The Pedestriennes: America's Forgotten Superstars

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"The America's Forgotten Superstars" tells the little-known story of a handful of  late 19th century female athletes  who dazzled America with their remarkable performances in  endurance walking . Frequently performing in front of large raucous crowds, pedestriennes walked on makeshift tracks setup in reconfigured theatres and opera houses. Top pedestriennes often earned more money in one week than the average American took home in a year. Newspapers reported on their achievements and interviewed the  champions . Their walking outfits became fashion plates, their pictures were sold in stores and they made personal appearances as national celebrities. The pedestriennes' exploits  reshaped the country's attitudes about what women could accomplish  and established the foundation for  modern sports , the  revival of the Olympic Games  and the  suffragist movement .