From the novels of Louis L’Amour to the high-action western films of the 1950s, western fiction has been dominated by male narratives that focus heavily on the experiences of white, cisgendered, heterosexual men. This comes at the expense of the otherwise rich landscape of voices available for western storytelling and this may, in fact, be the reason for the genre’s current limited popularity. While America will never stop loving its cowboys, readers want more diverse stories that reflect the reality of the period.

Men are typically lauded as heroes or even anti-heroes in traditional westerns; women are often painted either as prostitutes who seduce the heroes or wholesome farm girls that marry the heroes. In reality, western women occupied much more varied roles. 

The lawlessness of the west meant that, while women had less lawful protection, they were also not tightly held down by strict social rules like their Victorian counterparts. They could be prostitutes or brothel madams, yes, but they could also be gunslingers, bounty hunters, and business owners. Women could leave their homes and strike out on their own, divorce their husbands, or hunt down thieves. They could even live their entire lives as men without anyone knowing, as in the case of Charlotte "Charley" Parkhurst. The experiences of these women, especially Native American women who often suffered the worst at the hands of white settlers, are important and should not be overlooked or forgotten.

Mary "Stagecoach Mary" Fields was the first African American woman, and second woman in the U.S., to carry mail. This was no easy feat as, misogyny aside, mail carriages were prime targets of robbers and thieves. And, of course, we cannot forget the likes of Annie Oakley or Martha "Calamity Jane" Canary, sharpshooters who became famous during their runs in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and became influential symbols to young girls everywhere.

From homesteaders who traveled through treacherous terrain in search of a new life to gunslingers who took the law into their own hands, women of all races played an integral role in shaping the American west as we know it. In the spirit of these larger-than-life women, we’ve gathered a list of our favorite real-life western women to remind us all it’s not all just about the cowboys. (All summaries adapted from the publisher.)

Looking for some good western fiction with female leads? Well, saddle up for fierce female westerns!

Women of the American West: Nonfiction

African American Women of the Old West by Tricia Martineau Wagner

The brave pioneers who made a life on the frontier were not only male—and they were not only white. The story of African American women in the Old West is one that has largely gone untold until now. The stories of 10 African American women are reconstructed from historic documents found in century-old archives. Some of these women were slaves, some were free, and some were born into slavery and found freedom in the Old West. They were laundresses, freedom advocates, journalists, educators, midwives, business proprietors, religious converts, philanthropists, mail and freight haulers, and civil and social activists.

These hidden historical figures include Biddy Mason, a slave who fought for her family's freedom; Elizabeth Thorn Scott Flood, a teacher determined to educate black children and aid them in leading better lives; and the mysterious Mary Ellen Pleasant, a civil rights crusader and savvy businesswoman. Even in the face of racial prejudice, these unsung heroes never gave up hope for a brighter future.

Belle Starr and Her Times: The Literature, the Facts, and the Legends by Glenn Shirley

Who was Belle Starr? What was she, that so many myths surround her? Born in Carthage, Missouri, in 1848, the daughter of a well-to-do hotel owner, she died 41 years later, gunned down near her cabin in the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

After her death, Starr was called "a bandit queen," "a female Jesse James," and "the Petticoat Terror of the Plains." Fantastic legends proliferated about her. In this book, Glenn Shirley sifts through those myths and unearths the facts.

 

Bulls-Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley by Sue Macy; foreword by Bess Edwards

Annie's amazing life comes sharply into focus in a compelling narrative, period photography, and in her own words. Two historical maps and a chronology ground the legend in time and place. 

Readers ride through a life filled with adventure. Annie grows up in the backwoods of Ohio, hunting game to feed her family. Discovered by Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show, she wows crowds with target shooting and daring horse riding. Annie's hardships are examined too, as is her inspirational status as a role model for women. 

Calamity Jane: The Life and Legend of Martha Jane Cannary by D.J. Herda

Calamity Jane follows the life of Martha Jane Cannary, a 19th century woman who went from penniless orphan to one of the most famous figures of the American West. In an era when women had few options in life, Calamity Jane had the audacity to carve them out for herself. The gun-toting, tough-talking, hard-drinking woman embodied the Western American spirit.

Cathy Williams: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier by Phillip Thomas Tucker

Women in today's United States military have received more recognition than ever in recent years, but women also played vital roles in battles and campaigns of previous generations. Cathy Williams served as Pvt. William Cathay from 1866 to 1868 with the famed Buffalo Soldiers, who patrolled the 900-mile Santa Fe Trail.

Tucker traces her life from her birth as a slave near Independence, Missouri, to her service in Company A, 38th U.S. Infantry, one of the six black units formed following the Civil War. Cathy Williams remains the only known African American woman to have served as a Buffalo Soldier in the Indian Wars. Her remarkable story continues to represent a triumph of the human spirit.

Deliverance: Mary Fields, First African American Woman Star Route Mail Carrier in the United States: A Montana History by Miantae Metcalf McConnell

1885-1914. Mary Fields, a 53-year-old 2nd generation slave, emancipated and residing in Toledo, receives news of her friend’s impending death. Remedies packed in her satchel, Mary rushes to board the Northern Pacific. Days later, she arrives in the Montana wilderness to find Mother Mary Amadeus lying on frozen earth in a broken-down cabin. Certain the cloister of frostbit Ursuline nuns and their students, Indian girls rescued from nearby reservations, will not survive without assistance, Mary decides to stay.

After weathering wolf attacks, wagon crashes, and treacherous conspiracies by scoundrels, local politicians, and the state’s first Catholic bishop, Mary Fields creates another daring plan. An avid patriot, she is determined to register for the vote. The price is high. Will she manifest her personal vision of independence?

Lady at the O.K. Corral: The True Story of Josephine Marcus Earp  by Ann Kirschner

For nearly 50 years, she was the common-law wife of Wyatt Earp, the hero of the O.K. Corral and most famous lawman of the Old West. Yet, Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp has nearly been erased from Western lore. In this fascinating biography, Ann Kirschner, author of the acclaimed Sala's Gift, brings Josephine out of the shadows of history to tell her tale: a spirited and colorful tale of ambition, adventure, self-invention, and devotion. Reflective of America itself, Josephine's story brings us from post–Civil War years to World War II, from New York to the Arizona Territory to old Hollywood.

 

Mourning Dove: A Salishan Autobiography edited by Jay Miller

Mourning Dove was the pen name of Christine Quintasket, a member of the Colville Federated Tribes of eastern Washington State. She was the author of Cogewea, The Half-Blood (one of the first novels to be published by a Native American woman) and Coyote Stories, both reprinted as Bison Books.

The Pinks: The First Women Detectives, Operatives, and Spies with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency by Chris Enss

Most students of the Old West and American law enforcement history know the story of the notorious and ruthless Pinkerton Detective Agency, and the legends behind their role in establishing the Secret Service and tangling with Old West outlaws. But the true story of Kate Warne, an operative of the Pinkerton Agency and first woman detective in America—and the stories of other women who served their country as part of the storied crew of crime fighters—are not well known.

For the first time, the stories of these intrepid women are collected and richly illustrated throughout, with numerous historical photographs. From Kate Warne's probable affair with Allan Pinkerton, and her part in saving the life of Abraham Lincoln in 1861, to the lives and careers of other women who broke out of the Cult of True Womanhood in pursuit of justice, these true stories add another dimension to our understanding of American history.

She Dared: True Stories of Heroines, Scoundrels, and Renegades by Ed Butts; illustrated by Heather Collins

From a true-life "Survivor Island" tale to the women who flew fighters and bombers for the Allies in World War II, Ed Butts invites you to meet 12 women who dared to live their lives on a tightrope. She Dared takes the reader to the Far North, where a single Native woman put an end to a ruinous war. There's Molly Brant, who stepped out of the shadow of her famous brother Joseph to make her own mark, and Dr. "James Barry," a prominent army physician whose true identity remained a secret until the day "he" died.

These are the stories of women who took up challenges that society felt could be met only by men: Mina Hubbard's incredible journey across Labrador; Martha Black's adventures in the Yukon; Sara Emma Edmonds's perilous missions as a Yankee spy in the Civil War. While some of these women achieved legitimate fame, others gained notoriety. Pearl Hart became a Wild West desperado. Cassie Chadwick fleeced bankers for a fortune in one of the most brazen con games ever played. Famous or infamous, the women in Ed Butts's fascinating book are sure to intrigue readers.

A Study of Native American Women Novelists: Sophia Alice Callahan, Mourning Dove, and Ella Cara Deloria by Gary Lee Sligh

This study examines the literary contributions of Sophia Alice Callahan, Mourning Dove, and Ella Cara Deloria—the first three Native American women to write novels in English. Sligh analyzes how activism, accommodation to European white culture, and autobiography have influenced works by contemporary authors such as Louise Erdrich, Betty Louise Bell, and Ignatia Broker.

Women of the Frontier: 16 Tales of Trailblazing Homesteaders, Entrepreneurs, and Rabble-Rousers by Brandon Marie Miller

Drawing on journal entries, letters, and song lyrics to evoke the courage and spirit of female pioneers, a collection of portraits traces the lives of such individuals as Amelia Stewart Knight, Miriam Colt, and Clara Brown.

The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired The Little House Books by Marta McDowell

This lushly illustrated book from bestselling author Marta McDowell examines Laura Ingalls Wilder's relationship to the landscape and illuminates how it inspired the beloved Little House Books.