March is Women’s History Month! Join us as we celebrate the contributions and achievements of trailblazing women throughout history. Below we’ve gathered a list of insightful programs that illuminate the incredible journeys of women from the past and present, airing this month on PBS KVIE, available to stream for free on the PBS app, or available to stream with PBS KVIE Passport. Through topics on culture, arts, science, and more, these programs explore the captivating stories of women throughout the world.
Programs Airing on PBS KVIE
American Masters: Mae West
March 11 at 9PM
Dive into the life and career of groundbreaking writer, performer, and subversive star Mae West. Over a career spanning eight decades, she broke boundaries and possessed creative and economic powers unheard of for a female entertainer in the 1930s.
American Experience: The Sun Queen
March 12 at 9PM
Explore the remarkable life of solar power visionary pioneer Mária Telkes. For nearly 50 years, she applied her prodigious intellect to harnessing the power of the sun. Her research and innovations from the 1930s through the ’70s continue to shape how we power our lives today.
Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl
March 14 at 9:30PM
Discover the life and work of Sarah Cannon, aka country music comedian Minnie Pearl. With her “Howdee” greeting and price tag dangling from her straw hat, this beloved character was an instantly recognizable icon of country radio, stage and TV.
Groundbreakers
March 15 at 9PM
Celebrate the advancements of women in sports and society over several generations with host Billie Jean King. Groundbreakers features sports icons from different generations as they interview one another, sharing personal powerful stories of the perseverance, pain, and progress they’ve experienced in their remarkable careers. Athletes include Naomi Osaka and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Chloe Kim and Nancy Lieberman, Suni Lee and Julie Foudy, and Diana Flores.
American Masters: Flannery O’Connor
March 21 at 9:30PM
Explore the life of Flannery O’Connor, whose provocative fiction was unlike anything published before. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, newly discovered journals and interviews with Mary Karr, Tommy Lee Jones, Hilton Als, and more.
Finding Your Roots: Secret Lives
March 26 at 8PM
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps comedians Carol Burnett and Niecy Nash decode scandals hidden within their roots, exposing secrets that their ancestors concealed and celebrating the virtue of accepting one’s relatives—whoever they may be.
American Masters: Roberta Flack
March 28 at 9:30PM
Follow music icon Roberta Flack from a piano lounge through her rise to stardom. 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 Rev. Jesse Jackson, Peabo Bryson, and more.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App
FRONTLINE: For Sama
Discover the story of filmmaker and young mother Waad al-Kateab in this award-winning documentary. In a time of conflict and darkness in her home in Aleppo, Syria, al-Kateab kept her camera rolling — while falling in love, getting married, having a baby and saying goodbye as her city crumbled.
KVIE Arts Showcase: Celebrating Women Artists
Celebrate women artists locally and around the country. Learn about their influences, their artistic processes, and their work in their communities.
The Journey with Rob Stewart: Doris Matsui
Sit down with Rob and Congresswoman Doris Matsui as she offers a rare look at her personal and political journey. Experience her unique perspectives on 15 years as the U.S. House Representative serving the Sacramento region.
To Climb a Gold Mountain
Follow the inspirational and poignant stories of three women of Asian descent who lived in America from the 1850s to the present day. Each woman’s journey represents a distinct theme of struggle and triumph and ushers in a succeeding story, leading up to present day.
ViewFinder: Ladies to the Rescue
Meet the pioneering first responders who fought fires and provided medical aid in Citrus Heights from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App with PBS KVIE Passport
PBS KVIE Passport is a benefit of station membership. Members gain extended access to more videos available to stream on the PBS App.
Beyond the Powder: The Legacy of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race
Fly high with the brave women who made history during the first Woman’s Air Derby in 1929, breaking into a competition that was thought to be for men only. They encountered sabotage, death, and all the difficulties of flying at the dawn of aviation. Today the Powder Puff Derby continues as the Air Race Classic. The modern-day racers carry out the legacy of the original racers with their adventurous spirit.
Dolores
With intimate and unprecedented access, Dolores tells the story of Dolores Huerta, among the most important activists in American history. Co-founder of the first farmworkers union with Cesar Chavez, she tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the 20th century.
Her War, Her Story: World War II
Explore the stories of women caught up in World War II, from the American Home Front to Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland. Included in this hour-long film are also the personal stories of the incredible women who served in a war that proved women were equal to men when it came to patriotism, service, or in some cases, self-preservation during watershed moments which called for steadfastness.
Native America: Women Rule
Native women are leading, innovating, and inspiring in the arts, politics, and protecting the planet. Native America explores the diverse ways they carry forward deep traditions to better their communities, their lands, and the world.
Secrets of the Surface: The Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani
Examine the life and mathematical work of Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian immigrant to the United States who became a superstar in her field. In 2014, prior to her untimely death at the age of 40, she became both the first woman and the first Iranian to be awarded the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics, often equated in stature with the Nobel Prize.