Pancho Barnes “Fastest Woman on Earth”

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Pancho Barnes “Fastest Woman on Earth”

A selection from Sherman Library will inspire this month’s exciting read. In honor of Women’s History Month, we recommend Lauren Kessler’s The Happy Bottom Riding Club: The Life and Times of Pancho Barnes (New York: Random House, 2000).

Florence “Pancho” Barnes (1901-1975) remains one of the greatest 20th century American female characters. She was a California heiress, yet she forged her own path to become one of the first licensed female pilots. She used her aviation talent as a renowned stunt pilot for both silent and sound films. With this success, she formed one of the first unions in Hollywood,

A Real Catch: The Newport Harbor Lady Anglers

…When a woman is serious about fishing, watch out… In 1949, eleven women established the Newport Harbor Lady Anglers to create opportunities for women to practice their fishing skills and to meet other women with similar interests, at a time when fishing clubs were male-only organizations. Founding member Clara Keeler said they created the club because female fishing enthusiasts were growing discontent that their husbands went on fishing trips that women were not permitted to partake in.