Olive Oatman (1837 – March 20, 1903) was a woman from Illinois who was abducted by a Native American tribe in today's Arizona (likely the Yavapai people) when she was thirteen years old, then sold to another tribe (the Mohave people). She ultimately regained her freedom five years later. The story resonated in the media, partly owing to the prominent blue tattooing of Oatman's face by her captors.
In subsequent years, the tale of Oatman came to be retold with dramatic license in novels, plays, and poetry.
Read more about Olive Oatman: Early Life, Oatman Massacre, Abduction and Captivity, Later Life, Death and Legacy, Further Reading
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“Even when seen from near, the olive shows
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—Richard Wilbur (b. 1921)