Women’s History Month is here, and your WTIU PBS Passport member benefit has so much programming to celebrate! We invite you to explore the impact that women of all walks of life have had on our society. From names we all know, like Dolly Parton (do we even need to include her last name?), to often-overlooked leaders like Dolores Huerta, PBS programs shine a light on women’s stories. Here are 10 programs that you can watch right now in celebration of strong women everywhere!
Not Done: Women Remaking America
It has been more than five years since the #MeToo movement went viral after actor Alyssa Milano tweeted the phrase and encouraged others who had been sexually harassed or assaulted to do the same. The intervening years have seen a resurgence of the women’s movement in its re-energized, intersectional fight for equality on many fronts. Put your WTIU PBS Passport benefit into action and watch as politicians, journalists, activists, athletes, and entertainers report from the frontlines of the feminist tidal wave.
By One Vote: Woman Suffrage in the South
When Tennessee legislator Harry T. Burn followed his mother’s advice and cast his fateful vote to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, he ensured the state would be forever associated with bestowing the right to vote on U.S. women. But the story didn’t end there. Narrated by Roseanne Cash, this exclusive documentary explores the complex legacy of the suffrage movement, particularly as it relates to issues of race and class, and chronicles the events leading up to the turbulent, nail-biting showdown of August 1920.
Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony
Dig more deeply into the origins of the women’s movement with this two-part film by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes that tells the story of two very different women unified by one allegiance. Recount the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, two leaders who formed a partnership lasting over 50 years, fighting relentlessly to better the lives of women everywhere.
Loretta Lynn: My Story in My Words
While Loretta Lynn rejected the label of feminist, there is no question that her songwriting amplified women’s issues throughout her six decade career. As Taylor Swift said shortly after Lynn’s death in October 2022, “She was so ahead of her time. The way she exercised brutal, truthful, fearless honesty every time she sat down to write a song is something that changed music forever and paved the way for every songwriter who’s trying to be truthful and honest today.” Learn about the roots of Loretta Lynn's authenticity with your WTIU PBS Passport benefit!
Dolly Parton & Friends: 50 Years at the Opry
Another country music icon, Dolly Parton embraces the ideals of girl power like no other, and she is as popular now as ever! Join Dolly and many of her superstar friends including Emmylou Harris and Margo Price, as she celebrates 50 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Featuring new interviews with Dolly, words and music are woven together to reveal Dolly's story as she overcame obstacles with her trademark aplomb and made her little girl dreams come true.
9 to 5: The Story of a Movement
Speaking of Dolly Parton, did you know that when she recorded her classic song “9 to 5” for the film of the same name, she was singing about a real movement that started with a group of secretaries in the early 1970s? Their goal was simple—better pay, more advancement opportunities, and an end to sexual harassment. Unlike the characters in the movie, those real-life secretaries couldn’t blackmail their bosses, so they did the next best thing: they organized and, in doing so, changed the American workplace forever.
Dolores
With intimate and unprecedented access, this documentary by Peter Bratt tells the story of Dolores Huerta, among the most important, yet least-known, activists in American history. Co-founder of the first farmworkers union along with Cesar Chavez, she tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the 20th century. Learn more about Huerta’s remarkable life in this episode of Independent Lens with your WTIU PBS Passport member benefit.
Now Hear This: Florence Price and the American Migration
Exploring the life and work of Florence Price, a composer who lived in the early 20th century, this episode of Great Performances focuses on the challenges she faced as a Black woman trying to break into the world of classical music during a time when racial discrimination was rampant. Join host Scott Yoo as he follows Price’s journey from Little Rock to Chicago as part of the Great Migration, a period in American history when millions of African Americans moved from the South to the North in search of better economic opportunities and freedom from racial oppression.
American Masters: Roberta Flack
Follow music legend Roberta Flack from a piano lounge through her rise to stardom in this 2023 episode of American Masters . From “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to “Killing Me Softly,” Flack’s virtuosity was inseparable from her commitment to civil rights. Detailing her story in her own words, the film features exclusive access to Flack’s archives and interviews with Reverend Jesse Jackson, Peabo Bryson, and more. Tune in now with your WTIU PBS Passport benefit to learn more about her remarkable life!
American Experience: The Codebreaker
Based on the book The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies, this episode of American Experience reveals the fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst who painstakingly worked to decode thousands of messages for the U.S. government. A native of Huntington, Indiana, Friedman deciphered enemy codes in both World Wars and helped solve international smuggling cases during Prohibition.