The Story of Us: The Women Who Shaped Montana presents it’s first theatrical premier with all three episodes compiled into a feature length docu-series, exploring the remarkable lives of nine women whose courage and creativity left a lasting imprint on the Treasure State. Produced by North by Northwest and The Extreme History Project, the documentary celebrates these unsung heroes.
Episode I:
- Sarah Bickford: After enduring tremendous hardship, she became the very first woman to own a water company in Montana, running the Virginia City Water Company.
- Maggie Smith Hathaway: Known as “the whirlwind,” she was an influential leader in the suffrage movement, successfully fought for women’s voting rights, and was elected to the Montana State Legislature in 1917.
- Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail: A dedicated activist and the first registered nurse of Crow descent in the United States, she revolutionized healthcare for Native Americans
Episode II:
- Helen Clarke: A woman of Blackfeet and White descent, broke barriers as one of Montana’s early female elected officials.
- Rose Hum Lee: contributed invaluable insights into the dynamics of America’s Chinatowns.
- Rose Gordon: a Black woman who dedicated her life to serving and unifying the town of White Sulphur Springs.
Episode III:
- Ella Knowles Haskell: Montana’s first female lawyer and a political trailblazer, fought for women’s voices to be heard in the late 1800s.
- Fannie Sperry Steele: a fearless bronc rider from the Prickly Pear Valley, rose to national fame at a time when women were rarely seen in the rodeo arena, breaking barriers for women in sports and western culture.
- Nancy Cooper Russell: wife and business partner of artist Charles M. Russell, preserved and promoted his legacy while also shaping Montana’s cultural identity through her own resilience and vision.
Funders for this episode include:
- The Greater Montana Foundation
- The Big Sky Film Grant
- Humanities Montana
- The Foundation for Montana History
- The Knowles Foundation
- Nancy Thurmond
- Vicky Fox
- Jan & Terry Cosgrove
- William B. Pratt Endowment Fund
- The Jerry Metcalf Foundation
