Press release- Continuing with this year’s theme of “Biography” on Sunday, January 15th at 2 p.m., Nebraska author and educator, Charlotte M. Endorf will present the Life and Legacy of Annie Oakley. Oakley, or Phoebe Ann Mosey, often nicknamed “Little Miss Sure Shot” was born in 1860 to a Quaker family. Her twice widowed mother and eventually nine children relied on Annie’s increasing hunting and trapping skills to provide for the family from the tender age of nine. Eventually, her temerity in becoming a champion in a man’s sport changed ideas about the abilities of women in the 19th century, particularly after joining Wm. Cody’s Wild West Show and traveling the world exhibiting her remarkable abilities and endearing herself to everyone she met with her caring and bright personality. When Western movies had their heyday, she was a favorite character but was often portrayed more mythological than factual. Charlotte Endorf will present Oakley in a way to dispel many of the romantic myths and bring the real Annie forward.
This is not Endorf’s first such project. In 2004, she began documenting the real-life stories of the children who rode the Orphan Trains between 1854 and 1929, creating books and a DVD. It also developed into a first-person type of presentation in period dress with artifacts and photographs on display.
The Neihardt State Historic Site is located at 306 W. Elm Street, Bancroft, NE. The program begins at 2 p.m. with a reception and book signing. Author books will be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public.
