Wild Horse Annie

Velma Johnston (1912–1977), nicknamed “Wild Horse Annie,” loved wild mustangs all her life. When she saw mustangs being rounded up and killed to make room for ranchers, she knew she had to speak up. She began writing letters to local newspapers and politicians. Many people told her to hush up, but they couldn't stop Annie. She soon became a voice for mustangs across the state of Nevada. Annie got children to speak up with her, writing letters to Washington, D.C. to ask their elected officials to save the mustangs. In 1971, with the help of her young “pencil brigade,” she persuaded Congress to pass a law protecting wild horses and burros on public land. Wild Horse Annie empowered a generation of children to become a voice for the voiceless.