Celebrate this special month by delving into pivotal moments in history and gaining deeper insights into the remarkable women who have shaped it, as well as those who continue to make significant contributions today! Join WCNY and Classic FM in commemorating the invaluable contributions women have made to our society through special TV and radio programming, a screening event, educational content, and on-demand streaming options.
Alpha Kappa Alpha: A Legacy of Service
Watch Tuesday, March 12 at 9:30 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Narrated by Phylicia Rashad, “Alpha Kappa Alpha: A Legacy of Service,” documents the 115-year history of one of the nation’s oldest African American women’s organizations. Since its founding at Howard University in 1908, the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha have empowered communities across the globe.
Watch Thursday, March 14 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
Jazz troubadour Ruth Weiss escaped the Holocaust to the United States, where she became one of the influential poets of the Beat Generation. Her creative works endure as an act of resistance on behalf of all the unheard voices.
American Masters: Roberta Flack
Watch Saturday, March 16 at 8 p.m. on WCNY-TV
“American Masters: Roberta Flack” follows the music icon from a piano lounge through her rise to stardom. From “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.
Watch Saturday, March 16 at 9:30 p.m. on WCNY-TV
“Olympia” is an intimate look into the life and career of beloved Oscar-winning actress Olympia Dukakis and her courageous journey to find her own voice.
Nolly on MASTERPIECE (Three-Part Series)
Watch Sunday, March 17, 24, & 31 at 9 p.m. on WCNY-TV
“Nolly” reveals the story of Noele “Nolly” Gordon, one of the most famous faces on British TV in the 1960s and 70s, whose unceremonious firing from her hit show at the height of her career was front-page news. A bold exploration of how the establishment turns on women who refuse to play by the rules, “Nolly” is an outrageously fun and wildly entertaining ride through Gordon’s most tumultuous years, and a sharp, affectionate, and heart-breaking portrait of a forgotten icon.
Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America Reframed Special
Watch Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. on WCNY-TV
“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.
Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening
Watch Thursday, March 28 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
“Josephine Baker: The Story of an Awakening” details the fascinating story of the first Black superstar. Baker, born into poverty in Missouri in 1906, moved to France where she became a dancer hailed as the Queen of Paris, joined the French Resistance, and became a civil rights activist.
The Story of the D-Day Forecast: Three Days in June
Watch Saturday, March 30 at 10 p.m. on WCNY-TV
In June 1944, the success of the D-Day military invasion was completely reliant on weather readings taken by a young woman, Maureen Sweeney. Including a special interview with Sweeney and contributions from Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter of the General), historian Antony Beevor, and others, follow this unique moment in history where military might and meteorological analysis collided.
CONNECT NY: Challenges Facing Women
Watch Monday, March 25 at 9 p.m. on WCNY-TV
On the March edition of “CONNECT NY,” we’ll highlight issues and opportunities for women in New York. We’ll break down proposals Governor Kathy Hochul is pushing in 2024, including expanded prenatal leave and initiatives to improve maternal health outcomes. We’ll also engage our panel of policymakers and stakeholders in discussions about women in the workforce and reproductive rights.
WCNY invites you to attend the “Nolly” Premiere Screening Event on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. at the WCNY-TV Studios!
Join us for a sneak peek of the premiere episode of “Nolly” on the big screen, before it airs! The event begins at 4 p.m. with a welcome reception and light refreshments, followed by the in-person screening at 4:30 p.m.
There is no fee to attend the event, but registration is required.
“Fly with Me” tells the story of the pioneering women who became flight attendants at a time when single women were unable to order a drink, eat alone in a restaurant, own a credit card or get a prescription for birth control. The job offered unheard-of opportunities for travel and independence. These women were on the frontlines of the battle to assert gender equality and transform the workplace.
Who decides which stories get told? A scrappy group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists buck the white male-dominated status quo, banding together to launch The 19th*, a digital news startup aiming to combat misinformation. A story of an America in flux, and the voices often left out of the narrative, the documentary Breaking the News shows change doesn’t come easy.
After experiencing neglect and traumatic loss while pregnant in prison, Pamela Winn becomes an activist, leading hundreds of thousands to support the Dignity Bill to end the shackling of pregnant people in prison. “Winn” exposes the horrifying experience that incarcerated pregnant people endure and documents Pamela’s mission to end shackling in the South.
The Seneca Falls 1848 Women’s Rights Convention focused political and public attention on gender equality and women’s suffrage in America.
Emily Howland, advocate for African American rights including education, and women’s suffrage, became the first woman to direct a national bank in the U.S.
Central New York’s Matilda Joslyn Gage became a nationally known abolition and women’s rights advocate.
Harriet Tubman was an Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, and advocate for women’s suffrage.
