While many might be tempted to look down on Hoover since he did preside over the Great Depression, it’s possible that he did far more to keep people fed and alive than almost any other man in history. At five feet, eleven and a half inches, Hoover was in a prime leadership position to eradicate hunger following the Second World War.
Thanks to Hoover’s knowledge of Germany, he toured many of the former Axis nations and produced reports about food requirements. The programs that emerged from the reports fed three and a half million children. Not bad for a president.
Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens, known as Mark Twain, emerged as a literary luminary whose influence on American literature remains unmatched. Despite receiving only a fifth-grade education, Twain's voracious appetite for knowledge led him on a path of self-education. He embarked on his literary journey as a printer's apprentice, honing his craft and immersing himself in the world of words. In 1851, he seized his first writing opportunity by contributing to a local newspaper.
Twain's thirst for learning took him from his Missouri roots to the bustling streets of New York City, where he joined the printers' trade union. In his pursuit of knowledge, he frequented public libraries, dedicating countless hours to self-study after completing his daily work shifts. Twain's tireless dedication to his craft propelled him to become the iconic figure celebrated as the "father of American literature."
Charging Thunder
One of the several Native Americans to join Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was Charging Thunder, the man we see in the picture below. Does the name sound familiar? This Lakota chief joined the crew when he was only 26 years old. He married one of the American horse trainers in the crew, eventually. Ah, romance! Such a beautiful thing!
After the show, Charging Thunder became a British citizen and started working in Manchester’s Belle Vue Circus as an elephant trainer. Later on, he got sick of the circus and eventually became a factory worker, then changed his name to George Edward Williams.
Butch Cassidy
It is hard to imagine that this young man photographed here is actually one of the most infamous outlaws and bank robbers of the Old West. Robert LeRoy Parker and his accomplice, Harry Longabaugh (aka "The Sundance Kid"), would torment the southern US states and build themselves a shameful reputation that would go down in crime history.
Parker worked briefly at a Wyoming butchery, where he would earn the name “Butch.” In 1894, Butch Cassidy was imprisoned after his first bank robbery of a San Miguel Valley Bank. This photo is a memento that survived Butch Cassidy’s first arrest and time in prison.
Annie Oakley
Here’s a familiar face, Annie Oakley was one of the most well-known shooters in the Wild West, and she also happens to be a woman. Annie rose to fame at the tender age of 15 years old because of her sharpshooting skills. Did you know that Annie Oakley was not her real name? She was born Phoebe Ann Mosey. By age 8, she started hunting, shooting, and trapping to support her family through hard times after her father passed away.
Oakley made a name for herself as a trained shooter as well. She married Frank E. Butler, who just happened to be her former rival and fellow marksman. Later on, the couple joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which turned her into an international star. Definitely one woman with a lot of talent!