.png)
In celebration of my birthday, I thought I'd share a few women in history who were born in August. Let's look at four women and the legacies they left behind.
Let's start with a fun historical figure.
 |
| Annie Oakley |
Annie Oakley
Born Phoebe Ann Mosey on August 13,1860 in rural Ohio. She learned to hunt as a child, becoming a crack shot out of necessity. She helped support her widowed mother and her siblings by never missing her target. Ammunition was dear, and she couldn't afford to waste it. The need to put food on the table opened the doors to international fame for her.
Wild Bill Hickok discovered her, and she joined his Wild West show in 1885. Taking the stage name Annie Oakley, she delighted audiences across the United States and Europe. Among her demonstrations, she split playing cards, extinguished candle flames with bullets, and hit tiny moving targets with amazing precision.
Oakley was an advocate for women's independence, believing women should learn self-defense and shooting to protect themselves. It is said she offered to organize an all-female regiment to serve during the Spanish-American War. Her idea never took root.
Mata Hari
During World War I, French authorities accused her of spying for Germany. She was arrested in 1917. Convicted by a military tribunal and executed by firing squad. She was forty-one. Historians continue to debate the accusation. Was she really a spy, and if so, how active was she?
Many scholars believe she was a convenient scapegoat during a difficult period of the war when France sought someone to blame for military setbacks. Her story has inspired countless books, movies and legends, making her one of history's most famous alleged spies. Have you ever heard of someone called a Mata Hari? It refers to someone who passes along secrets.
CoCo Chanel
 |
| CoCo Chanel |
Her mother was a laundress. When she died, her father sent his three daughters to a convent. But Coco preferred her story of a lovely childhood spent with her two aunts when her mother died.
Like Mata Hari, she painted her backstory in whatever way that made her look better to those around her. She had long-time friendships with both German sympathizers and Winston Churchill.
Coco transformed women's fashions during the twentieth century by replacing restrictive corsets and elaborate Victorian styles with clothes that focused on comfort, simplicity and elegance. She learned to sew when she lived at the convent and used that talent to create styles that drew attention. She opened her first boutique in 1910. Her designs featured clean lines, jersey fabrics, and tailored suits, which allowed women greater freedom of movement while maintaining sophistication. For a time, she created hats as well. Her perfume, Chanel No. 5, is still popular today, representing elegance and style.
When Germany invaded France in World War II, she closed her dress shops and moved to the Ritz Hotel where many elite class German officers took up residence. Suspected of being a collaborator, yet never proven, her reputation was damaged for a time. She moved to Switzerland and lived there for several years. Seeing the post-war fashion trends inspired her to design again. In 1954, she made a highly successful comeback. America and Britain embraced her styles even though France still held the question of her being a collaborator over her head.
Coco Chanel is widely regarded as one of the most influential designers in history. She is listed as one of the top 100 women who influenced the 20th Century.
Lucille Ball
 |
| Lucille Ball |
Ah, my birthday twin. For those who have never heard that term it is someone who was born on the same date as you. The year makes no difference. She was born August 6th, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. I'll not mention what year I was born, but she could have been my mother.
She is known for her star status in movies and later on television. She studied with Buster Keaton, the famous silent comedy star. Moving from romantic leads to comedy leads eventually opened the door for a TV sitcom. The I Love Lucy Show, with her iconic performance as Lucy Ricardo, premiered in 1951, played for several years on TV, and has been in continues reruns since the 1960s. Lucy was noted for her impeccable timing, expressive physical humor, and elaborate slapstick routines. She broke barriers by insisting her real-life husband Desi Arnez be cast as her on-screen husband, Ricky Ricardo. She performed pregnant and gave birth to her daughter Lucille Arnez at the same time her character gave birth to Little Ricky. And the show was performed before a live audience, something that had never been done before. Desi and Lucy formed the DesiLu production company. She became sole owner after their divorce, making her the first woman to run a TV Studio. Would you believe that under her leadership, Desilu produced Star Trek and Mission Impossible, cementing her legacy not only as a performer but also a visionary producer.
These four August-born women had so much more interesting facts about their lives that I haven't mentioned. Three of the four were entertainers, and three worked toward making things easier for women, whether it was clothes, running a business, or encouraging women to learn to defend themselves. Two women were accused of colluding with the enemy during war time.
Have you read about any of these women? Which one is your favorite?
No comments:
Post a Comment