Draft:Mabel Cody

Mabel Cody(August 15, 1886 - December 2, 1970) was one of several women to gain a title of fame for aerial stunt work in the 1920s despite various obstacles. She was best known for being a professional aerial stuntwomen and entrepreneur. Following her dangerous stunting times, she established her very own air show known as, Mabel Cody's Flying Circus.

Early Life and Family Background
Cody was born in the state of Oklahoma on August 15, 1886. With two brothers and one sister, Cody was a daughter to Benjamin Franklin Cody and Maddie Hortene Sapp. Cody did not receive publicity prior to her stunting career.

In Air Atmosphere
Cody among other women faced gender based inequality while building her career, as the early 1900s still contained gender roles. In that time period, women that participated in activities involving risks and airplanes received mixed opinions from society.

The Circus
Cody put on many shows with her circus, Mabel Cody's Flying Circus, featuring her own stunts and other guest performers. Cody performed various stunts that involved risk and precision. Her stunts included; moving from one automobile to another, wing walking and parachute jumping. At Pablo beach in 1924, Cody was performing a stunt that went wrong causing her to be rushed to the hospital. The stunt had required her to grab a ladder attached to a small plane in air, from a speeding car. One of the levels on the ladder broke mid stunt and caused Cody to fall with injuries. Cody was constantly up against another flying circus produced by Doug Davis. In late 1924, Cody and Davis agreed upon working together and combining shows. The merger was successful for both parties and continued putting on stunt based shows for audiences.

Post Career
In 1936, Government laws enforced new regulations that put an end to in air stunt shows. Following the end of the circus shows Mabel Cody ultimately disappeared from pubilicty leaving the remainder of her life to be unknown. Mabel Cody passed away at age 82 on December 2, 1970, in Birmingham, Alabama. Cody was also buried in Birmingham, Alabama.