On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment of the US Constitution was ratified, affording women the right to vote. It’s been 100 years since its passage, and women have made great strides during the last century, while still facing myriad challenges in society, politics, and other arenas. In 2020, the centennial is being recognized throughout the country with a nationwide project—UNLADYLIKE2020: Unsung Women who Changed America.
They achieved many firsts: earning an international pilot’s license, becoming a bank president, founding a hospital, fighting for the desegregation of public spaces, exploring the Arctic, opening a film studio, and singing opera at Carnegie Hall. Now, see the stories of these courageous women through UNLADYLIKE2020, a multimedia project supported by a California Documentary Project grant. Produced and directed by Charlotte Mangin, this project brings the incredible stories of trailblazing women back to life through original artwork and animation, rare historical archival footage, and interviews with descendants, historians, and accomplished modern women who reflect upon the influence of these pioneers. From March 4 through August 26, 2020, UNLADYLIKE2020 will be releasing 26 short films and a one-hour broadcast documentary on PBS American Masters profiling diverse and little-known American women from the turn of the 20th century, and contemporary women who follow in their footsteps.
See below for more information about seven short films featuring inspiring California women that will premiere online through August.
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Ynés Mexía—Accomplished Latina Botanist
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Anna May Wong—Trendsetting Movie Star and Fashion Icon
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Louise Arner Boyd—First Woman to Lead Arctic Expeditions
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Lois Weber—The First Woman to Direct Feature Length Film
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Tye Leung Schulze—First Chinese American Woman Federal Government Employee
ONLINE—UNLADYLIKE2020: Margaret Chung—First American-Born Chinese Female Doctor
