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Route 66 Women: The Untold Story of the Mother Road

ROUTE 66 WOMEN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MOTHER ROAD is a documentary series that uncovers the extraordinary lives and achievements of women who overcame gender discrimination and segregation to build fulfilling lives and legacies on America's most iconic highway. From entrepreneurs and waitresses, anthropologists and politicians, to artists and military sergeants, these women transformed their communities and the American West through their hard work, perseverance and ingenuity. Since its inception in 1926, Route 66 has struck a chord with Americans. Its roughly 2,400 mile stretch from Chicago to Los Angeles still represents the journey from the East to the American West, with its wide-open skies and mix of different cultures. Heritage tourists come to the historic corridor longing for a more personal experience on America's vanishing main streets, while international visitors come by the tens of thousands to experience a male-oriented America mythologized through classics like On The Road, Easy Rider and the TV Show Route 66. Despite its moniker as the "Mother Road," little attention has been paid to women's lives across many different cultures and 90 years of history on this beloved highway. This documentary examines the history of Route 66 through a diverse female lens, shedding new light on this iconic and historic corridor and bringing the path of women in the American West - from Native American, Latino, Asian and African American communities of varying socio-economic backgrouns - to the forefront.

Route 66 Women: The Untold Story of the Mother Road  
  • The Origin of Women On Route 66
    Saturday, February 1
    12:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    Women embraced driving from the start, despite assumptions from early automobile makers that men would be behind the wheel. For them, Route 66 was not just a way of getting from point to point, an opportunity for entrepreneurship, creativity, political activism and independence. From Pueblo women opening up roadside stands in New Mexico to an African American hotelier in Springfield, MO listed in the Green Book, women overcame segregation and gender discrimination to succeed on Route 66.
  • The Origin of Women On Route 66
    Wednesday, February 5
    3:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    Women embraced driving from the start, despite assumptions from early automobile makers that men would be behind the wheel. For them, Route 66 was not just a way of getting from point to point, an opportunity for entrepreneurship, creativity, political activism and independence. From Pueblo women opening up roadside stands in New Mexico to an African American hotelier in Springfield, MO listed in the Green Book, women overcame segregation and gender discrimination to succeed on Route 66.
  • World War II & The Post War Period
    Saturday, February 8
    12:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    World War II brought renewed energy and purpose to Route 66 as the country suddenly needed to transport people, arms and ammunition from one coast to the other. Hospitality work was viewed as a natural extension of the domestic sphere, and on Route 66 many women worked in family businesses providing food and lodging. The war allowed women to move out of low paying jobs and perform patriotic duties that were highly skilled and dangerous, such as sorting ammunition. After the war, these women would create vibrant businesses on their own. From the CEO of an iconic Route 66 restaurant in Gallup, NM to Navajo women at the Ordinance Depot in Flagstaff, AZ these women rejected domesticity in favor of a career. Also the story of the writing of the iconic song "Route 66" by Bobby Troup.
  • World War II & The Post War Period
    Wednesday, February 12
    3:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    World War II brought renewed energy and purpose to Route 66 as the country suddenly needed to transport people, arms and ammunition from one coast to the other. Hospitality work was viewed as a natural extension of the domestic sphere, and on Route 66 many women worked in family businesses providing food and lodging. The war allowed women to move out of low paying jobs and perform patriotic duties that were highly skilled and dangerous, such as sorting ammunition. After the war, these women would create vibrant businesses on their own. From the CEO of an iconic Route 66 restaurant in Gallup, NM to Navajo women at the Ordinance Depot in Flagstaff, AZ these women rejected domesticity in favor of a career. Also the story of the writing of the iconic song "Route 66" by Bobby Troup.
  • The Death and Rebirth of the Mother Road
    Saturday, February 15
    12:00 pm on UEN-TV 9.1
    In the 1950s, the creation of interstate highways, environmental disasters and unemployment begins to take a toll on Route 66 and the many small towns affected. Throughout it all, women were at the forefront to keep their main streets alive, from the first Latina mayor of San Bernardino, CA who created legislation for an off-ramp into a Mexican American neighborhood bypassed by the new highway; to Amy Inouye in Los Angeles, CA who has worked tirelessly to save the beloved "ChickenBoy", a gigantic roadside statue. Women have been leading revitalization projects that keep the lights on in their communities, boost the local economy and preserve American history for generations to come.
  • The Death and Rebirth of the Mother Road
    Wednesday, February 19
    3:00 am on UEN-TV 9.1
    In the 1950s, the creation of interstate highways, environmental disasters and unemployment begins to take a toll on Route 66 and the many small towns affected. Throughout it all, women were at the forefront to keep their main streets alive, from the first Latina mayor of San Bernardino, CA who created legislation for an off-ramp into a Mexican American neighborhood bypassed by the new highway; to Amy Inouye in Los Angeles, CA who has worked tirelessly to save the beloved "ChickenBoy", a gigantic roadside statue. Women have been leading revitalization projects that keep the lights on in their communities, boost the local economy and preserve American history for generations to come.

 

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