What to Watch For Women's History Month
From documentaries on pioneering female activists and leaders to thought-provoking discussions on the challenges women face today, we have something for everyone. Join us as we honor the trailblazing women who have helped shape our world and inspire the next generation of female leaders. Watch these programs on the PBS App on your phone, smart TV or streaming device like a Roku.
Local Programs
Carrie Chapman Catt: Warrior for Women
Carrie Chapman Catt, a prominent suffragist and political activist who played a key role in the women's suffrage movement in the United States. We trace Catt's journey from her childhood in rural Iowa, to her education at Iowa State University, and her leadership of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
We’ll highlight Catt's strategic approach to advocacy, her use of media and public speaking to build support for suffrage, and her key role in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. It also explores Catt's international work for women's rights, including her role in the founding of the League of Women Voters and the International Alliance of Women.
More Than a Game: Six-on-Six Basketball
In 1993, the era of girls' six-on-six basketball in Iowa came to an end. This hour long documentary takes a look back at the game and what it meant to generations of girls who played it.
One of the most acclaimed sports in Iowa history, six-on-six was especially popular in small towns. It was there that young women became queens of the court, where communities rallied behind their daughters, and where school leaders, mostly male, fought for girls' equality. Like nowhere else in the country, young women in Iowa have played the game of basketball for over a century.
Six-on-six was unique. The girls who played it and the rural communities that loved it were part of an experience that may never again be replicated in any sport, by either gender. For Iowans, it was More Than a Game.
FarmHer
FarmHer: The Documentary explores the important role women play in agriculture by following photographer Marji Guyler-Alaniz, who specializes in capturing images of female farmers working in various sectors of the agriculture industry. FarmHer spotlights some of the farmers Guyler-Alaniz has photographed and share their stories of running farm operations and living on the land.
PBS Programs
A Tribute to Linda Ronstadt at The Soraya
Linda Ronstadt has changed lives. It's a fact, it's not up for debate. When she released her mariachi album "Canciones de Mi Padre" in 1987, Ronstadt had already dominated the rock scene, the country scene, and the all the good-music-worth-listening-to scene. She demonstrated how someone could show all the different parts of themselves with pride when she put her Mexican heritage on display and recorded the Spanish-language mariachi album.
In this 2020 tribute concert from Southland Sessions, Ronstadt's hits are sung by artists she influenced, including La Marisoul and Aida Cuevas.
Fannie Lou Hamer's America
Fannie Lou Hamer's America is a portrait of a civil rights activist and the injustices in America that made her work essential. Through public speeches, personal interviews, and powerful songs of the fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-human-rights-activist, Fannie Lou Hamer's America explores and celebrates the lesser-known life of one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders.
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom
Harriet Tubman, a prominent figure in the fight against slavery, closely followed the politics of her time. She believed that the only way to end slavery was through war, and when Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, she knew more had to be done. Tubman played a large role in various war efforts, including nursing wounded soldiers, lecturing, and encouraging Black men to join the cause.
Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Discover an international singer who captivated royalty in Europe and defied the conscience of 1939 America. Watch rare archival footage and hear audio recordings exploring her life and career from the Metropolitan Opera to the State Department.