About This Lesson
Katie Sandwina lifted more than carousels and cannons—she also lifted up women everywhere! Discover her story: from her career as a circus strongwoman and pioneering athlete, to her steadfast loyalty to the suffragette movement.
Even from a young age, Katie Brumbach was BIG and STRONG. She could lift heavy weights, bend steel bars, and lift several men at once! She boldly named herself “Katie Sandwina” after Eugen Sandow, the world’s strongest man, and her women’s record for an overhead lift of 296 pounds remained unbroken for over 75 years.
In 1912, at the height of her American fame, she publicly rallied with her fellow circus performers for women’s suffrage. Hailed as a goddess-like figure by the press and circus audiences, Katie showed the world that being big and strong was beautiful.
