Trailblazers
There is much that young people can learn from the contributions of the women who came before them. In this WQED digital series, teenagers talk about trailblazers who inspire them.
Rachel Carson
Norah Ostin, a senior at Oakland Catholic High School, is inspired by the Springdale native who literally wrote the book on how chemicals are harming the environment.
Gwen Elliott
Maya Wanamaker is an Oakland Catholic High School student from Cranberry Township who has learned about Gwen Elliott, a woman who broke barriers in the Pittsburgh Police Department and then later became an advocate for young girls.
Jennie Bradley Roessing
Early in the 20th century, Pittsburgh suffragists toured the state of Pennsylvania, making a case for women's votes. Jennie Bradley Roessing took an attention-getting prop with her in her travels.
Kim Berkeley Clark
Chloe Baker is a high school student from Munhall who's inspired by the Honorable Kim Berkeley Clark, the first African American woman to serve as President Judge in Allegheny County.
Marie Torre
Cranberry Township sophmore Bella White introduces her trailblazer, one of the first women to make inroads in Pittsburgh TV news, who gained national attention for a courageous decision she made early in her career.
Alma Speed Fox
Quaker Valley High School junior Eleanor Schlick reflects on the woman who has been called the Mother of Pittsburgh Civil Rights.
Local Programming
Enjoy more WQED productions that showcase women trailblazers with connections to the Pittsburgh region.
A Crowning Achievement
Young women of color were not always welcome in “beauty pageants.” Jean Bryant worked to change that.
Finding Elizabeth's Soldiers
WQED's efforts to find homes for 100 of Elizabeth Black's sketches from WWII.
Never A Spectator - The Political Life of Elsie Hillman
The story of a Pittsburgh political giant who spent 40 years working both sides of the political aisle.
Portraits for the Homefront: The Story of Elizabeth Black
A remarkable story of a Pittsburgh artist who sketched soldiers on European battlefields during WWII.
Salute to the Sky
Florence Shutsy Reyolds made history as one of the first women pilots in World War II.
Torchbearers: The Story of Pittsburgh's Freedom Fighters
Revisit Pittsburgh's struggles during the so-called golden era of civil rights.
Visible
The stories of five ground-breaking women visual artists from Western PA.
WQED Mini Docs: Musical Mentors
Two award-winning stories of female innovators in Pittsburgh music.
WQED Mini Docs: Pittsburgh Women in WWII
Award-winning mini documentaries, showcasing the wartime contributions of Pittsburgh-area women.
National Programming
This summer, PBS honors and commemorates those who fought for women’s suffrage in the U.S., the feminist movement throughout the 20th century, and the stories of modern women who continue to shatter the glass ceiling and transform modern history.
American Masters: Mae West: Dirty Blond
Dive into the life and career of groundbreaking writer, performer and subversive star Mae West.
The Vote
Meet the unsung heroes of the movement and relive the unrelenting campaign that led to passage of the 19th Amendment
American Masters: Toni Morrison
An artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller that examines her life and works.
POV: And She Could Be Next
A story of a defiant movement of women of color, transforming politics from the ground up.
American Masters: Unladylike 2020
Mark the women’s suffrage centennial with stories of pioneering women who shaped American politics.
