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United State Womens History

A guide of library and open access resources

Films and Documentaries

The following cinema and documentary titles are licensed through UNCSA Library. If off-campus, you will be asked to enter UNCSA credentials to view. 

Harriet (2019)

Harriet is a 2019 American biographical film about abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, who wrote the screenplay with Gregory Allen Howard, it stars Cynthia Erivo as Tubman, with Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe in supporting roles.

Iron Jawed-Angels (2004)

A 2004 American historical drama film. The film depicts suffragist leader Alice Paul, activists Lucy Burns, Inez Milholland, and Carrie Chapman Catt.

Selma (2014, directed by Ava DuVernay)

A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.

The Oratory of Women's Suffrage

This video documentary re-creates the speeches of leading suffragettes whose impassioned words shaped the women’s movement during its inception in the late 19th century.

Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, a film by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes

Together, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony fought for the rights of women in America—indeed, women everywhere—and their determination and achievements still ripple through American society. This stirring documentary by Ken Burns and Paul Barnes recounts the challenges and triumphs of two pioneers who gave birth to the women’s movement.

What 80 Million Women Want

A 1913 dramatic film that features prominent suffragettes of the times. 

Hidden Figures (2017)

As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history.

RBG (2018)

At the age of 85, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a lengthy legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But the unique personal journey of her rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans - until now. RBG explores Ginsburg's life and career.