Samantha Didion on September 22, 2016 1:16 pm

        I did not know that she was born in Ohio. I also think it is hilarious that she out-shot a professional at 15 years old then ended up marrying him.

        Reply
      47. Avatar
        Kody on September 22, 2016 2:23 pm

        I had no idea the she was from Ohio. It is cool to know that she was way ahead of her time.

        Reply
      48. Avatar
        ES on September 25, 2016 4:32 pm

        Learning about Annie is made me realize how different times have become. She was someone who began shooting at a young age

        Reply
      49. Avatar
        Katelyn Sowers on September 27, 2016 12:09 am

        I never knew Annie’s real name was Phoebe Ann Moses, and the fact that Annie Oakley stood for a free pass or target was cool too. I also really liked how she was from Ohio.

        Reply
      50. Avatar
        lm on September 30, 2016 7:34 pm

        I found it funny how Annie outshot the man at 15 and then later became his wife.

        Reply
      51. Avatar
        MT on October 5, 2016 4:10 pm

        I had no idea that she was from Ohio, and it is also amazing to hear what she did in her time.

        Reply
      52. Avatar
        Allison Skerkavich on October 6, 2016 6:23 pm

        Annie Oakley is such an inspiration for young women, and kudos to her for taking up a typically male sport at the time

        Reply
      53. Avatar
        David Birkbeck on October 7, 2016 4:06 pm

        $100 is a lot for a bet back then.

        Reply
      54. Avatar
        Kelynn Heckman on October 24, 2016 11:25 am

        I never knew anything about Annie Oakley. Very interesting

        Reply
      55. Avatar
        Lori Caudill on October 27, 2016 2:02 pm

        Her accomplishments exceed her reputation.

        Reply
      56. Avatar
        Audrey Manahan on October 27, 2016 7:24 pm

        The quote from Annie Oakley “When a man hits a target they call him a marksmen. When I hit a target they call it a trick.” is one of my favorites when it comes women’s rights. It may only seem to apply to her target shooting, but it shows how when women were first fighting for rights they had to work even harder than men because their success were looked upon as luck, or a fluke

        Reply
      57. Avatar
        Lydia Ott on October 27, 2016 7:59 pm

        Annie Oakley was a very skilled shooter who gained a reputation as an expert shooter at a very young age. I had heard of her name before but I did not know what she was famous for. Knowing what she has contributed to history makes me believe that she was a stepping stone in women gaining rights and being viewed as equal to men.

        Reply
      58. Avatar
        Elizabeth Bon on October 27, 2016 9:38 pm

        She is such a legend and an example for any girl who wants to learn to shoot. I never knew that she trained some many woman and girls to shoot. I still enjoy watching some of the old Annie Oakley musicals.

        Reply
      59. Avatar
        Jennifer Maurer on October 28, 2016 1:42 pm

        I adore Annie Oakley’s “anything you can do, I can do better” mentality! She was an incredible role model.

        Reply
      60. Avatar
        Natalie antonio on October 28, 2016 2:36 pm

        I love her saying, anything you can do I can do better, she is such a good role model for girls young and old.

        Reply
      61. Avatar
        Brandon Wagner on October 28, 2016 2:55 pm

        The event that stood out to me the most was that Annie had been reportedly arrested for stealing to pay for her cocaine addiction, but in reality a stripper gave the name “Annie Oakley” when she was arrested. Again, not must has changed from then to now and newspapers still print false information.

        Reply
      62. Avatar
        Ben McClay on October 28, 2016 3:14 pm

        The event of Annie getting falsely accused for stealing cocaine as a stripper really intrigued me. I was very suprised when I first read this because I didn’t think in a million years that this would happen. However, right after I saw that she was falsely identified, the reading became more logical. Annie Oakley really is an American hero that deserves a lot of credit for living such a humble life.

        Reply
      63. Avatar
        Shannon Read on October 28, 2016 6:11 pm

        I have been to several museums for Annie, and have always loved her story. I was surprised of the story about her being falsely accused for stealing cocaine as a stripper.

        Reply
      64. Avatar
        Shuling He on October 28, 2016 8:28 pm

        I just know a lot about Annie Oakley in this article. I never hear about her before. She was so awesome taught women and girls how to shoot.

        Reply
      65. Avatar
        Kala Strong on October 28, 2016 8:38 pm

        I think it is wonderful to see such a inspirational women get all of the credit she deserves. I think it shows that women can do any task that men can do.

        Reply
      66. Avatar
        Jingshan Jiang on October 28, 2016 8:45 pm

        It is interesting that Annie got falsely accused for stealing cocaine. But, I have to say that Annie Oakley was a good woman who can do the same thing as a male.

        Reply
      67. Avatar
        Diana Minich on October 28, 2016 9:59 pm

        What an amazing woman. She could shoot a gun, act, she was generous with her money, and she shared her talent with other women.

        Reply
      68. Avatar
        Rose Jepson on October 29, 2016 12:38 am

        Annie Oakley was a very successful woman in an area of expertise that is not usually associated with women. Good for her.

        Reply
      69. Avatar
        Jordin Vidmar on October 29, 2016 1:23 am

        It is not often that you hear famous women from history. Hearing the stories about Annie Oakley was empowering and inspiring.

        Reply
      70. Avatar
        Taylor Young on October 29, 2016 3:45 pm

        This article is very inspirational and shows that anyone can do anything that they set their mind to without being brought down by people who think they cannot.

        Reply
      71. Avatar
        Alyssa Hanes on October 29, 2016 4:39 pm

        Annie Oakley is such a strong inspiration and truly an inspiration of mine. It is such a talent to be able to shoot as good as she could, while also getting herself out there and showing it off to the world. I truly admire her and her fame.

        Reply
      72. Avatar
        Daina Thomas on October 29, 2016 5:51 pm

        Annie Oakley kinda reminds of Katniss from the Hunger Games. She was talented is something that wasn’t common for women. She shot guns and Katniss shot arrows.

        Reply
      73. Avatar
        Keagan Frey on October 29, 2016 10:06 pm

        It is crazy to think that she could shoot a card like that several times with the weaponry that she had. There are people today that are trained with guns that could only wish to do what she did and our weaponry is far more advanced.

        Reply
      74. Avatar
        Lessie Parish on November 1, 2016 10:16 pm

        I did not know Annie Oakley was from Ohio. I think it is really impressive that she was such a sharp shooter at the age of 15 and with the guns they had then. I think that Annie is an inspirational icon for women.

        Reply
      75. Avatar
        Kristin Fellure on November 2, 2016 2:47 am

        I think it is awesome that Annie out-shot a professional at only age 15. It is ironic that she ended up marrying this man. Annie Oakley is inspirational.

        Reply
      76. Avatar
        Breanna Beckley on November 23, 2016 12:47 pm

        I enjoyed reading about Annie Oakley and how strong of a woman she was.

        Reply
      77. Avatar
        GF on November 29, 2016 2:17 pm

        I would have never known she was born in Ohio but she was an impressive woman.

        Reply
      78. Avatar
        Michaela Ping on November 30, 2016 9:27 am

        I love seeing successful young women throughout history.

        Reply
      79. Avatar
        Azia on November 30, 2016 10:52 am

        You passed her action figure around in class earlier this semester. She’s an icon.

        Reply
      80. Avatar
        Travis Tarnowski on December 2, 2016 3:16 pm

        She was a sharp shooter who learned to shoot when she was young! I have heard of her before, but like many other things, I am not an expert on her and it was awesome to read and learn more about her.

        Reply
      81. Avatar
        Hunter Music on December 9, 2016 9:51 pm

        It is interesting to see how the role of women evolved through out history. I love that she even addressed that her skills were addressed as a trick because she was a woman. Annie is an excellent person for women and men to look up to because she showed that she could do anything by example. Her actions spoke louder than words.

        Reply
      82. Avatar
        Alexis Dykes on December 10, 2016 12:16 am

        I used to tell my grandfather that I wanted to shoot like Annie when I grew up. Hearing stories about her stand-out performances always inspired me to pursue my talents and conquer any challenge that I may have faced as a woman in society. Today, I would say that Annie Oakley is certainly still an icon among women everywhere.

        Reply
      83. Avatar
        Abeer Bin on December 12, 2016 6:48 pm

        I support any woman can do like Annie because every woman need that.

        Reply
      84. Avatar
        Dan Sumpter on January 9, 2017 10:51 am

        This was a fun story to read. Annie was a born entertainer and had skills that still keep people interested.

        Reply
      85. Avatar
        Cara Zang on January 9, 2017 2:07 pm

        When trying to think of another woman from the wild west I had trouble because we all are familiar with Annie Oakley the most. I love that she was very charitable and helped out other children by sharing her talents.

        Reply
      86. Avatar
        Luke Lyden on January 9, 2017 3:24 pm

        I never knew she was from Ohio! Truly and inspiration to women of her generation. That is one woman you would not want to mess with.

        Reply
      87. Avatar
        Kay McCargish on January 9, 2017 5:55 pm

        “I ain’t afraid to love a man. I ain’t afraid to shoot him either.” One of my favorite Annie Oakley quotes!
        She was a true pioneer and is a great role model for young women.

        Reply
      88. Avatar
        Chelsey Stillings on January 9, 2017 9:30 pm

        One of my favorites!!! Such a strong willed lady that never let anyone stand in her way!!!

        Reply
      89. Avatar
        Dan Fidoe on January 11, 2017 12:57 pm

        Impressive skills and example for young women at the time. And the media was lame back then, same as now.

        Reply
      90. Avatar
        Kacey Kovac on January 11, 2017 3:43 pm

        Even in Annie Oakley’s era there was a problem with misinforming the public through the media. A good take away from reading this article is that it is important to be careful about where you are sourcing your information because it could lead to a lot of headache like it did when Annie fought and won 54 out of 55 lawsuits revolving the misreporting incident.

        Reply
      91. Avatar
        Shannon Smith on January 12, 2017 9:17 am

        I was always under the assumption. That Annie Oakley was a criminal that shot people, not a show star that did a shooting act. Now I know! I admire her for standing out and proving that women can shoot with the best and even be better!

        Reply
      92. Avatar
        Jason on January 12, 2017 10:14 am

        I’m not familiar with too many woman of this time but I did do some research and found Calamity Jane was very similar to Annie Oakley. She was a sharpshooter of that time and joined Buffalo Bill’s Show in the mid 1890’s. Both women are remarkable in their abilities with their shooting and the lifestyles they lived during that time.

        Reply
      93. Avatar
        Jared A. Hutt on January 12, 2017 5:23 pm

        Annie Oakley is another one of those larger than life personas from the wild west that seem to take on a life of their own which makes it easy to forget that she was an actual person. In this case, her public persona overshadowed all the charity and good she had quietly done. I enjoyed this article a lot.

        Reply
      94. Avatar
        Nakia Bridges on January 13, 2017 1:17 pm

        Annie Oakley who would have ever guessed that back then a woman would have such great skill and impact on people. Showing that she tried to make all woman and young girls strong very powerful, even the fact that the professional thought he was good enough to challenge anyone in that town and Annie stepped up and actually out shoot him.

        Reply
      95. Avatar
        Jeffrey Keenan on January 13, 2017 10:34 pm

        Annie Oakley was a very talented woman. It was interesting to find out that she was from Ohio (I am also from Ohio). It was also very interesting to read about how she met her husband (At age 15). I was saddened to find out that she suffered severe spinal injuries as a result of a bad train accident. Annie was lucky to be blessed with gifts that could help provide income for her family. Annie Oakley will never be forgotten.

        Reply
      96. Avatar
        Shaun Emerick on January 14, 2017 2:11 am

        Whats most amazing to me about Annie Oakley is how famous she became. In a time where women were still very much suppressed, not even allowed to vote until 1920, she became what I consider the most famous person of her time with a talent that people from that time period would most associate with a male instead of a female. She was quit a magnificent women.

        Reply
      97. Avatar
        Jeremiah Linden on January 14, 2017 1:51 pm

        Phoebe Ann Moses did a great job to place women on the map as equals to men. 11 years in the Army, I found that women are just as good as shooting like a man. What is more amazing, is her will to continue to make an impact in the world of the show even after her accident. Her will to adapt is a true inspiration to all.

        Reply
      98. Avatar
        Christie Benton on January 14, 2017 3:46 pm

        I think the government should have allowed Oakley to raise up an army of women, it probably would’ve helped women’s right progress a little quicker. I also love that she sued Hearst, who in my opinion was a shovenistic, child abuser, and of course, that she won. On top of everything else that she was a giving person, is just icing on the cake.

        Reply
      99. Avatar
        John Milton on January 14, 2017 7:38 pm

        It was disheartening to learn that the government shot down Annie Oakley’s proposal on coming up with an army of 50 women who were sharpshooters. To this day, I do see discrimination of women versus men while handling firearms. Personally, my wife is a better shot than I am!

        Reply
      100. Avatar
        Juan Rodriguez on January 15, 2017 12:38 am

        I am glad to read about another woman that change history. I have been in the military for 20 years and I have worked with some females soldiers that put male soldiers to shame. People should be judge were they can do the job and not because they are different gender. I have agree with John Milton because my wife is also better shooter than me.

        Reply
      101. Avatar
        Michelle Ross on January 15, 2017 6:00 pm

        First of all, it is awesome that Annie Oakley is from Ohio. I have a lot of pride when it comes to this state so to see someone who made such a difference for women when it came to shooting is awesome. For a woman to be such a good marksman and shooter was a big deal during that time period.

        Reply
      102. Avatar
        Sarah Marie Sykes on January 16, 2017 7:16 am

        I never knew that Annie Oakley was from Ohio. Interesting to learn how many famous people were born in Ohio. I love that Annie Oakley was such an outspoken voice for women and attempted to speak out for equality.

        Reply
      103. Avatar
        Jared Good on January 17, 2017 3:39 pm

        I love to shoot and to read an article about this young lady named Annie. Shooting stories amaze me and I love too watch marksmen or women. Now with me born and raised in Ohio I like reading about all the History of Ohio

        Reply
      104. Avatar
        Misty Prosser on March 13, 2017 10:49 pm

        Another great famous person from Ohio, love getting to read articles and learn history from our great state. There are far to few stories about amazing women in history, men were far to concerned with keeping woman out of the lime light.

        Reply
      105. Avatar
        Angela Kessinger on March 14, 2017 8:27 pm

        It is fascinating to read how talented Annie Oakley was at shooting. I found it interesting that she out shot a professional shooter at such a young age, who later became her husband. I can only imagine what his thoughts were when he found out he was competing against a young girl. I bet he thought that was going to be an easy win. I never knew that Annie was from Ohio, what an interesting fact.

        Reply
      106. Avatar
        Autum Grandstaff on March 14, 2017 9:45 pm

        I had no idea Annie Oakley was from Ohio. Considering the place women were in, during her time, its amazing how strong she was to stand on her own and go against the stream. She didn’t fall into the mold that was set out for women of her time, she stood behind who she was. If it weren’t for women like her (collectively), women of our time would not be where we are.

        Reply
      107. Avatar
        Rose Sexton on March 15, 2017 6:22 pm

        I love Annie Oakley. She has always been an inspiration to me. Her story told me at a young age that a girl from Ohio can become famous for something in which men usually exceed. I loved hearing about her exploits with the Buffalo Bill show and of her meetings with kings and queens. It inspired me to succeed.

        Reply
      108. Avatar
        Adrian Lewers on March 16, 2017 8:51 pm

        Annie Oakley being from Ohio was a new fact learned today. She sounds like a very impressive woman. I have never watched any of the movies or read any of the books but I’m sure her life was exciting. What a time for a woman to outdo a man in anything!!

        Reply
      109. Avatar
        Kyle Gelenius on March 16, 2017 9:41 pm

        I never knew that Annie Oakley was from Ohio; it was an interesting fact to learn being from Ohio. I also thought it was pretty amazing that Annie was able to shoot a playing card in half edgewise from 30 yards; I don’t think I would be able to achieve that even after years of practice. I also found it ironic that Annie ended up marrying the marksman that attempted to out shoot her. I’m sure that added an interesting dynamic to their relationship. It was also entertaining to learn that Annie sued and won 54 of 55 libel suites after William Randolph Hearst incorrectly reported that she had been arrested while stealing to finance a cocaine addiction. Nevertheless, Annie was a remarkable woman by all accounts!

        Reply
      110. Avatar
        Jessica Kessinger on March 16, 2017 11:24 pm

        I had always been told stories from other history classes on Annie. An interesting fact i did not know was that she was from Ohio. What a small world we live in!! I have heard and read many of her stories on how well of a shooter she truly was.

        Reply
      111. Avatar
        Sean Merritt on March 17, 2017 11:54 am

        Annie is an amazing inspiration to people. I did not know she was from Ohio! It’s always fun to learn something new about people you have been told stories on before.

        Reply
      112. Avatar
        Tiffany on March 17, 2017 12:57 pm

        I have always heard small stories of who Annie Oakley was but never in this much detail. I didn’t realize she was from Ohio. It is inspiring to know that she was passionate about teaching other girls and women how to shoot.

        Reply
      113. Avatar
        Megan on March 17, 2017 9:26 pm

        Did she learn these shooting skills from someone, or were they self taught? Very interesting, and I didn’t know she was from Ohio.

        Reply
      114. Avatar
        james tomassetti on March 18, 2017 1:39 pm

        Good ol’ Annie she was an amazingly talented person ive said many times in the past comments about the poor gun technology and yet she 100% mastered the art of marksmanship !!!

        Reply
      115. Avatar
        Michelle on March 18, 2017 7:22 pm

        I have had many shooting lessons, growing up hunting, military experience, and recreational shooting. What I wouldn’t give to have a lesson from Annie Oakley!!! What an inspiration!

        Reply
      116. Avatar
        McKenna Kapper on March 18, 2017 9:01 pm

        Annie Oakley is someone that I have always heard about but I had never read much about her. This was in interesting article. She is an inspiration.

        Reply
      117. Avatar
        Jaisun on March 19, 2017 9:35 pm

        I’ve actually done some reading on Annie Oakley. What is ironic is what she said about her skill. “When a man hits a target, they call him a marksman. When I hit a target, they call it a trick. Never did like that much”. She trained a lot of women to shoot and she thought that they shot as well as men, which was contrary to the belief at the time that women were inferior to men.

        Reply
      118. Avatar
        James Cole on March 23, 2017 11:31 pm

        While reading this article, I found out a few interesting facts about Anne Oakley which would include that she was born in Ohio. Also, that she trained other women to shoot as well as she did. I also did not know that she was wrongly accused of stealing to support a cocaine addiction in 1904 due to that a stripper used the name “Annie Oakley” and gave that false name when she was arrested. She sued, and won 54 of 55 lawsuits due to this incident. While reading this article, I thought of Sacagawea who was the Native-American who helped Lewis and Clark on their exploration.

        Reply
      119. Avatar
        Ashley Betsa on April 5, 2017 11:30 am

        Why would the government turn down Annie to train female sharp shooters for war? I am glad this is not the case anymore. Furthermore, what an adventurous life she lived, even better she is from Ohio!

        Reply
      120. Avatar
        KIMBERLY KESTNER on April 8, 2017 6:33 pm

        While I have heard the name, Annie Aokley, I never knew her story. Impressive shooting skills and the fact that she married the man she beat out are probably a huge part of the path her life took. Had he marked her as an enemy, due to pride, she could have had a completely different, negative life.

        Reply
      121. Avatar
        Yang Shao on April 9, 2017 11:07 pm

        The article was showing Annie was a hard working female who was pretty good at shooting. One day, there was another male come to down and want to compete with her.Finally, they become married. Later on, the train accident was made Annie end up his wild west show career. One day, she was attending act a movie and get hurt with her husband by a car, her health condition was gradually decreasing, later, she died, but she donate her money to her families and charities.

        Reply
      122. Avatar
        Patrick Barker on April 19, 2017 2:43 pm

        I would love to see her show when she shoots the car in half, and shoots the two pieces before they hit the ground. Also, I think it’s cool that Annie got a lot of women into shooting, a sport that was likely thought to be only for men at the time.

        Reply
      123. Avatar
        WenYu Zhang on April 27, 2017 5:21 pm

        Annie was a nice person, she had a professional skill at shooting, it was made her become famous at her town. She was marrying with another professor gun shooter at her town. She was keeping her shooting skill as the time keep running. Later, She was getting injured with her husband by a car wreck. She was becoming ill, she died by her illness, but the most kind and wonderful thing was she was donating her money to charities and her family.

        Reply
      124. Avatar
        Jacob DeSmit on May 1, 2017 9:11 am

        As Patrick noted, I find it most interesting that she was responsible for teaching a generation of women how to shoot firearms. It seems those students were given the opportunity to learn from the best!

        Reply
      125. Avatar
        Holly Fongheiser on September 5, 2017 4:26 pm

        This was a great read about Annie Oakly. It’s always interesting to read new facts about a famous person that you have heard of but never knew some of the other facts about it. Reading about Annie teaching the girls how to shoot made me so jealous. I wish I had been born then, because I could have learned how to shoot a gun from the best! She was amazing.

        Reply
      126. Avatar
        KM on September 23, 2017 8:03 am

        Annie Oakley is an impressive woman in the fact that she had to work for everything she had. Nothing in life was handed to her. She grew up in poverty, she was short, she had spinal injuries, and she was accused of something she didn’t do yet she prevailed and made a great life for herself.

        Reply
      127. Avatar
        Dani McBride on September 23, 2017 2:10 pm

        It was awesome to read that Annie Oakley was from Ohio! I especially liked the statement that Annie once made, “when a man hits a target, they call him a marksman. When I hit a target, they call it a trick. Never did like that much.” I think Annie did a terrific job of proving these doubters wrong! It amazes me that ate age fifteen and the height of only 5 ft, she out shot the professionals. I would have loved to have witnessed this! It just goes to show that women can do anything a man can, and I think Annie Oakley wanted the world to know that. She empowered many women by teaching at least 15,00 women and girls to shoot a firearm!

        Reply
      128. Avatar
        AB on September 23, 2017 10:07 pm

        I love that Annie Oakley was not your typical women, she shot guns, and hunted and proved she could be just as good and in some cases better than a man at shooting. I also like that she learned how to shoot and hunt to help support her family when they were struggling. I never knew she was in a train accident, and car accident, and I also never knew she was so short.

        Reply
      129. Avatar
        SB on September 24, 2017 8:18 pm

        Annie Oakley was not a typical woman of that time. It is very rare, in my opinion, to have a natural ability such as she did, at such a young age. I find it refreshing that even after her accident and as she was aging she still kept practicing and never stopped progressing.

        Reply
      130. Avatar
        AB on September 24, 2017 8:18 pm

        Annie Oakley definitely changes some people’s out look on women. Women like Annie, who were first to be believed incapable, showed that they are as capable as men. It is especially interesting that she took so much interest in this knowing women weren’t too accepted in the shooting realm.

        Reply
      131. Avatar
        JG on September 24, 2017 10:26 pm

        Annie Oakley was truly amazing. She had such a wonderful talent, and it is inspiring how she stepped up for her family and filled her father’s shoes. She changed the way people viewed women during this time for sure!

        Reply
      132. Avatar
        RB on September 24, 2017 11:42 pm

        Annie Oakley was very talented. I thought it was funny that she was accused of stealing money to finance her cocaine addiction only to turn out that it wasn’t her…im glad she won her court case.

        Reply
      133. Avatar
        JJ on September 25, 2017 1:55 pm

        Annie Oakley was extremely talented, makes you wonder how she would do with modern firearms

        Reply
      134. Avatar
        AM on September 25, 2017 3:15 pm

        I wish I could have seen Oakley outshoot the professional marksman. That would have been a sight to see!

        Reply
      135. Avatar
        NTM on September 25, 2017 3:39 pm

        It makes me disappointed to hear the government turned down Annie’s offer of raising a force of women shooters to help with the war against Spain. It reflects how women in the battle field is still a new subject and was looked down upon for a couple centuries. I have seen first hand how women soldier can be a great asset to the wars, and should have been accepted many decades ago.

        Reply
      136. Avatar
        MT on September 25, 2017 7:37 pm

        I’m glad that Annie won her case against the people who accused her. Nothing is worse than being accused of something you didn’t do.

        Reply
      137. Avatar
        CJ on September 25, 2017 8:00 pm

        As someone who grew up in a rural area shooting guns with my family, I love to hear about other women who can shoot. It would have been amazing to see her in person. She is a real inspiration for her positive attitude and self confidence in her craft.

        Reply
      138. Avatar
        Dylan Winkel on September 25, 2017 10:09 pm

        I think Annie is incredible! At 15 she out shot her future husband. That is awesome!

        Reply
      139. Avatar
        AC on September 25, 2017 10:20 pm

        It’s really cool to learn of incredible talent at such young ages! Becoming a skillful marksman before 15 is really impressive!

        Reply
      140. Avatar
        MC on September 25, 2017 10:24 pm

        I never knew Annie’s full story, it was very fun to read about! I also think it’s crazy that a stripper used her name as an alias when arrested, so it was reported that Annie was arrested and had a cocaine addiction.

        Reply
      141. Avatar
        Mary Van Scoy on September 25, 2017 11:05 pm

        I think it is awesome that she is from Ohio! I never knew about her spinal injury from the train accident and found it very interesting.

        Reply
      142. Avatar
        HM on September 25, 2017 11:06 pm

        It is crazy that she was able to out shoot professionals at the young age of 15. She was even able to continue her shooting as she aged and got even better.

        Reply
      143. Avatar
        HD on September 25, 2017 11:49 pm

        GIRL POWER! I think its great that as a female in that time period that she got so much attention for being better at shooting than the men. Its a shame that her shooting career ended early but I loved that nothing really seemed to stop her and what she was doing.

        Reply
      144. Avatar
        AP on September 26, 2017 7:31 pm

        I grew up in a very rural area and I love shooting guns so I think its awesome to see a woman who can shoot as well! It is crazy that she was able to out shoot professionals at the young age of 15. She was an inspiration for many young women during her time.

        Reply
      145. Avatar
        Alexis Whitright on September 26, 2017 7:37 pm

        I think it’s interesting that I have lived in Ohio my entire life and have never even heard of North Star Ohio. I also think it’s very cool that as a woman, she was able to out shoot the man that came to town.

        Reply
      146. Avatar
        Hailey Lockwood on September 26, 2017 8:49 pm

        I loved reading about her and how she was making her mark as a woman doing what society thought only men could do

        Reply
      147. Avatar
        CY on September 26, 2017 8:56 pm

        I think it is really funny how she ends up marrying the marksman that she beat when she was only 15 years old. It is also remarkable that she was able to help support her family from such a young age.

        Reply
      148. Avatar
        Alexis Mount on September 26, 2017 10:33 pm

        I think it was awesome that Annie’s actions and abilities forced people to rethink what a girl was able to do at this point in history. She defied gender stereotypes which I think is amazing.

        Reply
      149. Avatar
        Abdulaziz on September 30, 2017 4:14 pm

        This article is exceptionally moving and demonstrates that anybody can do anything that they set their brain to without being brought around individuals who figure they can’t.

        Reply
      150. Avatar
        MW on October 3, 2017 9:45 am

        The show that Annie and her fiance would put on showed a great deal of accuracy and showed that a woman could do just as much, even more, than a man in areas of expertise such as firing a rifle.

        Reply
      151. Avatar
        JH on October 5, 2017 4:19 pm

        For her to be able to outshoot many professionals from such a young age is really really cool. And especially since she ended up marrying one of the men she beat.

        Reply
      152. Avatar
        mengting zhang on October 17, 2017 1:12 pm

        I think it’s really interesting. She can knock out shooters at 15. She was a source of inspiration for many young women. It is also worth noting that she has been able to help her family since she was a child.

        Reply
      153. Avatar
        burton roberts on October 24, 2017 7:08 pm

        I didnt know Annie was from Ohio. She was obviously a very good shot and was able to hold her own with anyone back in the day. I think it would be safe to say she would hold her own if she was alive today. To be able to shoot a card in half at 30 yards is a very difficult feet and to shoot additional holes in the card as it false is just amazing.

        Reply

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