Women Trailblazers From Iowa

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.

Inspiring Women in Iowa 

Dasia Taylor

This Iowan is using her platform in the STEM field to inspire next generation scientists.

Gabi Torres 

Meet Gabi Torres, an abstract painter who’s working to make Clinton an arts destination.

Jennifer Felton 

Jennifer Felton is passionate about timelessly capturing birds and feathers in wood.

Marissa Schletzbaum 

Marissa Schletzbaum, who has Down Syndrome, is a Special Olympian from Pleasantville, Iowa

Emily Brown 

Emily Brown is a gifted musician and dancer who is also fully blind and autistic

Black Iowa Newspaper 

Black Iowa News is an independent news platform designed to highlight Black perspectives.