Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

American actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade tells the story of her cousin, ballet dancer Janet Collins. "There are times in your life when you want to give up, but she never did," de Lavallade says. She also shares stories about other inspiring women in her life like Nina Simone and Lena Horne.

Go to program

Clip Length 06:11 Premiere: 01/07/17

Recent Episodes

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World

S40 E5 Length 1:22:55 Premiere Date 08/25/26

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause

S40 E4 Length 1:52:45 Premiere Date 05/19/26

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House

S40 E3 Length 1:40:12 Premiere Date 03/17/26

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible

S40 E2 Length 1:23:05 Premiere Date 02/20/26

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire

S40 E1 Length 1:23:55 Premiere Date 01/27/26

Starring Dick Van Dyke

S39 E8 Length 1:52:55 Premiere Date 12/12/25

Clips & Previews

Inspiring Woman: Political Strategist Ana Navarro

Clip Length 01:00 Premiere Date 12/08/17

Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

Clip Length 06:11 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Carmen de Lavallade shares why we need the arts

Clip Length 01:13 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Learn about the women who inspired Denis O'Hare growing up

Clip Length 02:18 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Angie Mar, Owner & Head Chef: The Beatrice Inn

Clip Length 05:26 Premiere Date 11/29/17

Tracy Clayton, BuzzFeed Podcast Host: Another Round

Clip Length 06:30 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman Web Series: Trailer

Preview Length 01:27 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman Premiere Event & Panel Discussion

Clip Length 36:10 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Josephine Rubio Flores

Clip Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/15/17

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Ngun Moy Hum

Clip Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/15/17

Learn how Rosanne Cash's grandmother inspired her

Clip Length 01:18 Premiere Date 03/04/17

The Inspiring Woman behind Lackawanna Blues' Nanny

Clip Length 00:41 Premiere Date 02/21/17

American Masters Launches "Inspiring Woman"

Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 01/15/17

Specials

The Many Passions of Matteo Lane

Length 55:08 Premiere Date 09/11/26

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World [EAD]

Length 1:26:04 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World [ASL]

Length 1:22:55 Premiere Date 08/25/26

Taylor Rooks Talks NBA, Interview Techniques and Finding the Person Behind the Athlete

Length 28:54 Premiere Date 07/24/26

How Clive Davis became a titan of the music industry

Length 29:07 Premiere Date 07/16/26

Michael Sarnoski: What Robin Hood and Folklore Tell Us About Ourselves Today

Length 28:04 Premiere Date 07/03/26

Mike Wallace reflects on the 60 Minutes tobacco story controversy

Length 13:45 Premiere Date 06/30/26

Tyler James Williams on 30 Years of Acting and Protecting the Next Generation

Length 35:23 Premiere Date 06/18/26

Olivia Wilde on making “Tron: Legacy” with Jeff Bridges

Length 13:57 Premiere Date 06/16/26

Why Atsuko Okatsuka’s Comedy Connects Across Cultures

Length 30:00 Premiere Date 06/05/26

Stankface Standing Soldier: The Rise of Mato Wayuhi

Length 16:11 Premiere Date 06/05/26

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause [EAD]

Length 1:59:02 Premiere Date 05/29/26

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause [ASL]

Length 1:52:45 Premiere Date 05/29/26

Warren King: King of Cardboard

Length 15:40 Premiere Date 05/26/26

Greg Kinnear on Acting, AI, and Why Movies Still Matter

Length 27:33 Premiere Date 05/22/26

Aliah Irvine & Kehau Kapua’a: Kukulu

Length 17:19 Premiere Date 05/14/26

Chris Fleming Embraces the Chaos

Length 39:17 Premiere Date 05/08/26

Cindy Tran: From Here to Here

Length 16:11 Premiere Date 04/30/26

Lani B. Supreme: Legacy

Length 12:38 Premiere Date 04/07/26

Hannah Mayree: Songs of Reclamation

Length 16:20 Premiere Date 04/02/26

John Goodman on "The Big Lebowski" and Jeff Bridges

Length 12:00 Premiere Date 03/20/26

Alsarah: The Sonic Historian

Length 17:36 Premiere Date 03/19/26

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House [EAD]

Length 1:45:25 Premiere Date 03/17/26

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House [ASL]

Length 1:40:13 Premiere Date 03/17/26

Ani Liu: Eye Heart Womb

Length 16:15 Premiere Date 03/05/26

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible [ASL]

Length 1:23:05 Premiere Date 02/20/26

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible [EAD]

Length 1:30:36 Premiere Date 02/20/26

Night in Newark

Length 12:29 Premiere Date 02/03/26

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire [ASL]

Length 1:24:05 Premiere Date 02/02/26

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire [EAD]

Length 1:28:10 Premiere Date 01/30/26

Maryam Taghavi: Estranged Letters [Extended Audio Description]

Length 17:00 Premiere Date 01/05/26

How Leslie Jones Became a Comedian

Length 31:00 Premiere Date 12/19/25

Maryam Taghavi: Estranged Letters

Length 15:04 Premiere Date 11/06/25

Phoebe Robinson Shows Her Work

Length 31:45 Premiere Date 10/17/25

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore [EAD]

Length 1:54:36 Premiere Date 10/14/25

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore [ASL]

Length 1:36:43 Premiere Date 10/14/25

Sarah McLachlan: Making Music to Connect and Heal

Length 37:19 Premiere Date 09/26/25

Harvey Fierstein on gay representation on Broadway and its deep history

Length 13:08 Premiere Date 09/08/25

How Natasha Rothwell’s Life Brought Her to “The White Lotus”

Length 33:40 Premiere Date 08/26/25

When Ringo Starr met Mae West

Length 10:00 Premiere Date 08/22/25

Daniel Dae Kim Leads Spy Drama and Fights for Industry Change

Length 21:48 Premiere Date 08/15/25

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb

Length 17:14 Premiere Date 08/12/25

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb [ASL]

Length 17:14 Premiere Date 08/12/25

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb [Extended Audio Description]

Length 19:25 Premiere Date 08/12/25

Mel Brooks' wild ride to his first Broadway show ever

Length 05:44 Premiere Date 08/11/25

John Kander and Fred Ebb on “Cabaret,” creativity and collaboration

Length 05:56 Premiere Date 08/11/25

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy

Length 15:00 Premiere Date 07/15/25

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy [Extended Audio Description]

Length 16:45 Premiere Date 07/15/25

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy [ASL]

Length 15:00 Premiere Date 07/15/25

Marcella [ASL]

Length 1:22:55 Premiere Date 07/11/25

Marcella [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:29:04 Premiere Date 07/11/25

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme

Length 16:23 Premiere Date 07/01/25

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme [ASL]

Length 16:23 Premiere Date 07/01/25

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme [Extended Audio Description]

Length 16:52 Premiere Date 07/01/25

Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny [ASL]

Length 1:23:45 Premiere Date 06/27/25

Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:35:17 Premiere Date 06/27/25

Phil Rosenthal’s Secret Recipe: Good Food and a Laugh

Length 22:53 Premiere Date 06/25/25

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence [ASL]

Length 1:51:14 Premiere Date 06/20/25

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 2:10:34 Premiere Date 06/20/25

Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call

Length 15:44 Premiere Date 06/17/25

Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [ASL]

Length 15:44 Premiere Date 06/17/25

Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [Extended Audio Description]

Length 17:34 Premiere Date 06/17/25

Tunde Adebimpe Channels His DIY Roots Into Raw Solo Debut

Length 37:28 Premiere Date 06/06/25

Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures

Length 18:13 Premiere Date 06/03/25

Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [ASL]

Length 18:13 Premiere Date 06/03/25

Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [Extended Audio Description]

Length 21:27 Premiere Date 06/03/25

Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This

Length 15:38 Premiere Date 05/21/25

Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [ASL]

Length 15:37 Premiere Date 05/21/25

Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [Extended Audio Description]

Length 17:58 Premiere Date 05/21/25

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps

Length 15:25 Premiere Date 05/06/25

Ten Times Better

Length 30:48 Premiere Date 05/05/25

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps [ASL]

Length 15:25 Premiere Date 05/05/25

Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps [Extended Audio Description]

Length 17:14 Premiere Date 05/05/25

Daveed Diggs Takes on Cyberpunk Rap

Length 25:28 Premiere Date 04/24/25

Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse [ASL]

Length 1:36:59 Premiere Date 04/14/25

Art Spiegelman: Disaster is My Muse [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 1:44:43 Premiere Date 04/14/25

LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 1:46:21 Premiere Date 03/31/25

LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story [ASL]

Length 1:42:06 Premiere Date 03/31/25

Lucy Dacus Makes Her First Loves Songs

Length 23:49 Premiere Date 03/28/25

The Disappearance of Miss Scott [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 1:34:14 Premiere Date 02/20/25

The Disappearance of Miss Scott [ASL]

Length 1:23:30 Premiere Date 02/20/25

Isabella Rossellini compares her acting and modeling

Length 28:24 Premiere Date 02/19/25

Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around [ASL]

Length 52:55 Premiere Date 12/16/24

Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 1:00:13 Premiere Date 12/16/24

Quincy Jones explains how he got started in music

Length 15:00 Premiere Date 11/15/24

Brad Lomax: Creating Communities of Care

Length 10:19 Premiere Date 10/29/24

Brad Lomax: Creating Communities of Care [ASL + OC]

Length 10:19 Premiere Date 10/29/24

Brad Lomax: Creating Communities of Care [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 13:34 Premiere Date 10/29/24

Thomas Wiggins: Composing the Future

Length 13:31 Premiere Date 10/22/24

Thomas Wiggins: Composing the Future [ASL + OC]

Length 13:31 Premiere Date 10/22/24

Thomas Wiggins: Composing the Future [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 16:54 Premiere Date 10/22/24

Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy

Length 13:03 Premiere Date 10/15/24

Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy [ASL + OC]

Length 13:03 Premiere Date 10/15/24

Celestine Tate Harrington: Building a Legacy [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 15:56 Premiere Date 10/15/24

Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service

Length 12:41 Premiere Date 10/08/24

Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 15:31 Premiere Date 10/08/24

Daniel K. Inouye: Life of Service [ASL + OC]

Length 12:41 Premiere Date 10/08/24

Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal

Length 12:36 Premiere Date 10/01/24

Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal [Extended Audio Description + OC]

Length 15:35 Premiere Date 10/01/24

Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal [ASL + OC]

Length 12:36 Premiere Date 10/01/24

Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined [EAD + OC]

Length 1:29:02 Premiere Date 09/23/24

Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined [ASL]

Length 1:23:57 Premiere Date 09/23/24

Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames [ASL]

Length 1:23:35 Premiere Date 08/27/24

Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames [EAD + OC]

Length 1:30:00 Premiere Date 08/27/24

How Lily Tomlin found liberation in exploring her Laugh-In characters

Length 12:35 Premiere Date 06/20/24

Paul Mooney on his career and relationship with Richard Pryor

Length 10:39 Premiere Date 06/20/24

How Phyllis Diller broke down the doors for female comics

Length 11:35 Premiere Date 06/20/24

Jeff Foxworthy on how every American might be a "redneck"

Length 15:41 Premiere Date 06/18/24

Love, Jamie

Length 19:45 Premiere Date 06/03/24

Joan Rivers finds humor in being yourself

Length 09:59 Premiere Date 05/28/24

Conan O’Brien gets serious about silliness

Length 15:32 Premiere Date 05/16/24

Dear Corky

Length 16:27 Premiere Date 05/01/24

Jerry Seinfeld on his place in American sitcom history

Length 16:01 Premiere Date 04/23/24

Weaving Nature

Length 18:39 Premiere Date 04/22/24

The Incomparable Mr. Buckley [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:42:08 Premiere Date 04/22/24

The Incomparable Mr. Buckley [ASL]

Length 1:40:40 Premiere Date 04/22/24

Susie Essman on "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and the unique "genius” of Larry David

Length 08:45 Premiere Date 04/14/24

Moynihan [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:44:19 Premiere Date 04/09/24

Moynihan [ASL]

Length 1:43:31 Premiere Date 04/01/24

Becoming Yamazushi

Length 14:08 Premiere Date 03/14/24

Searching for Augusta Savage

Length 21:48 Premiere Date 02/15/24

HOPPER: An American love story [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:07:42 Premiere Date 01/02/24

HOPPER: An American love story [ASL + Audio Description]

Length 53:03 Premiere Date 01/02/24

Louis Gossett, Jr. honors Maya Angelou's storytelling impact

Length 19:53 Premiere Date 12/18/23

Jerry Lewis on comedy and his bond with Sammy Davis, Jr.

Length 09:45 Premiere Date 12/07/23

Neil Young on David Geffen’s success as a media mogul

Length 15:10 Premiere Date 11/08/23

How Rita Moreno auditioned and rehearsed for West Side Story

Length 20:32 Premiere Date 11/06/23

How Billy Crystal learned to imitate Sammy Davis, Jr.

Length 19:23 Premiere Date 11/01/23

John Singleton on having Maya Angelou as a mentor

Length 13:33 Premiere Date 08/22/23

Steve Martin on how David Geffen thrived through friendships

Length 14:41 Premiere Date 08/09/23

Filmmaker Jonas Mekas on living in Andy Warhol's New York

Length 22:21 Premiere Date 08/02/23

Protactile: A Language of Touch

Length 17:42 Premiere Date 07/25/23

Protactile: A Language of Touch [Audio Description + ASL]

Length 17:42 Premiere Date 07/25/23

Protactile: A Language of Touch [Extended Audio Description]

Length 21:23 Premiere Date 07/25/23

André Leon Talley on Mae West’s impact on fashion and style

Length 15:24 Premiere Date 07/20/23

Fran Drescher on being a showrunner for the American sitcom

Length 21:12 Premiere Date 07/11/23

James Earl Jones on Sidney Poitier and acting

Length 16:12 Premiere Date 07/06/23

Lady Bunny on the echoes of Mae West in drag culture

Length 12:19 Premiere Date 06/29/23

Treat Williams on the acting process with Sidney Lumet

Length 06:24 Premiere Date 06/13/23

Keeping Video Art Alive With C.T. Lui

Length 08:24 Premiere Date 06/09/23

Ethan Lim: Cambodian Futures

Length 16:42 Premiere Date 04/25/23

Senghor Reid: Make Way For Tomorrow

Length 13:04 Premiere Date 04/18/23

Walshy Fire: Pull Up

Length 10:25 Premiere Date 04/11/23

Alejandro Jimenez: The Ground I Stand On

Length 12:00 Premiere Date 04/04/23

Jonathan Thunder: Good Mythology

Length 14:11 Premiere Date 03/28/23

Sydney G. James: How We See Us

Length 15:33 Premiere Date 03/21/23

Lily Gladstone: Far Out There

Length 13:51 Premiere Date 03/14/23

Jacques Pépin Makes Tuna Tartare

Length 06:39 Premiere Date 09/21/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Sautéed Cod with Mushrooms

Length 05:44 Premiere Date 09/14/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Baked Salmon with Sautéed Endive

Length 04:02 Premiere Date 09/08/22

Martin Scorsese on the films of John Ford

Length 19:20 Premiere Date 09/07/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Pork Roast with Ratatouille

Length 05:25 Premiere Date 08/31/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Pasta Fagioli

Length 04:28 Premiere Date 08/23/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Pasta Primavera

Length 05:32 Premiere Date 08/18/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Spaghetti with Basil Pesto

Length 08:09 Premiere Date 08/11/22

Jacques Pépin Prepares Blueberries with Lemon and Mint

Length 03:24 Premiere Date 08/01/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Lemon Posset for Dessert

Length 04:16 Premiere Date 07/25/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Ice Cream French Toast

Length 03:33 Premiere Date 07/20/22

How Harry Belafonte embraced Black culture in music

Length 16:49 Premiere Date 07/12/22

Tracey Ullman on Mel Brooks' intrinsically American comedy

Length 11:45 Premiere Date 06/22/22

Baayork Lee on becoming a Broadway star at age 5

Length 12:24 Premiere Date 05/25/22

I. M. Pei on sculpture

Length 07:26 Premiere Date 05/18/22

Gloria Steinem on the legacy of Marilyn Monroe

Length 11:00 Premiere Date 03/24/22

Laura Linney on mastering acting at Juilliard

Length 15:07 Premiere Date 03/17/22

Patti Smith on Lou Reed and rock and roll

Length 15:35 Premiere Date 03/04/22

Dionne Warwick on Lena Horne and her musical influences

Length 11:55 Premiere Date 03/02/22

Herbie Hancock on jazz and Quincy Jones' influence

Length 15:39 Premiere Date 02/25/22

Gloria Naylor on the American dream

Length 15:16 Premiere Date 02/25/22

Betty White talks about funny women in comedy history

Length 12:12 Premiere Date 02/25/22

Jacques Pépin Makes Cold Tomato-Cucumber Soup

Length 05:15 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Moules Two Ways

Length 05:22 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Kale Soup

Length 05:30 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Tomato Toasts

Length 06:41 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Clam Fritters

Length 05:40 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Quiche Lorraine

Length 12:09 Premiere Date 12/02/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Beef Carpaccio

Length 05:13 Premiere Date 11/19/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Onion Soup Gratinée

Length 06:49 Premiere Date 11/18/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Length 02:31 Premiere Date 11/18/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Shrimp-Stuffed Portobello

Length 07:24 Premiere Date 11/18/21

Jacques Pépin Makes Fresh Corn Purée

Length 04:09 Premiere Date 11/18/21

William Dorsey Swann: The first "Queen of Drag"

Length 04:39 Premiere Date 10/01/21

Crystal Labeija: The Queen Who Reinvented Ball Culture

Length 05:38 Premiere Date 09/24/21

Jean Malin: Queen of the Pansies

Length 05:57 Premiere Date 09/03/21

Flawless Sabrina: Queer Icon and Star of 'The Queen'

Length 06:30 Premiere Date 08/20/21

Joan Jett Blakk: The drag queen who ran for president

Length 06:13 Premiere Date 08/06/21

Jose Sarria: Legendary Drag Queen and Queer Activist

Length 05:52 Premiere Date 07/27/21

Kitty O'Neil: The Fastest Woman in the World

Length 08:55 Premiere Date 07/26/21

Kitty O'Neil: The Fastest Woman in the World [Audio Description + ASL]

Length 08:55 Premiere Date 07/26/21

Gladys Bentley: Drag King of the Harlem Renaissance

Length 05:57 Premiere Date 06/25/21

Julian Eltinge: Female Impersonator of the Vaudeville Era

Length 04:45 Premiere Date 03/01/21

Amyra León: Strange Grace

Length 15:18 Premiere Date 10/14/20

Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio: This Is the Way We Rise

Length 12:16 Premiere Date 10/14/20

Damon Davis: Apologue for the Darkest Gods

Length 11:52 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Bunky Echo-Hawk: The Resistance

Length 08:00 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Anik Khan: Street Level

Length 13:09 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Maia Cruz Palileo: Becoming the Moon

Length 11:54 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: The New Chief

Length 11:20 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Vincent Valdez: The Beginning is Near

Length 11:01 Premiere Date 10/05/20

Jacques Pépin makes buttermilk pancakes

Length 03:03 Premiere Date 09/04/20

Jacques Pépin makes cocotte eggs

Length 03:48 Premiere Date 09/04/20

Jacques Pépin makes an easy cream cheese soufflé

Length 03:28 Premiere Date 09/04/20

Jacques Pépin makes easy and delicious crêpes

Length 06:05 Premiere Date 09/04/20

Jacques Pépin makes fried eggs

Length 03:21 Premiere Date 09/03/20

Jacques Pépin makes Eggs Jeannette

Length 06:27 Premiere Date 09/03/20

Jacques Pépin makes a country omelet

Length 06:06 Premiere Date 09/03/20

Jacques Pépin makes a seafood omelet

Length 06:40 Premiere Date 09/03/20

Jacques Pépin makes classic scrambled eggs

Length 04:55 Premiere Date 09/03/20

Jacques Pépin makes rice cakes with eggs

Length 03:22 Premiere Date 09/03/20

The First Black Woman to Run for Vice President of The U.S.

Length 12:32 Premiere Date 08/26/20

Zitkála-Šá: Trailblazing American Indian Composer and Writer

Length 11:39 Premiere Date 08/19/20

Jeannette Rankin: The First Woman Member of U.S. Congress

Length 12:38 Premiere Date 08/12/20

Jovita Idar: Mexican American Activist and Journalist

Length 11:08 Premiere Date 08/05/20

Martha Hughes Cannon: The First Woman State Senator

Length 12:23 Premiere Date 07/29/20

She was a Civil Rights Activist and Co-Founder of the NAACP

Length 11:53 Premiere Date 07/22/20

She was a Daredevil Performer & Advocate for the Blind

Length 10:02 Premiere Date 07/15/20

She was the First Woman to Swim Across the English Channel

Length 11:54 Premiere Date 07/08/20

Queen Lili‘uokalani - The First and Last Queen of Hawai‘i

Length 12:14 Premiere Date 07/01/20

Sissieretta Jones was a Trailblazing Black Opera Singer

Length 11:05 Premiere Date 06/24/20

The First American Indian Doctor

Length 11:37 Premiere Date 06/17/20

Annie Smith Peck: Record-Breaking Mountaineer

Length 10:40 Premiere Date 06/10/20

Gladys Bentley: Gender-Bending Performer and Musician

Length 11:51 Premiere Date 06/03/20

The First American-Born Chinese Woman Doctor

Length 10:18 Premiere Date 05/27/20

She was a leader of the American labor movement

Length 10:59 Premiere Date 05/20/20

She was the first Chinese American woman to vote in the U.S.

Length 10:18 Premiere Date 05/13/20

This Astronomer Discovered Over 300 Stars During Her Career

Length 09:34 Premiere Date 05/06/20

She was an American Cinema Pioneer

Length 12:12 Premiere Date 04/29/20

The First Woman to Lead Arctic Expeditions

Length 10:00 Premiere Date 04/22/20

Meta Warrick Fuller: Trailblazing African American Sculptor

Length 11:25 Premiere Date 04/15/20

Anna May Wong: The first Asian American Movie Star

Length 11:25 Premiere Date 04/08/20

Ynés Mexía: Mexican-American Botanist and Adventurer

Length 09:17 Premiere Date 04/01/20

Lillian Gilbreth: Pioneering Inventor

Length 10:20 Premiere Date 03/25/20

Maggie Lena Walker: Civil Rights Activist and Entrepreneur

Length 09:40 Premiere Date 03/18/20

Grace Abbott: Social Work Pioneer

Length 09:04 Premiere Date 03/11/20

Aviator Bessie Coleman

Length 09:03 Premiere Date 03/04/20

Season Episodes

Show Episodes

Show Clips & Previews

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World

S40 E5 Length 1:22:55 Premiere Date 08/25/26

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause

S40 E4 Length 1:52:45 Premiere Date 05/19/26

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House

S40 E3 Length 1:40:12 Premiere Date 03/17/26

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible

S40 E2 Length 1:23:05 Premiere Date 02/20/26

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire

S40 E1 Length 1:23:55 Premiere Date 01/27/26

Inspiring Woman: Political Strategist Ana Navarro

Clip Length 01:00 Premiere Date 12/08/17

Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

Clip Length 06:11 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Carmen de Lavallade shares why we need the arts

Clip Length 01:13 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Learn about the women who inspired Denis O'Hare growing up

Clip Length 02:18 Premiere Date 12/01/17

Angie Mar, Owner & Head Chef: The Beatrice Inn

Clip Length 05:26 Premiere Date 11/29/17

Tracy Clayton, BuzzFeed Podcast Host: Another Round

Clip Length 06:30 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman Web Series: Trailer

Preview Length 01:27 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman Premiere Event & Panel Discussion

Clip Length 36:10 Premiere Date 11/08/17

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Josephine Rubio Flores

Clip Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/15/17

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Ngun Moy Hum

Clip Length 00:30 Premiere Date 08/15/17

Learn how Rosanne Cash's grandmother inspired her

Clip Length 01:18 Premiere Date 03/04/17

The Inspiring Woman behind Lackawanna Blues' Nanny

Clip Length 00:41 Premiere Date 02/21/17

American Masters Launches "Inspiring Woman"

Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 01/15/17

See All Episodes

TV Schedules

Jump to Recent Airdates

Upcoming

American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez - S38 E5

Discover the legacy of filmmaker and playwright Luis Valdez, a founding figure of the Chicano Movement. Valdez is known for his play Zoot Suit, the Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba and the theatre company El Teatro Campesino.

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
Tuesday October 6, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET
Thursday October 8, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET

Jump to Upcoming Airdates

Recent

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World - S37 E8

Wednesday September 2, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET2
Wednesday September 2, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET2
Monday August 31, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET2
Monday August 31, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET2
Thursday August 27, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
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Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House - S35 E6

Wednesday August 26, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET2
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Starring Dick Van Dyke - S39 E1

Thursday August 20, 2026 2:00 am ET on KET
Thursday August 20, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
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Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll - S34 E8

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Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

Recent Episodes

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire

Starring Dick Van Dyke

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Clips & Previews

Inspiring Woman: Political Strategist Ana Navarro

Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

Carmen de Lavallade shares why we need the arts

Learn about the women who inspired Denis O'Hare growing up

Angie Mar, Owner & Head Chef: The Beatrice Inn

Tracy Clayton, BuzzFeed Podcast Host: Another Round

Inspiring Woman Web Series: Trailer

Inspiring Woman Premiere Event & Panel Discussion

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Josephine Rubio Flores

Inspiring Woman | Your Stories: Ngun Moy Hum

Learn how Rosanne Cash's grandmother inspired her

The Inspiring Woman behind Lackawanna Blues' Nanny

American Masters Launches "Inspiring Woman"

Specials

The Many Passions of Matteo Lane

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World [EAD]

Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World [ASL]

Taylor Rooks Talks NBA, Interview Techniques and Finding the Person Behind the Athlete

How Clive Davis became a titan of the music industry

Michael Sarnoski: What Robin Hood and Folklore Tell Us About Ourselves Today

Mike Wallace reflects on the 60 Minutes tobacco story controversy

Tyler James Williams on 30 Years of Acting and Protecting the Next Generation

Olivia Wilde on making “Tron: Legacy” with Jeff Bridges

Why Atsuko Okatsuka’s Comedy Connects Across Cultures

Stankface Standing Soldier: The Rise of Mato Wayuhi

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause [EAD]

W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause [ASL]

Warren King: King of Cardboard

Greg Kinnear on Acting, AI, and Why Movies Still Matter

Aliah Irvine & Kehau Kapua’a: Kukulu

Chris Fleming Embraces the Chaos

Cindy Tran: From Here to Here

Lani B. Supreme: Legacy

Hannah Mayree: Songs of Reclamation

John Goodman on "The Big Lebowski" and Jeff Bridges

Alsarah: The Sonic Historian

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House [EAD]

Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House [ASL]

Ani Liu: Eye Heart Womb

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible [ASL]

Sun Ra: Do The Impossible [EAD]

Night in Newark

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire [ASL]

Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire [EAD]

Maryam Taghavi: Estranged Letters [Extended Audio Description]

How Leslie Jones Became a Comedian

Maryam Taghavi: Estranged Letters

Phoebe Robinson Shows Her Work

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore [EAD]

Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore [ASL]

Sarah McLachlan: Making Music to Connect and Heal

Harvey Fierstein on gay representation on Broadway and its deep history

How Natasha Rothwell’s Life Brought Her to “The White Lotus”

When Ringo Starr met Mae West

Daniel Dae Kim Leads Spy Drama and Fights for Industry Change

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb [ASL]

Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb [Extended Audio Description]

Mel Brooks' wild ride to his first Broadway show ever

John Kander and Fred Ebb on “Cabaret,” creativity and collaboration

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy [Extended Audio Description]

House of Aama: Threads of Legacy [ASL]

Marcella [ASL]

Marcella [Extended Audio Description]

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme [ASL]

Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme [Extended Audio Description]

Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny [ASL]

Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny [Extended Audio Description]