Johnnie Mae Young is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Semi-retired professional wrestler

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

 and currently a WWE Ambassador.

Young was an influential pioneer in women's wrestling, helping to increase its popularity during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 and training many generations of wrestlers. She wrestled throughout the United States and Canada, and won multiple titles in the National Wrestling Alliance

National Wrestling Alliance

The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...

.

Beginning in 1999, Young had a high-profile "second career" in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).