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Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that legalized abortions in the U.S, originated in Texas in 1970. It eventually was heard by the Supreme Court and for 50 years, it was the law of the land.

A new documentary, Lone Star Three, explores what led to the ruling and how three University of Texas in Austin students helped change the law.

Writer-producer Wendy Richardson said in 1969, students Victoria Foe, Barbara Hines, and Judy Smith wanted to help young women get birth control – but realized their classmates wanted abortions.

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She said Foe and Smith, who were biology majors, traveled to Mexico to find a clinic where students could go.

"Where was it safe and how much would it cost, and did they have an anesthesiologist, and was the clinic clean?" said Richardson, "So that they could then advise women where to go safely. They did end up helping women get there, by driving them there."

After helping several students, the trio wanted to reach more women and challenged the Texas abortion law. Lone Star Three from Mighty Force Productions is available on Amazon Prime.

Barbara Hines and Victoria Foe are interviewed in the production. Judy Smith passed away in 2013.

During the interview, Hines called it a "travesty and a tragedy" that the abortion law has been overturned. The documentary includes testimony given before a legislative committee on abortion.

Richardson said speakers included a woman whose husband was fighting in Vietnam.

"She testified – with her 5-year-old, in front of the entire group – about beating herself with a book until she had a miscarriage," said Richardson. "She had nurses that had seen too many women die in the septic wards."

Today, Texas has one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation. Producer Susie Brubaker said she hopes the documentary inspires the next generation to fight for change.

"These women did it without the resources that we have today," said Brubaker. "Posters, talking, mimeograph machines – things that we don’t think about. Especially the younger audience, they realize, 'Oh, if they could do that, what can we do?'"