Celebrate powerful voices this International Women’s Day with these free documentaries on Tubi
International Women’s Day is Monday, March 8. The day is celebrated globally and acknowledges the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
The day has been observed in some form since the early 1900s when women became more active in advocating for workplace and voting rights. The first National Woman’s Day was observed in the United States on Feb. 27, 1909. The day went on to gain recognition across the globe and was celebrated in many countries for several years before eventually losing steam.
Then, in the early 2000s, the movement behind International Women’s Day was re-ignited. The 100th anniversary of the first celebration - which happened in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland - was celebrated in 2011. Also during that year, then-President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month."
RELATED: Celebrate Women’s History Month with female-centric films, documentaries and directors
In years past, massive marches and events have taken place in cities across the country to mark the occasion. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those events aren’t scheduled. But you can still find a virtual event near you to help celebrate the day.
And in another way to celebrate, you can watch any of these free and on-demand documentaries on Tubi that feature powerful women’s voices.
Anita (2013) - "A profile of Anita Hill, the African-American lawyer who accused US Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment."
An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland (2013) - "The inspiring story of a Southern white woman who was disowned by her family, shot at, and put on death row for joining the Civil Rights Movement."
Free Angela and All Political Prisoners (2013) - "The story of professor Angela Davis, whose social activism implicated her in a botched kidnapping and put her on the FBI’s Most Wanted List in 1970."
GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012) - "This heartfelt documentary chronicles the rise and fall of the first-ever, all-female pro-wrestling show through the stories of those who lived it."
Half The Picture (2018) - "This insightful doc investigates Hollywood’s systemic discrimination by interviewing directors like Ava DuVernay, Jill Soloway, and others."
Harriet Tubman: They Called Her Moses (2018) - "The life and times of Harriet Tubman, who led the Underground Railroad of American slaves to freedom, are explored by scholars and historians."
Jaha's Promise (2017) - "A survivor of female genital mutilation and forced child marriage returns to her home country of Gambia to fight for a new generation of women."
MeToo: A Movement That Changed the World (2019) - "This documentary examines the tweet that actress Alyssa Milano sent, and how it led the charge for social awareness that took down corrupt men in power."
Play Fair (2015) - "An inspiring account of 50 years of activism and legal struggles to ensure that women have equal rights and access to compete in sports at all levels."
The Story of Women and Power (2014) - "For centuries women campaigned for political and sex equality in Britain, an inspiring struggle against injustice largely forgotten by history."
The Unknown: Serena (2019) - "Exploring the life and career of Serena Williams."
Why We Laugh: Funny Women (2013) - "Veteran funny-lady Joan Rivers hosts an honest look at the evolution of the female stand-up comedian through in-depth interviews with some of the most famous women in comedy."
See the full list of Women’s History Month titles available free to stream on Tubi here.
This story was reported from Detroit