Women’s History Month is held annually during the month of March to commemorate and encourage the study, observance and celebration of the vital role women hold in American history. Over the last seven decades, public radio and television programs have documented these efforts on the national and global level, and the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) provides an online portal to these generations of yesteryear through today.
To honor Women’s History Month, below is a selection of programs for, by, and about women organized by:
- Staff Highlights
- Individual Interviews
- International Perspectives
- Special Collections
- Scholar Curation
- Helpful Searches
Staff Highlights:
–Woman Series – Produced and hosted by women during the 1970s, the Woman series is a talk show featuring in-depth conversations exploring issues affecting the lives of women.
The Woman Series Special Collection consists of 197 episodes of the Woman series produced by WNED in Buffalo, New York from 1972-1977. From 1973 – 1977, PBS syndicated the series, and producer Sandra Elkin became the show’s host. Each episode focused on a single topic with featured guest discussants. Guests included well-known and lesser-known activists, journalists, writers, scholars, lawyers, artists, psychologists, doctors and others such as Gloria Steinem, editor and co-founder of Ms. Magazine; Dorothy Pitman Hughes, African American activist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine; Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique; Florynce Kennedy, founder of the National Feminist Party; Margaret Sloan, co-founder of the National Black Feminist Organization; Karen DeCrow, then president of the National Organization for Women; Margaret Dunkle of the Project on the Status of Women for the Association of American Colleges; and Ruth Miller of the Buffalo Planned Parenthood Association. Topics discussed on the show included women in sports, the Equal Rights Amendment, sexuality, marriage, women’s health, divorce, the Women’s Liberation Movement, motherhood, and ageism, among others.
– Prospects of Mankind with Eleanor Roosevelt – A talk show hosted by Eleanor Roosevelt featuring roundtable discussion of foreign and domestic affairs with leading political, academic, and journalistic experts (1959-1962).
These programs were produced for National Educational Television by WGBH-TV in cooperation with and filmed on location at Brandeis University (Boston, MA). View the collection at http://americanarchive.org/catalog?f%5Bseries_titles%5D%5B%5D=Prospects+of+Mankind+with+Eleanor+Roosevelt&f%5Baccess_types%5D%5B%5D=online.
Individual Interviews
– A Matter of Dignity with The MacNeil/Lehrer Report correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault
Produced by The MacNeil/Lehrer Report (1979).
As part of a reflection on the 25th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1979, The MacNeil/Lehrer Report. correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault reflects on her experience as one of the first African-American students at the University of Georgia and her dream to become a journalist.
Watch the full episode http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_507-8p5v698x44.
–Sissy Farenthold: A Texas Maverick
Contributed by Thirteen WNET (1975).
In this episode of Assignment America, Studs Terkel reports on the life and career of Sissy Farenthold, the former candidate for governor of Texas and U.S. Vice-President. The episode centers on Farenthold’s journey to becoming a Texas politician, as well as her political views and personal career reflections. Farenthold also shares her thoughts on the political prospects of women, minorities, and Texas liberals.
View the episode at http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_75-257d807m.
–Connections; Women in the Military
Contributed by South Carolina ETV (2010).
In this series of interviews from 2010, South Carolina ETV hosts conversations with women in several branches of the military to see why they chose their paths in the military.
To view this program or read the transcript, visit http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_41-67jq2t1w
International Perspectives
–Woman; Puerto Rican Women’s Federation
Produced by WNED (1975).
This episode features a conversation with Sisten Elida Rodriquez and Lourdes Vasquez. Sister Elida Rodriguez is founder of a social religious community called Sisters of Jesus Mediator and a founder of the Puerto Rican Women’s Federation. Lourdes Vasquez is a teacher by profession and also a founder of the Puerto Rican Women’s Federation.
Watch the interview at http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_81-01pg4fv3.
–History of Women in the Visual Arts: Women artists of Renaissance Italy and the Netherlands, pt 1
Contributed by the University of Maryland (1978).
This program is produced by Kit Maxwell and Ann Decker, as part of a series of programs chronologically documenting historical conditions and personal circumstances of women who pursued art careers in the Western world. This specific program discusses the work and lives of women involved in art in Renaissance-era Italy and the Netherlands and the women depicted in works of art at the time, as well as samples of music associated with the era.
Listen to this program at http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_500-1z41r6nx6f.
–Dissent in Khomeini’s Iran; Women’s Rights in Iran
Produced by The MacNeil/Lehrer Report (1979).
This episode features a discussion on Women’s Rights in Iran. The guests are Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Shahriar Rouhani, Lois Beck, Jim Yuenger.
View the program and transcript at http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_507-w37kp7vn5w.
Special Collections
– Feminist Community Radio at KOPN (1970s-90s)
The Feminist Community Radio at KOPN Collection includes 93 audio recordings at KOPN from the 1970s to the 1990s, and functions as a window into feminist discourse and practice in mid-Missouri during an era of major changes in both radio and the feminist movement. The collection covers national issues such as the Equal Rights Amendment, Watergate, women’s health, the environment, and politics through a local lens, and provides a snapshot of Columbia and mid-Missouri music and culture during the era.
View the full collection at http://americanarchive.org/special_collections/kopn-women.
–Stonewall Uprising
Contributed by American Experience, WGBH (2011).
The Stonewall Uprising Interviews Collection is comprised of 48 raw interviews from the American Experience documentary of the same name. Stonewall Uprising discusses societal attitudes towards the gay community and early activism for gay rights prior to the riots, as well as the riots’ legacy, which includes the creation of a movement for gay rights, greater cohesion among the LGBTQ+ community, and the establishment of the first gay pride parades. Interviews took place with community leaders, activists, and authors, including Martha Shelley, a Stonewall veteran, activist for gay and lesbian rights, Virginia Apuzzo, a gay rights activist and former Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force; and Seymour Pine, Deputy Inspector of the NYPD Morals Division.
View the full collection at http://americanarchive.org/special_collections/stonewall-uprising-interviews.
Scholar Curation
“African-American women during the activist movements of the 1950s-1970s”, blog post curated by Marine Robbez, a French graduate student earning a Master’s degree in English with a specialization in American Civilization.
Helpful Searches
–Women in History: http://americanarchive.org/catalog?utf8=%E2%9C%93&f%5Baccess_types%5D%5B%5D=online&q=women+in+history
–Women’s Rights: http://americanarchive.org/catalog?q=women%27s+rights&utf8=%E2%9C%93&f%5Baccess_types%5D%5B%5D=online
–International Women’s Day: http://americanarchive.org/catalog?utf8=%E2%9C%93&f%5Baccess_types%5D%5B%5D=online&q=international+women%27s+day
blog.americanarchive.org 
One thought on “Women’s History Month 2019”