On this episode of Our American Stories, finding meaningful work is easier said than done. For our Opportunity America series, Kelly Robinson shares how the culture at Koch Industries helped her discover new strengths, grow professionally, and ultimately find her calling. It’s a story about career growth, workplace culture, leadership, and what can happen when employees are encouraged to pursue purpose alongside performance. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in January 1961, a B-52 Stratofortress crash near Goldsboro sent two massive hydrogen bombs falling to the ground just days after John F. Kennedy took office. But much of what happened that day remained hidden from the public for decades.Earl Smith, the young Air Force bomb disposal technician sent to the scene, shares what he saw on the night of the Goldsboro nuclear bomb accident. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Boston Marathon had never officially allowed a woman to compete when Kathrine Switzer pinned on her bib number in 1967 and stepped to the starting line. Just minutes into the race, an angry official stormed toward her and tried to rip her out of the pack in front of reporters and spectators. Switzer herself joins us to share how she kept running through the chaos and how that moment helped change the future of women’s sports. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, William Faulkner spent most of his life in Oxford, where he wrote novels focused on the people, conflicts, and tensions of the modern South. The town around him became the basis for Yoknapatawpha County, the fictional setting that would define much of his work and help establish his place in American literature. Some locals did not always appreciate it, after all, their stories sometimes found their way into Faulkner’s fiction, for better or worse.Rachel Hudson of Rowan Oak shares how Faulkner wrote about Mississippi in a way that unsettled local readers and helped change the direction of Southern literature. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1700s, a small log cabin in Pennsylvania became the center of a growing religious movement in the American colonies. Built by Presbyterian minister William Tennent, a devoted pastor and educator, the humble school, later known as the “Log College,” trained a handful of young men who would go on to lead revivals across the colonies and help shape early American Christianity during the Great Awakening.Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares how the Bible influenced early American history, the Great Awakening, and the spirit that helped lead toward the American Revolution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Patrice Onwuka was born on the Caribbean island of Montserrat before her family immigrated legally to the United States in search of greater opportunity. After arriving in a rough neighborhood outside Boston during the 1980s, Onwuka watched her parents work exhausting jobs, sacrifice endlessly for their children, and slowly build a new life from scratch.Years later, the little girl who grew up watching political commentary shows with her parents became one of the voices she once saw on television. Onwuka shares her story of immigration, hard work, education, and the American Dream. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, NFL legend Brett Favre reflects on one of the most emotional games of his career. After the passing of his father, Irvin Favre, in December 2003, Brett took the field and threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a memorable Monday Night Football victory over the Oakland Raiders. During his 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech, he shared the story of that unforgettable tribute to his dad. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Americans drink millions of cups of coffee every day, and the United States Armed Forces have long depended on it too. Our regular contributor out of Colorado, Richard Muniz, traces the history of coffee in America through wartime stories before sharing a hilarious tale from the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), where one sailor’s attempt to make the greatest cup of coffee on the ship went spectacularly wrong. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after fleeing Cuba as a young man during the rise of Fidel Castro, Marc Barrios arrived in America searching for a fresh start. Years later, while working in advertising for Coors Brewing Company, he helped create the now-famous Coors Light Silver Bullet can.Barrios shares the story of starting a new life in the United States and eventually making his mark on the American advertising industry Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the 1904 Summer Olympics marathon in St. Louis looked nothing like the race we know today. Runners competed through brutal heat on dusty roads while cars drove alongside them, kicking dirt into the air. Water stations were scarce because many officials believed drinking water during a race was dangerous. One runner hitched a ride in a car. Another survived on raw eggs, brandy, and rat poison used as a stimulant. Susan Brownell, author of The Anthropology of Sport, shares the story of the disastrous and bizarre 1904 Olympic marathon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Steve McQueen became the “King of Cool,” he spent much of his childhood in trouble, bouncing between relatives and reform schools after his family fell apart. Marshall Terrill, the author of Steve Mcqueen: In His Own Words, shares the story of how McQueen slowly rebuilt his life and became the unforgettable star of Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Habeeb was born, his family joined the long list of American families forever changed by World War II. One afternoon in 1944, two Army officers arrived at his mother’s apartment building with news that her brother John had been killed overseas.Lee shares how that loss stayed with his family for generations and how he remembers his fallen uncle every Memorial Day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Brice turned the story into the hit song I Drive Your Truck, Paul Monti was driving his late son Jared’s pickup truck through the back roads of Massachusetts just to feel close to him again. Jared Monti, a U.S. Army soldier later awarded the Medal of Honor, was killed in Afghanistan while trying to save a fellow soldier pinned down under enemy fire.Paul Monti shares the story himself in an interview he gave to Our American Stories shortly before his passing in 2022. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Karl Marlantes, a Vietnam War veteran and the award-winning author of Matterhorn and What It Is Like to Go to War, received the Navy Cross after leading an assault during a brutal battle in Vietnam. Long after the fighting ended, he found himself thinking less about the medal and more about the young Marines who fought alongside him.Marlantes joins us with a deeply personal account of his service and the young men he served beside Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The USS Indianapolis left Guam in July 1945 after delivering critical cargo connected to the Manhattan Project. But before she could make it to her next destination, a Japanese submarine would strike the cruiser, leaving hundreds of sailors and Marines sinking in shark infested waters. While the story gained popularity from Jaws, the details itself are more harrowing from the men who lived through it.The story later reached a wider audience through Jaws, but the details come from men who lived through it. The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, shares the real-life story of that fateful day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Arlington National Cemetery is the nation’s most iconic military burial ground, but its origins are more surprising than many Americans realize. Elliott Drago of the Jack Miller Center shares the little-known story behind the founding of Arlington Cemetery, from its roots on the former estate of Robert E. Lee and the Custis family to its transformation into a Union military cemetery during the American Civil War.Along the way, Drago explains how Union leaders intentionally turned Lee’s former home into a burial ground for fallen soldiers and why Arlington remains one of America’s most enduring symbols of sacrifice, remembrance, and military service, especially each Memorial Day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a boy growing up in Ogden, Utah, John Moses Browning worked beside his father in a small gunsmith shop along the pioneer trails of the American West. Decades later, the rifles, pistols, and machine guns he designed would appear in the hands of soldiers around the world. From the legendary M1911 pistol to the weapons carried by American troops during two world wars, Browning’s inventions helped redefine modern firearms. Nathan Gorenstein, author of The Guns of John Moses Browning, shares the remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a world that moved a little slower, one little girl found her freedom on four wheels. Joy Neal Kidney, author of Leora's Dexter Stories and a regular contributor to Our American Stories, takes us back to her childhood home just outside Dexter, Iowa, where a pair of roller skates and an open farmhouse created memories that stayed with her for a lifetime. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time Teri Neal became pregnant at sixteen, she had already dropped out of school and fallen deep into drug culture. She had grown up watching addiction consume nearly everyone around her and expected her own life would end the same way. Then her son gave her a reason to believe something else was possible. Teri shares the remarkable story of her life, her recovery, and the bond that changed both her future and her son’s. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades after the founding of the United States, the presidency remained in the hands of polished Virginia statesmen and political insiders. Then came Andrew Jackson, a frontier fighter who built his reputation at the Battle of New Orleans and carried his popularity straight into the election of 1828. To his supporters, Jackson represented the “common man” at a moment when more Americans were gaining a voice in politics.As part of our Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains how Andrew Jackson shattered the old political order and helped launch the era known as Jacksonian democracy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Peter Braxton’s first day as a military pilot began in the skies above September 11 attacks on 9/11. But that was just one of several first jobs that helped shape his life. From high-stakes military missions to everyday roles in civilian life, Braxton reflects on the early experiences that defined who he became and the lessons he carried with him along the way. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, at an age when most kids were still in school, John Clem was marching into battle. He joined the Union Army as a drummer boy at just 12 and quickly became a symbol of bravery. Wounded at Chickamauga and promoted on the field, he was known across the country as “Johnny Clem.”Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy, shares the remarkable true story of one of the Civil War’s youngest soldiers and how his courage helped shape his place in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories,  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, thousands of young Americans volunteered to fly dangerous bombing missions over Europe in the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, one of the most heavily produced aircraft of the war. Many of the men climbing into those freezing aluminum bombers were barely out of high school and had never traveled far from home before joining the United States Army Air Forces.The late, great historian Stephen Ambrose shares the story of the crews who flew the rugged WWII bomber through brutal conditions over Germany and helped cripple Adolf Hitler’s war machine. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Lex Ginger was told pregnancy might never happen because of PCOS and a blood-clotting disorder that made miscarriage far more likely. Then, after becoming pregnant, doctors discovered she was carrying mono-mono twins, a rare and dangerous condition in which identical twins share the same sac and placenta. Some warned the babies had only a 50 percent chance of surviving the first trimester, but Lex chose to celebrate her pregnancy anyway. Here’s her remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Lyons and Lillian Lyons married in 1946 and spent a lifetime together on the South Side of Chicago. Lillian’s opera career began before their marriage, and it was her voice that first captured Tom’s heart. Through decades of family life, music remained at the center of their love.When Lillian died, Tom thought he would never hear her sing again. But on his 97th birthday, an unexpected discovery gave him one final gift: her voice. For Tom, it was more than a recording. It was the return of the woman who had been his partner in everything and the sound that had shaped his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Wild Bill Hickok. Doc Holliday. Billy the Kid. None of them ever matched Bob Munden’s speed. Known around the world as the fastest gun who ever lived, Munden could draw, fire, and hit a target before anyone else had even cleared leather. Our own Greg Hengler, along with the late Bob Munden himself, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Traci Huguley was still a child when she learned she had been adopted. Years later, she discovered that two younger sisters had also been placed with other families. For decades, she carried their birthdays in her mind and quietly searched for them everywhere she went. Then, in 2018, an Ancestry DNA test connected her with a half-sister who had spent years searching too. Traci shares the story of the family reunion she never expected. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by 1967, Johnny Cash had become one of the biggest names in country music, though his addiction to amphetamines had pushed him into a vicious cycle of hospital visits and arrests. After days without sleep and hundreds of pills, Cash wandered into Nickajack Cave believing he would never come back out. But inside that dark cavern, Cash found God and began a long journey toward redemption.Pastor Greg Laurie, author of Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, shares the story of Cash’s struggle with addiction and the faith that helped reshape his life and career. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before World War II, factory work remained largely closed off to American women. That changed after the attack on Attack on Pearl Harbor, when millions of men shipped overseas to fight and wartime production created an urgent need for workers in America’s factories and shipyards. Millions of women stepped into industrial jobs across the country, and “Rosie the Riveter” became the public symbol of their labor and sacrifice.Milka Bamond, a real-life Rosie the Riveter, shares her story of service on the home front during the war. We’d like to thank the Atlanta History Center for allowing us access to this audio, originally recorded as part of its Veterans History Project. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time the Jazz Age arrived in the 1920s, Louis Armstrong had already begun transforming American music. Raised in New Orleans and shaped by the streets, dance halls, and neighborhoods surrounding Storyville, Armstrong developed a revolutionary jazz sound that audiences had never heard before. His trumpet playing, gravelly voice, and improvisational style would help turn jazz into one of America’s defining art forms.Laurence Bergreen, author of Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life, shares the story of the musician known as “Pops,” from his difficult childhood in New Orleans, to becoming one of the most influential figures in jazz and American music Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, home cooking relied on instinct and improvisation until Fannie Farmer. With the release of The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, she introduced standardized measurements that revolutionized American kitchens. Her push for precision brought consistency to everyday meals and gave home cooks the confidence to follow reliable, repeatable recipes. Our own Greg Hengler and Ken Albala, professor of history and food studies at the University of the Pacific, share the story of how Farmer’s legacy shaped modern cooking. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Taco Bell became one of America’s biggest fast-food chains, founder Glen Bell was searching for a way to stand out in Southern California’s crowded burger market. While running a hamburger stand in San Bernardino, Bell noticed long lines forming outside Mitla Cafe across the street and became fascinated by the tacos the restaurant was serving. Simon Whistler of the Today I Found Out YouTube channel and the Brain Food Show podcast shares how Bell learned taco-making techniques from the family behind Mitla Cafe and helped turn hard-shell tacos into an American fast-food phenomenon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before she became First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was a lifelong New Yorker who deeply believed America’s historic landmarks were worth saving. So when developers threatened to demolish Grand Central Terminal in the 1970s, much like they had already destroyed the original Penn Station, Jackie stepped into the fight to preserve one of New York City’s most recognizable buildings.Natasha Wing, author of the children’s book When Jackie Saved Grand Central, shares the story of how Jackie Kennedy Onassis helped rally public support to save the historic rail terminal, turning a local preservation battle into a national movement. The fight eventually reached the Supreme Court and helped reshape the future of historic preservation across America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before modern televangelists, Aimee Semple McPherson used radio, stage productions, and Hollywood-style spectacle to bring Christianity to mass audiences across America. After arriving in Los Angeles during the 1920s, McPherson built Angelus Temple into one of the country’s first megachurches, drawing thousands each week with illustrated sermons, live orchestras, and elaborate productions designed to compete with the entertainment industry itself.But her fame came with scandal. In 1926, McPherson vanished from a California beach and reappeared weeks later near the Arizona border with a sensational kidnapping story that captivated the nation and sparked one of the biggest media frenzies of the era. Historian Matthew Sutton, author of Aimee Semple McPherson and the Resurrection of Christian America, shares the story of the woman who helped pioneer religious broadcasting, celebrity ministry, and the modern megachurch movement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Mars became one of the most powerful private companies in America, it was a struggling family candy shop. Frank Mars had failed time and time again before his son, Forrest, stepped in with a bold vision and zero interest in playing by industry rules. With names like M&M’s, Snickers, and Pedigree under its belt, Mars would go on to quietly outgrow Hershey, Kellogg’s, and even McDonald’s. Simon Whistler from Today I Found Out and The BrainFood Show tells the story of a father and son, an empire built on chocolate, and the cutthroat decisions that made it a global giant. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, former Duncan Scott quickly learned that an “educated monkey” could have occupied his New Mexico Senate seat with little effect on the direction of state politics. So instead of writing another bill destined to die in committee, Scott decided to make his point another way. The result was the infamous “Pointy Hat Amendment,” one of the funniest, strangest, and most bizarre proposed amendments in American political history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, sports betting has existed since the days of the Roman Colosseum, but for most Americans, legal sports gambling was largely confined to Las Vegas casinos.That changed in 2018 when, at the urging of New Jersey, the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992, clearing the way for legalized sports betting across the country. Suddenly, millions of Americans could place wagers from their phones in seconds. Danny Funt, author of Everybody Loses, shares the story behind the rise of sports gambling, the consequences of its easy accessibility, and why leagues like the Major League Baseball, National Football League, and National Basketball Association all embraced what was once considered a cardinal sin in professional sports. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Love Without End, Amen became one of George Strait’s most beloved hits, it was a prayer set to music. Songwriter Aaron Barker wrote it after a painful argument with his teenage son, an experience that brought him to his knees with his guitar. Out of that moment came a song about grace, fatherhood, and the unconditional love that defines family. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before writing Braveheart, Randall Wallace was a struggling writer and father questioning whether he had made a terrible mistake in choosing his path. Fearing he would fail his children and desperate for direction, Wallace prayed one of the most honest prayers of his life. Speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2011, and surrounded by dignitaries from around the nation, Wallace shared how that desperate prayer ultimately led him to write the movie that would change his life. Our own Lee Habeeb tells the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Scott dreamed of becoming a police officer from the time he was a child growing up in California’s Central Valley. Years later, while serving with the Lompoc Police Department, Scott endured a devastating series of tragedies in just 16 months: two officer-involved shootings and the death of his teenage son Noah from leukemia. As grief and trauma pushed him into a dark emotional spiral, Scott began to question whether he could survive personally or professionally. With help from 911 At Ease International, he slowly found a path back to healing, family, faith, and police work. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures in twentieth-century American politics stood farther apart than Shirley Chisholm and George Wallace. Chisholm broke barriers as a Black congresswoman and presidential candidate. Wallace became a national symbol of segregation and resistance to civil rights.A tragic event brought them together, forging an unlikely connection. Special thanks to the Jack Miller Center for bringing this story to our attention. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when My Sharona exploded onto radio stations in 1979, it became one of the biggest rock songs in America and turned The Knack into overnight stars. But behind the iconic guitar riff and unforgettable chorus was a real woman named Sharona Alperin. In this installment of our Story of a Song series, our own Greg Hengler shares how a chance meeting inspired one of rock music’s most recognizable hits, featuring reflections from Sharona herself and songwriter Doug Fieger. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks lived through heartbreak, secrecy, infidelity, and family scandal, but her Catholic faith shaped the way she responded to each one. First, as a young woman in Indiana, she refused to give up her daughter born out of wedlock. Decades later, after learning her husband had fathered a child during an affair, Mary made another extraordinary decision: she helped raise the boy as her own son. Mary’s son Sparky shares the remarkable story of faith, forgiveness, adoption, and family that held the Sparks family together through decades of hardship. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kemmons Wilson Jr. grew up in one of America’s most successful business families after his father founded Holiday Inn. But after decades in business, mentorship, and Christian discipleship, Wilson says success belongs far lower on the priority list than most people think. In this installment of our Faith in Action series, the Memphis business leader reflects on friendship, faith, marriage, mentorship, and why “business comes sixth.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Bald Eagle became America’s national symbol, the rattlesnake represented the spirit of the American colonies. After all, it was a uniquely American and dangerous animal unfamiliar to most Europeans, and the design of its rattle lent itself perfectly to political symbolism. Benjamin Franklin used the snake in his famous “Join, or Die” political cartoon, and during the Revolutionary War, the image evolved into the iconic “Don’t Tread On Me” Gadsden Flag. Our American Stories regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the surprising backstory behind one of America’s most recognizable flags. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was initially hard for Joleen Lievaart to embrace her newborn nephew. After years of struggling with infertility, the trip to the hospital felt more like an obligation than a celebration. But over time, Joleen came to embrace her nephew both literally and figuratively, discovering what it truly meant to become a loving great-aunt. We'd like to thank our regular contributor, Leslie Leyland Fields, for suggesting this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Jason Rivera was killed responding to a domestic violence call in Harlem, New York, his wife Dominique stood before mourners at St. Patrick's Cathedral and shared the story of their young marriage. In this moving National Police Week eulogy, Dominique remembers the everyday routines, arguments, laughter, and love she shared with the 22-year-old NYPD detective whose life was cut short far too soon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, more than 50 years after the United States outlawed the international slave trade, the schooner Clotilda illegally brought captive Africans to Mobile, Alabama in 1860. After emancipation, many of those survivors pooled their money, bought land, and founded Africatown. Nick Tabor, the author of Africatown, shares the remarkable story of the last slave ship to reach America, the people aboard it, and the resilient Alabama community they built from nothing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Diego Moreno of the Kent Police Department was killed during a police pursuit in Kent, Washington, his wife and longtime patrol partner shared stories about the man behind the badge. For our National Police Week programming, they remember Moreno as a devoted father, energetic friend, relentless police officer, and larger-than-life personality who brought joy, humor, and intensity everywhere he went. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Tim McCoy became one of Hollywood’s biggest Western movie stars and the face on the Wheaties box, he was a real Wyoming cowboy, rancher, cavalry officer, and friend of Buffalo Bill Cody. McCoy appeared in nearly 100 Western films during Hollywood’s golden age and later served in both World War I and World War II as a U.S. Army officer. For our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Historian Roger McGrath shares the remarkable story of the cowboy actor who lived the life most movie stars only pretended to live. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Damon Gutzwiller of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office was killed in the line of duty in California, his wife Favi stood before mourners while pregnant with their second child and shared the story of the man she loved. In this moving National Police Week eulogy, she remembers Damon not only as a sheriff’s sergeant, but as a devoted husband, loving father, caregiver to his mother, and the kindest man she had ever known. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Danny Trejo became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, known for films like Machete and Heat, he spent years in prison battling addiction and violence. Speaking at the Crossroads Recovery Center's 60th Anniversary Breakfast event in Phoenix, AZ., Trejo shares how sobriety, recovery, faith, and helping others transformed his life and unexpectedly led him from prison cells to movie sets. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before B.B. King became a blues legend, he nearly lost his life running back into a burning Arkansas juke joint to save his guitar. That night, after learning two men had started the fight over a woman named Lucille, King gave the guitar a name he would carry with him for the rest of his life. B.B. King’s longtime friend Myron Johnson and Daniel de Visé, author of King of the Blues, share the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Deon Joseph grew up believing police officers were the enemy. Influenced by personal experiences, the Rodney King beating, and the culture around him, he never imagined joining law enforcement himself. But after becoming an LAPD officer, Joseph found his calling serving the people of Los Angeles’ notorious Skid Row, where he spent decades trying to bring order, dignity, and hope to one of America’s toughest neighborhoods. Be sure to check out Deon's book Stepping Across The Line: A Skid Row Cop's Story for more. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Jonathan Diller was killed in the line of duty in Queens, his wife Stephanie stood before mourners with their young son and shared the story of the man she loved. In this moving eulogy, she remembers Jonathan not only as an NYPD officer, but as a devoted husband, father, and protector. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before he learned the history of Johnny Cakes, John Busbee believed the beloved breakfast food had been named after him because of the love his Iowa grandmother poured into making them. Busbee shares the heartwarming story, and history, behind one of America’s oldest dishes, and how his grandmother whipped them up in her kitchen. Be sure to check out more of John's work at his website The Culture Buzz. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Fantasy football is now a multibillion-dollar industry played by millions of Americans every year. But it began in 1962 with a handful of frustrated Oakland Raiders fans sitting in a New York hotel bar trying to make watching bad football more fun. Peter Funt, the author of Inside Fantasy Football, shares the surprising story behind one of America’s favorite games. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when George Washington took the oath of office in 1789, his hand rested on a Bible that would become one of America’s most treasured artifacts. That same Bible was on loan to Fraunces Tavern, a Revolutionary War landmark near the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001. After the towers fell, the search for survivors gave way to the search for the dead and eventually to a search for the missing Bible. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, tells the remarkable story of how Washington’s inaugural Bible was recovered after 9/11. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener Jeff Shaw never planned on becoming a police officer. After drifting through jobs, flying lessons, and uncertainty about his future, a conversation at a restaurant changed the course of his life. Shaw shares why he decided to become a police officer, what he witnessed during 24 years in law enforcement, the emotional toll officers carry home with them, and why he eventually decided to write about it all in his book, Who I Am: The Man Behind the Badge. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before John Hannah became a NFL Hall of Famer and one of the most respected offensive linemen in football history, he was a fourth grader being mocked for his weight on the playground. Hannah shares how his father and Alabama’s legendary coach Bear Bryant pushed him beyond what he thought were his limits and helped shape the mindset that carried him to greatness. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1974, Patty Hearst, granddaughter of publishing giant William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped by the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. But what happened next stunned the country: Hearst eventually joined the group and took part in a bank robbery. Our American Stories regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the remarkable story behind one of the strangest criminal cases in modern American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during his nearly 23 years with the Philadelphia Police Department, Sgt. Richard Mendez served his city, earned multiple college degrees, and built a life centered on family. Just days before his planned retirement, he was killed in the line of duty. In this moving tribute, his daughter Mia shares the story of the father she loved, the lessons he taught her, and the phrase he always repeated when life became difficult: “We got this.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The War of 1812 nearly broke the young United States apart. Washington and the White House burned, New England leaders talked openly of secession, and the future of the country looked uncertain at best. In the 19th episode of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, historian and Land of Hope author Bill McClay shares how a forgotten war with no clear victor helped forge a new national identity and set the United States on the path toward industrial growth, westward expansion, and the rise of Andrew Jackson. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people do not set out to make history, or even to live through it. More often, history simply happens to them.Gulf War veteran and Our American Stories regular contributor Richard Muniz, from Colorado, shares two stories about living through historic moments without realizing it at the time, and reflects on what he learned from those experiences. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became president of the United States, Ronald Reagan was a young radio announcer in Des Moines, Iowa, calling sports for WHO Radio during the golden age of broadcasting. Armed with little more than a microphone and his imagination, Reagan recreated baseball games from telegraph reports, covered football and track events, and learned how to captivate an audience through storytelling.In his own words, Reagan reflects on the early days of radio, how he got his start at WHO, and the broadcasting career that helped shape one of the most recognizable communicators in American political history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the brand-new Saturday Night Live first took the airwaves by storm, it was Chevy Chase’s clumsy impression of Gerald Ford, an All-American athlete turned commander in chief, that changed the way Americans saw their president. The sketch also helped shape the future of political satire, presidential impersonations, and even the 1976 election itself.Peter Funt, author of Playing POTUS: The Power of America's 'Acting Presidents', tells the story behind one of comedy’s most consequential impressions. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harry S. Truman was never expected to become president of the United States. He grew up as a farm boy in rural Missouri, and though he later served as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vice president, he was not Roosevelt’s first choice for the role, nor did Truman initially seek it.But his presidency would shape the course of history. Truman oversaw the end of World War II with the use of the atomic bomb, introduced the Truman Doctrine to confront Soviet expansion, and led the country into the beginning of the Korean War. Here’s the story of Truman’s presidency and how his decisions helped shape the modern United States. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, people often talk about the past as something to be missed, but history tells a much harder story. Johan Norberg argues that many of the most interesting periods in history were also the hardest to survive, and that modern innovations have made everyday life more secure than at any other point in human history.Johan Norberg, author of Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future, tells the story of why we are living in the best moment in human history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, women entered the military and workforce in record numbers, taking on roles once occupied by men. The Women’s Army Corps became a path for thousands who wanted to support the war effort.But for Ilene Hall, the decision was personal. After marrying in March 1943, and with her husband completing his training and preparing to ship overseas, the young woman from Canton, Ohio, decided not to let an ocean separate them. Here she is to share her story! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, learning how to ride a horse is hard enough, but getting in the saddle at 60 years old can seem impossible. Not so for Our American Stories regular contributor Bill Bryk. Bill tells the story of the exciting and sometimes frightening experience of learning the basics of horseback riding after six decades. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the United States expanded westward, the young nation ended at the banks of the Mississippi River. France controlled the vast territory beyond these borders until Thomas Jefferson brokered a deal that doubled the size of the country. Despite his own reservations and personal view of the Constitution, Jefferson moved forward, expanding the nation and setting the stage for westward expansion.As part of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of how the Louisiana Purchase changed the nation forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on August 26, 2021, a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate in Kabul killed 13 American service members. Among them was Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. His father, Mark Schmitz, became part of what is known as a Gold Star family, a term used for the parents and loved ones of those killed in military service.In the months that followed, he chose to carry forward his son’s legacy, founding The Freedom 13, a nonprofit focused on supporting military families and honoring the fallen. Here to share the story of his son’s life and the legacy that continues in his name is Mark Schmitz. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1856, the steamboat Steamboat Arabia struck a snag and slipped beneath the Missouri River, taking with it cargo bound for stores and towns across the frontier. The Arabia did not stay buried forever. As the river changed course over time, the wreck was left behind beneath layers of earth.More than a century later, a group of Kansas City men set out to uncover the long-buried treasure. Matt Hawley tells the story of his family’s quest to dig up the steamboat Arabia from the middle of a cornfield. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, volunteering seemed simple enough. Then the plan fell apart. What started as a group effort quickly turned into a one-man road trip across state lines.Robert Frohlich, an Our American Stories listener from Wisconsin, shares the story of a road trip gone wrong while volunteering to deliver trucks to impoverished communities in Appalachia. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1938, radio was the voice Americans trusted. News from Europe was growing more serious, and listeners relied on those broadcasts to understand what was happening in the world. When regular programming was interrupted, people paid attention and assumed what they were hearing was real.So when urgent bulletins broke in with reports of an alien attack on American soil, many believed it. There were no extraterrestrial invasions, only an intricately crafted radio drama directed and narrated by the then-unknown Orson Welles, based on The War of the Worlds. The broadcast and the panic that followed changed the way news and media could be presented.A. Brad Schwartz, author of Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the canon of personal songs, “Leader of the Band” is one of the most treasured. The song is Dan Fogelberg’s heartfelt tribute to his father, Lawrence, a high school band director who shaped both his life and his music.As part of our Story of a Song series, Dan Fogelberg himself, along with our own Greg Hengler, share the story behind the song and the man who inspired it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tyrone Power was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the late 1930s and early 1940s, known for films like The Mark of Zorro and Blood and Sand. But at the height of his career, he stepped away from the screen and joined the Marines.Power trained as a pilot and served in the Pacific during World War II, flying transport missions into some of the war’s most dangerous territory. For our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Roger McGrath shares how one of the great actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age became a Marine aviator. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a Marine sits beside his dying father, a tough, no-nonsense veteran who refuses treatment and faces death on his own terms. Wanting one last moment of connection, the son asks for something simple: to hear the words “I love you.” What followed was not what he expected.Our regular contributor, Bob McClellan, shares the story of his father’s final days and the realization that love is not always spoken, but shown. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1900s, Charles Ponzi arrived in the United States chasing opportunity but struggling to find steady work. After years of false starts, he began promoting an investment idea that promised unusually high returns in a short amount of time. But the model depended on a steady stream of new money, and once that slowed, the foundation began to crack.Jonathan Small of the Write About Now podcast shares the story of how Ponzi built his operation, how it ultimately collapsed, and how it paved the way for later figures like Bernard Madoff to carry on similar schemes. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Julius Caesar Newman came to America, he was a teenager trying to make a living by learning a trade that allowed him to work with his hands and support his family. When the chance came to go out on his own, he took it and built a business that would grow into a lasting enterprise.Today, the J.C. Newman Cigar Company is still run by his family. As part of our American Dreamers series, Drew Newman shares how his family’s company managed to endure when so many others disappeared. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as the eldest son of Abraham Lincoln, Robert Todd Lincoln spent much of his life in the shadow of one of the most revered figures in American history. By the end of the Civil War, he had joined the Union Army despite his father’s reservations and was present near the front during its final days, including the period surrounding General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House.In the years that followed, he charted his own course, serving as U.S. Secretary of War and later as Ambassador to Great Britain. Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the often-overlooked story of a man who built a legacy beyond his father’s name. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1784, a young Irishman named Matthew Carey stepped off a ship in Philadelphia with twelve guineas in his pocket and a past that had already forced him out of his home country. Having written against British rule and the treatment of Irish Catholics, he arrived in the United States convinced the new republic offered something different.Carey rose to become one of early America’s most influential publishers, but his path was anything but easy. He faced discrimination for his Irish heritage and Catholic faith, survived a near-fatal duel defending his honor, and used his platform to argue that immigrants and outsiders could help strengthen the nation.Karen Kaufmann shares the story of a man who helped shape early American ideas about citizenship, opportunity, and what it meant to be an American. We'd like to thank the Jack Miller Center for telling us about this tale. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1970, a 45-foot sperm whale washed up on the Oregon coast near Florence, leaving officials with a problem they did not know how to solve. The carcass was too large to move and too dangerous to leave as it began to decompose along the shoreline.The state decided to use dynamite to remove it, but nothing went as planned. The blast sent whale blubber high into the air and across the beach, damaging cars and forcing onlookers to run for cover.Jesse Edwards shares the wild and true story of the Oregon exploding whale. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became Zoro the Drummer, he was a kid named Daniel Donnelly trying to find his place in the world. Music gave him the direction he needed. A chance encounter at school opened a door, and one connection led to another as he worked his way into the music industry.Over time, he built a remarkable career, performing with artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Frankie Valli, Bobby Brown, and New Edition. Along the way, his mother’s faith remained a guiding force in his life and career.Zoro shares the story of how he made it in music and the lessons that shaped him along the way. Be sure to check out his phenomenal book, Maria’s Scarf. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Broughton Coburn, author of The Vast Unknown, shares the story of the first American expedition to Mount Everest in 1963, when a team of climbers set out to reach the world’s highest peak during the height of the Cold War.Facing deadly icefalls, extreme altitude, and brutal conditions, the team accomplished something remarkable, reaching the summit not once, but twice, including a daring ascent along the West Ridge. Coburn shares the harrowing tale of how the expedition became a defining moment of American perseverance, teamwork, and daring ambition. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Madonna Coffman had already experienced hair loss once as a young woman. Years later, when her four-year-old daughter began losing her hair, she didn’t need a diagnosis to know what was coming or how difficult it would be. What she couldn’t find was something designed for a child trying to live a normal life, so she set out to create it herself. That effort became Locks of Love. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Cy Walter played piano in bustling New York City during the years when tunes from the Great American Songbook filled smoke-filled rooms and carried late into the night. He built a following at places like the Drake Hotel, where people came as much for him as for the music itself, becoming something of a local legend.After his death, his son Mark set out to piece together his father’s story. After all, he had only known his dad for a short time. Along the way, he discovered a buried legacy that had been carried forward by those who remembered him best. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2021, former Negro Leagues baseball player Buck O'Neil was finally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, years after being denied by just one vote, a decision that surprised many of his friends and supporters.Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, tells the story of how Buck handled that loss, in Kendrick’s words, “like a man.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became evangelist Billy Sunday, William Ashley Sunday played professional baseball in the major leagues, known for his speed and energy on the field. In the 1890s, at the height of his athletic career, he walked away from the game and turned to preaching, eventually becoming one of the most influential evangelists of his time.Drawing on his background as an athlete and his dynamic speaking style, Sunday delivered sermons that drew massive crowds and resonated with everyday Americans. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart, shares the story of how Billy Sunday’s message spread across the nation and why it had such a powerful impact. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on April 18, 1775, a Boston silversmith set out on horseback with a warning that would travel from town to town in the dark. The ride itself was real, but the version most Americans remember came later, shaped by a poem that gave it a place in the national memory.In this dramatic reading, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalizes Old North Church and Paul Revere in American folklore. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most of us meet George Washington through half-remembered legends: the cherry tree story, his face on the dollar bill, the grand portraits, and the monuments across the country. Before he became the first president of the United States, he spent years trying to earn respect in a world that did not offer it easily.The late historian Don Higginbotham, author of George Washington: Uniting a Nation, and actor James O’Connor share the definitive story of one of the most important men in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when an SR-71 Blackbird disintegrated midair at over 2,000 mph, pilot Bill Weaver was ejected at a speed and altitude few humans have ever survived. He thought he was dead, but what followed became one of the most remarkable survival stories in aviation history.Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares this incredible story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, what happens to children when they age out of foster care? For many, it means stepping into adulthood alone, without the support systems most young people take for granted. After learning how often these young adults face homelessness, incarceration, and limited opportunities, Paul Blavin walked away from a successful career on Wall Street to do something about it.What started as a sudden realization grew into the Blavin Scholars Program, a holistic effort designed to help former foster youth not just attend college, but succeed in life through mentorship, housing support, and a strong sense of community. Paul joins us to share his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as Saigon fell during Operation Frequent Wind and thousands tried to escape, one South Vietnamese pilot refused to leave his family behind. With only a small observation plane and no guarantee of survival, Major Buang-Ly took to the air in search of help.When he reached the USS Midway, the crew faced a difficult choice that would determine whether his family lived or died. Historian Hill Goodspeed of the National Naval Aviation Museum brings us this incredible story of a father doing whatever it took to save his family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a group home’s night out turned unforgettable when two strangers stepped in with a silent gift. Laurie Seibert had brought her group out for a well-earned dinner, never expecting someone across the room to cover the full bill. But that’s exactly what happened. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Constitution created a Supreme Court, but it did not spell out how powerful that Court would be. In the early 1800s, a political standoff involving William Marbury, outgoing President John Adams, and newly elected President Thomas Jefferson over an undelivered job offer forced the issue. The decision by Chief Justice John Marshall would change America forever.As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of how Marbury v. Madison established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, turning it into a lasting check on Congress and the presidency and shaping the balance of power that still defines American life and law today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Breman Museum was created to preserve Jewish heritage in the American South, with a focus on Jewish communities in Georgia, Alabama, and beyond. What began as a small archive grew into a museum dedicated to telling the story of Jews in the Southern United States.Through the work of Sandy Berman and Jane Levy, the museum highlights the role of Jewish Americans in shaping communities and culture across the South. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before J.J. Jones became known in Oxford for building custom furniture, he was a father trying to survive without a home. He spent months living in a vehicle with his young daughter, taking whatever work he could find and doing his best to shield her from the reality of homelessness.With the help of mentors who saw something in him and a faith that steadied him, he rebuilt his life and became the craftsman he is known as today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson stood at the center of the American founding, writing the Declaration of Independence and later serving as the third president of the United States. He believed deeply in liberty and in the promise of the country, but his life was marked by contradictions that continue to shape how he is remembered, including the fact that he never freed his slaves despite his lofty ideals about freedom.In this talk at the Library of Congress, acclaimed historian and bestselling author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, Jon Meacham explores Jefferson as both a founder and a man, and explains why his life and flaws still say a great deal about Americans today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Auntie Anne’s became one of the most popular fast-casual restaurant chains, Anne Beiler was a woman trying to rebuild her life following the loss of her daughter.But out of her hardship came something unexpected. Starting with a small pretzel shop, she built what would become the world’s largest pretzel franchise. Today, Auntie Anne’s stands alongside the biggest fast-food brands in America, but its story begins with one woman’s decision to move forward and create something truly meaningful. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in pool halls across St. Louis, there was a player people spoke about in hushed tones. They called him St. Louie Louie, a natural talent with a cue stick who could run a table clean and leave even seasoned players high and dry. But his reign didn’t last forever.Mark O’Brien, a listener of Our American Stories and the author of Have Pool Cue Will Travel, shares the true story of St. Louie Louie’s rise, untimely fall, and enduring legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant was a man who seemed to be going nowhere. He graduated near the bottom of his class at West Point, struggled on remote frontier posts, and left the Army under a cloud of rumors about drinking. Back home, he failed in business and worked in his father’s leather goods store, with little to suggest he would one day change the course of American history.Then came the Civil War.Dr. John F. Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library in Starkville, Mississippi, share the story of how Ulysses S. Grant rose to command the Union Army and secure victory in America’s bloodiest conflict. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Carlos Colon spent his early years searching for a father figure and found it in the streets of Chicago. Gang life gave him identity and purpose, but it also drew him into violence that followed him into prison after he took another man’s life. Inside those prison walls, something began to change. He committed himself to a different path and walked out a new man years later.Here’s Carlos with his story, originally part of our documentary The Streets Were My Father. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, known to history as Big Nose Kate, Mary Katherine Horony was more than a footnote in Doc Holliday’s life. She was a trained nurse, a sharp-tongued survivor, and a force in her own right, and her story offers a window into the grit and resilience of women in the American West.The History Guy shares the true story of this often-misunderstood icon of the Wild West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Burger King most people know became a nationwide fast food chain with thousands of locations, a man in Mattoon, Illinois, built his own Burger King from the ground up. When the national brand moved into nearby markets, it sparked a legal fight that would become one of the most unusual fast food lawsuits in American history.Chris Suerdieck, a curator at the Mattoon, Illinois History Center and a former employee at the “real” Burger King, shares the true story of how this small-town burger joint beat the national chain in court, and why you won’t find a Whopper within 20 miles of his hometown. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Curious George became one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature, his creators were fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe with little more than a few belongings and their book manuscripts. Among them was the story that would become the first Curious George book.Louise Borden, author of The Journey That Saved Curious George, shares the true and unforgettable story of Margret Rey and H. A. Rey, the husband-and-wife team behind Curious George, and how their escape from occupied France brought one of the most enduring characters in children’s literature to America.We’d like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for originally hosting this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, J.D. Wininger, owner of the Cross-Dubya Ranch in Northeast Texas and a listener of Our American Stories, shares the story of a quiet man named John who mostly kept to himself. Sitting alone in the back of church and speaking only when spoken to, he wasn’t someone who drew attention. But when J.D. reached out, a friendship began to grow. That connection eventually brought Mr. John to the ranch, and as J.D. soon discovered, the help he offered was returned in ways he never expected.J.D. reflects on the lessons he learned from the man he came to know as the “Quiet Cowboy,” and how sometimes the people who say the least can teach us the most. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for nearly fifty years, Ches McCartney, known as the Goat Man, traveled across America with a team of goats and a wagon carrying everything he owned. Moving from town to town, he became one of the most unusual figures many people would ever encounter.But his mission was serious. McCartney believed he was called to share his faith, using his travels to reach people wherever they were.Our regular contributor, J.D. Phillips, also known as “The Appalachian Storyteller,” shares the story of how Ches McCartney earned his nickname, crossed the country, and became a lasting part of American folklore. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on a city street in California, a man who had nothing discovered something unimaginable: a briefcase filled with $100,000 in cash. His name was Ted Rodrigue, and it was all part of a Showtime documentary experiment designed to answer a simple question: what would happen if a homeless man were suddenly given a second chance? At first, it looked like the beginning of a new life. With guidance available, including access to a financial advisor, the path forward seemed within reach.But what followed was far more complicated.Simon Whistler, from the Today I Found Out YouTube channel and its sister podcast, The Brain Food Show, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as the son of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. had large shoes to fill, and he did. Despite a privileged upbringing, he built a reputation of his own through a life of service and leadership.In World War II, the brigadier general landed at Utah Beach during the opening hours of D-Day at an age when most men are thinking about retirement. He was 56. Armed with only a walking cane and a pistol, and despite his poor health, he moved through the chaos, helping reorganize troops after they came ashore in the wrong place. His leadership played a key role in the success of the landing and later earned him the Medal of Honor, making him the only son of a U.S. president to receive the nation’s highest military honor.Craig Du Mez of the Grateful Nation Project shares the remarkable story of a man who lived up to his name and forged a legacy all his own. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, you may see them everywhere today, but the UPC barcode didn’t become commonplace until well into the 1970s. What had started as a simple idea to speed up checkout lines took decades to develop, requiring advances in computing, scanning tech, and cooperation across different industries.When the first barcode was scanned in 1974, it marked the beginning of a silent revolution. Retailers could track inventory more accurately, businesses could move products more efficiently, and everyday shopping was transformed in ways most people never noticed.Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the story of the barcode, how it came to be, why it took so long to catch on, and how it changed the way the world buys and sells goods forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1800, the United States faced one of the most uncertain moments in its early history. Tensions that had been building since the 1796 presidential race came to a head as John Adams and Thomas Jefferson battled for the future of the country. There’s a reason it is considered one of the most divisive elections in American history. Tensions ran so high that many feared the republic might split apart.When Thomas Jefferson ultimately emerged as the winner of the election of 1800, the nation witnessed something rare in history: a peaceful transfer of power.As part of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of this defining election. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire introduced many people to Eric Liddell, the Scottish runner whose stand at the 1924 Olympics made him known far beyond the track. When his best race was scheduled for a Sunday, Liddell chose to step away, a decision that would ultimately define both his performance and his reputation.Simon Whistler, from the Today I Found Out YouTube channel and its sister podcast, The Brain Food Show, shares the story behind Chariots of Fire and the life Eric Liddell built beyond it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas met in a series of public exchanges that later became known as the Lincoln-Douglas debates. What began as a Senate race in Illinois quickly drew national attention as the two men argued over slavery and the direction of the country. Soon, from New Orleans to New York, the previously unknown Lincoln’s name was on the lips of a nation teetering on the brink of civil war.While Douglas won the election, the debates elevated Lincoln and positioned him as a leading voice in national politics. Acclaimed historian Allen Guelzo, author of Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates That Defined America, shares the story of how a backcountry lawyer took on one of the nation’s most powerful politicians and became, in his words, the nation’s greatest loser.We’d like to thank the Bill of Rights Institute for allowing us access to this audio, originally part of their Scholar Talks series on YouTube. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Paychex, small businesses had limited options for handling payroll. Many owners managed it themselves, while others paid for services designed for much larger companies. Tom Golisano saw the gap and set out to offer a simpler way to manage employee payroll and meet tax obligations without unnecessary cost.He began with a small group of clients and a clear vision of how payroll services should work for smaller employers. That approach grew into Paychex, a company built on making payroll outsourcing accessible and reliable. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dana Mitch grew up knowing pieces of her family’s Holocaust story, but they never quite felt like her own. That changed when she visited Buchenwald, one of the largest concentration camps on German soil.Walking through its grounds brought the past into sharper focus and helped her connect with a history she had long known only from a distance. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Hyman G. Rickover helped build the U.S. nuclear fleet and earned a reputation as the father of the nuclear Navy, known as much for his results as for the way he tested those who wanted to serve under him.As a young midshipman, Bill Toti, the former captain of the nuclear submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), sat down with Admiral Rickover for an interview that would shape his future. Toti shares what it was like to face Rickover and the lesson that stayed with him long after he left the room. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Traveling Wilburys formed almost by accident. When George Harrison needed a B-side, he called Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne, and together they recorded “Handle With Care.” The chemistry was instant, and within months, they became a band the world couldn’t ignore. Their blend of humor, heart, and melody carried through every track, especially “End of the Line.” Our own Greg Hengler shares how these musicians balanced fame with friendship and created music that still feels effortless. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the late Middle Ages, English began to change in a way people could hear as much as read. Speakers across England gradually started pronouncing vowels differently, setting the language on a path from Middle English toward what we now recognize as modern English.That long transition, known as the Great Vowel Shift, helps explain why English spelling and pronunciation so often feel out of sync, since the words on the page stayed largely the same while their sounds continued to evolve over generations.The History Guy shares how the Great Vowel Shift reshaped spoken English and left a lasting imprint on the language we use today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before the annexation of Texas and long before it entered the Union, Texas stood as its own country. The road to that break began under Mexican rule, as growing numbers of settlers pushed for greater local control.What followed became the Texas Revolution. The Battle of the Alamo gave the conflict its most famous rallying cry, and “Remember the Alamo!” carried forward into the final fight at San Jacinto, where Texas forces defeated Santa Anna and secured independence.Official Texas State Historian Monte Monroe shares the story of how Texas became a republic in response to tyranny. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Samson appears in the Book of Judges as a man set apart from birth and given extraordinary strength. Known for the story of Samson and Delilah, he became one of the most recognizable figures in the Bible, though his life was marked by far more than that single moment.Gifted with power yet driven by impulse, Samson’s story moves toward an ending that has been debated for centuries, bringing down the pillars of the Temple of Dagon upon himself. Our regular contributor, Rabbi Stuart Halpern, co-author of Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares the story of Samson and explains why American rebels, from John Brown to Malcolm X to the Sons of Liberty, saw his final act as a form of righteous resistance, and why Martin Luther King Jr. ultimately rejected that interpretation when shaping his own legacy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Hiram Stevens Maxim is best known as the inventor of the Maxim machine gun, one of the first fully automatic weapons. But later in life, he made a surprising and controversial claim: that he, not Thomas Edison, had invented the light bulb.According to Maxim, his work with electric lighting predated Edison’s breakthroughs, raising questions about who truly deserves credit for one of the most important inventions in modern history.Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares the story of the heated debate over the origins of the light bulb. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 10cc set out to record “I’m Not in Love,” they were working from an idea that ran against the kind of love songs filling the radio at the time. By the time it was finished, the song no longer resembled the version they had started with, and it didn’t fit neatly alongside the music around it either.It found its audience anyway, and over time, it helped open the door to a different kind of pop sound. As part of our Story of a Song series, our own Greg Hengler, along with those closest to the creation of the track, shares how the song came together and why it still stands apart from the pack today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Burt Young grew up in Queens, the son of a working-class family, and spent his early years far from the world of film. He boxed professionally, served in the Marine Corps, and worked a series of jobs before ever thinking about acting.That changed when he began studying under Lee Strasberg and started to take the craft seriously. Not long after, he came across the script for Rocky, and his live was forever changed. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Leslie Leyland Fields grew up with a father who could not give his children the care or attention they needed. His absence shaped her childhood and left a distance between them that only grew as the years passed.When he suffered a stroke late in life, Fields made the decision to travel from Alaska to Florida to see him after decades of distance. Leslie shares how that one moment changed everything about their relationship. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1976, a British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier organized a small wine tasting in Paris that most assumed would confirm what everyone already believed: French wines were simply the best. That changed when a group of unknown American winemakers went head-to-head with the best of France and won.In what later became known as the Judgment of Paris, some of the most respected names in French winemaking were forced to reckon with the idea that Napa Valley could produce wines on par with, or even better than, their own. Kevin Ferguson, whose father worked in the California wine industry, shares the story of that turning point, along with insights from Spurrier himself, the man who helped make it happen.Be sure to check out Kevin’s Substack for more stories about his time in wine. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Scott Jones, a regular contributor to Our American Stories and the author of Growing Up Rural, shares the story of one of the most embarrassing moments of his childhood—the time he forgot to clean hog manure off his boots after finishing his early morning chores on his family farm in Iowa, causing quite a stink in his classroom. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert E. Lee remains one of the most debated figures in American history, remembered as a leading general of the Confederate Army and a central figure in the Civil War. Long before Appomattox Court House and the surrender that ended the war for Lee’s army, Robert Edward Lee had lived a life shaped by intense family pressure and an unwavering ambition to live up to his family name.Acclaimed historian Allen C. Guelzo, author of Robert E. Lee: A Life, shares the backstory of Robert E. Lee, tracing his rise through the U.S. Army and the decisions that led him into Confederate leadership.We’d like to thank the Bill of Rights Institute for allowing us access to this audio, originally part of their Scholar Talks series. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Little Debbie snacks became a staple in grocery stores, there was a young couple trying to recover from financial loss during the Great Depression. O.D. and Ruth McKee started small, selling cakes from a car and slowly building a business that would eventually become the powerhouse we know today.Simon Whistler of the Today I Found Out YouTube channel shares the little-known story behind Little Debbie and its iconic snack cakes. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Las Vegas built its identity on spectacle, and few places capture that history quite like the Neon Museum. Tucked just off the Strip, it brings together the glowing signs that once defined the city and preserves them as part of its living story.Aaron Berger shares how the museum grew from a simple idea into one of the most distinctive Las Vegas landmarks. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jay Van Andel, co-founder of Amway, built one of the most successful businesses in American history. But at home, his greatest lessons weren’t about business, they were about family, discipline, and faith.Each night at the dinner table, Jay and his wife Betty made time to teach their children through real-life experiences, sharing the challenges of building a company and the values that sustained them. From family meals to a life-changing trip into the Soviet Union, their children saw firsthand the difference between systems, and the importance of freedom, responsibility, and perseverance.In this tribute, Dave Van Andel and Barb Gaby reflect on their parents’ marriage, their struggles with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and the lasting lessons that shaped their lives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in September 1986, Cleveland set out to break a world record with Balloonfest ’86, a mass balloon release staged in the heart of downtown. Organizers planned to send nearly two million helium balloons into the air as both a fundraising stunt and a civic spectacle, making it one of the most ambitious public events of the decade.Instead, shifting weather pushed the balloons back toward the ground, where they created problems across the city and along Lake Erie. What had been billed as the biggest balloon release ever quickly became a disaster, affecting traffic, airport operations, and even the search for two missing fishermen.Jesse Edwards shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Joseph Warren was already at the center of the resistance in Boston. A physician by trade, he became a political writer, an organizer, and a trusted figure among the patriots, and one of the few men who signed the Declaration with his own blood.Historian Jeffrey McKenna, author of Saving Dr. Warren: A True Patriot, shares the story of Joseph Warren’s rise, his devotion to the patriot cause, and his death at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jesse Brown had already made history as the first Black pilot in U.S. naval aviation. His service in the Korean War would come to define how he is remembered. After his plane went down behind enemy lines, fellow pilot Tom Hudner made a decision that would follow both men for the rest of their lives.Brown’s granddaughter, Jessica Leroyce Knight Henry, shares his story from the beginning, tracing his path from his roots in Mississippi to the mission that continues to shape his legacy today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, eating disorder recovery rarely moves in a straight line, and Randi Wilson’s story makes that clear. After developing an eating disorder as a young woman in Charlotte, North Carolina, she went through hospitalization, residential treatment, and years of working to rebuild a healthy relationship with her body.Wilson shares how that process carried into adulthood and how recovery made room for a future she once thought might not have been possible, including the chance to become a mother. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as George Washington prepared to step down as president in 1796, the United States was already showing signs of bitter political division among those who had fought for American independence. In his Farewell Address, he focused on the growing influence of political parties and what that shift could mean for the future of the country.As part of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains the context behind Washington’s Farewell Address and why his message continues to matter Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ron Brown grew up in Chicago and lost contact with his father at a young age. Over time, the absence became permanent, and he eventually came to believe his father had died.But after Ron appeared on Family Feud and introduced himself on air, his father, who was still alive and watching, recognized him. He followed the details shared during the episode and began making calls until he was able to track him down.Ron Brown joins us to talk about that call and what happened after they reconnected. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, at a funeral home in Iowa, a number of urns had gone unclaimed for years, with no clear path back to family. Lanae Strovers was asked to try to track someone down, but many of the names led nowhere or to people who could not take them.Instead of leaving them there, she arranged the burials herself and made sure each person was treated with care.Here’s Lanae with her story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jackie Robinson didn’t plan to make history. He only wanted to play ball. But in a country that had barred Black baseball players for more than sixty years, that simple dream came with impossible expectations.After a short stint in the Negro Leagues in Kansas City, he became the first to cross into the majors, carrying not only a bat but the burden of representing a nation’s progress. From racism on the field to isolation in the clubhouse, Robinson endured what few could. And because he did, the integration of Major League Baseball finally began.Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, tells the story of one of America’s greatest players. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in May 1862, Robert Smalls carried out a daring escape from slavery in Charleston Harbor. Forced to work aboard the Confederate ship Planter, he learned its routes and the signals required to pass the harbor’s defenses. When the officers left the ship one night, Smalls stepped into their place and guided the vessel past Confederate guns toward the Union blockade.The History Guy shares how Robert Smalls escaped slavery and secured freedom for his family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dennis Peterson, our regular contributor from South Carolina, reflects on his grandmother and the role grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren, remembering a set of hands that carried the weight of a family and offered comfort when it mattered most, even while dealing with painful arthritis. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before the Muppets became a part of American television, Jim Henson was experimenting with a camera and a homemade puppet that would eventually become Kermit the Frog. He saw something others missed: a way to use television to give a puppet a sense of life.As his work found its way onto more screens, the Muppets became a familiar part of life across the United States, shaped by a creative vision that quietly changed what television could be.Brian Jay Jones, author of Jim Henson: The Biography, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in November 1863, Abraham Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just months after one of the bloodiest battles in American history. What he saw there, the devastation, the loss, and the sacrifice, would shape the words he was about to deliver. At just 269 words, the Gettysburg Address would go on to become one of the most famous speeches in history. But at the time, it was largely overlooked and even criticized.Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story behind the Gettysburg Address, how Lincoln redefined the Civil War as a fight not just to preserve the Union but to advance the principle that all men are created equal, and why those few words continue to shape America today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Devon Westhill became the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he learned the meaning of perseverance from the woman who raised him. His mother faced poverty, long hours, and the weight of raising a family on her own in rural Florida. Yet through every setback, she refused to let her children see defeat.Her story is one of grit and grace, a mother who built stability out of scarcity and taught her children that success isn’t handed down, it’s earned, day by day.We’d like to thank our partners at Philanthropy Roundtable for sharing this story with us. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the week of April 1865 brought both the end of the Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. At Ford’s Theatre on Good Friday, a senior Washington police superintendent, largely forgotten to history, named A.C. Richards witnessed John Wilkes Booth enter the presidential box and fire the shot that would kill the nation’s leader.Ford’s Theatre reenactor Mike Robinson shares A.C. Richards’s firsthand perspective and recounts the tragic events of April 14, 1865. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after RMS Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912, two young men spent the next 160 minutes sending frantic distress calls across the North Atlantic to anyone who could hear them. Their names were Jack Phillips and Harold Bride. They kept working as the ship took on water, using one of the most advanced communication systems of its time to reach nearby vessels and call for help before the sinking became inevitable. After all, the fate of more than 2,200 people rested in their fingers.William Hazelgrove, author of One Hundred and Sixty Minutes: The Race to Save the RMS Titanic, shares the forgotten side of history’s most famous shipwreck story through the eyes of her wireless operators. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while sitting in grad school, Hank Brown decided he’d had enough and signed up for the Navy. Within days, he was on his way to Vietnam, flying missions as a forward air controller during the early years of the war.Former Colorado Senator Hank Brown shares his journey to the front lines of the Vietnam War and what he learned from it all. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Vietnam War, then 20-year-old Jon Hovde was nearly killed when his vehicle struck an anti-tank mine. Doctors didn’t expect him to survive, but that day Jon made three promises to God.What happened next would shape the rest of his life and inspire the people back home who knew him best. Linda, from Jon’s hometown of Fertile, Minnesota, shares his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people know how Abraham Lincoln died. The assassination in 1865, carried out by John Wilkes Booth, is one of the most well-known moments in American history. What people don’t usually hear is what happened after he died. A group of counterfeiters in Chicago came up with a plan to steal Abraham Lincoln’s body from his tomb and hold it for ransom. Their goal was to trade Lincoln’s coffin for money and the release of a master engraver who could keep their operation alive.Louis Picone, author of The President Is Dead!, shares the forgotten tale of one of the most harebrained schemes in American history, one that almost succeeded. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when people hear the name Butch Cassidy, they usually think of Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the classic 1969 film that turned two outlaws into near folk heroes. But long before the movie, a different reputation was taking shape in the American West.Wild West historian and Our American Stories regular contributor Roger McGrath traces Cassidy’s evolution from a small-time thief to an organized bank and train robber. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kevin Briggs’ job is talking people off a ledge, or more specifically, the Golden Gate Bridge’s ledge. Here’s Kevin to share how he has saved more than two hundred people from taking their own lives by asking a simple question: “How are you doing?”Kevin shares the story of why he does what he does. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in July 1864, the Battle of Monocacy became one of the most important Civil War battles that many Americans have never heard of. Fought near Monocacy Junction in Maryland, it ended in a Union loss. Even so, the stand there delayed Confederate General Jubal Early long enough to help save Washington, D.C., from a far more dangerous attack.Mark Leepson, author of Desperate Engagement, shares the story of the forgotten Civil War battle that bought crucial time for the Union, helped Abraham Lincoln secure a re-election victory, and changed the course of American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while in prison for preaching without a license, John Bunyan wrote what would become one of the most influential works in English literature: The Pilgrim’s Progress, a book telling the story of a man fleeing the City of Destruction and searching for salvation as he travels toward the Celestial City.As copies made their way to the New World, it became a staple in American homes. Here’s the story of how The Pilgrim’s Progress became one of the most widely read books in history and helped shape early American culture in profound ways that still impact us today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1800s, as the American frontier pushed west, a small group of trappers and traders began moving through the Rocky Mountains, learning the land long before most Americans ever saw it. Thomas Fitzpatrick was one of the most important among them.After losing his parents at a young age, Fitzpatrick headed west and built a life in the fur trade, earning a reputation among fellow mountain men for his skill and leadership in the rugged and uncharted terrain. He later helped organize the Rocky Mountain rendezvous, where trappers gathered to trade and resupply, and eventually took on a new role working as a U.S. representative with Native American tribes during a period of rapid expansion.Historian and Our American Stories regular contributor Roger McGrath shares the story of a man who fundamentally shaped how the American West was opened. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in April 1865, just days after the Civil War ended, Abraham Lincoln experienced what many described as one of the happiest periods of his life. The war was coming to a close, and Lincoln’s schedule reflected a shift toward rebuilding the nation.However, during what was supposed to be a relaxing night at the theater, John Wilkes Booth carried out the assassination that would change American history. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of the final hours before Lincoln was shot and the events that led to his death on April 15, 1865. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he was known as a country music artist, Jelly Roll had a record that included multiple arrests and time behind bars. Years later, after turning his life around and using his music to help others facing the same struggles, his story entered Tennessee’s pardon process.That process brought his case before Governor Bill Lee. But when Lee spoke about the decision, he didn’t just talk about the law. He spoke about loss, about the death of his wife, and about the faith that carried him through it.Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of two men, from very different walks of life, brought together by hardship, faith, and the belief that no life is beyond redemption. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Colin Bettles, an Our American Stories listener from Australia, had never heard of buffalo wings until a trip to upstate New York in the early 1990s. One plate was enough. The tender chicken, the heat of the sauce, and the cool bite of blue cheese made it love at first bite, and sparked a lifelong pursuit.From discovering the dish’s roots at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, to trying to start his own wing shop in Australia, Bettles chased that original taste across continents. Here he is with his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Nala Ray was an early success story on OnlyFans, building a large following and earning significant income as the platform was still evolving. Over time, she began to feel a growing disconnect between her life online and who she wanted to be.Despite her lucrative career, she stepped away and turned her focus toward redefining her relationship with God. Nala joins us to share her remarkable redemption story, from the depths of the online adult industry to a new life in Christ. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Doug and Mary Ketchum moved to Tennessee to open a liquor store, only to run into a state residency law that blocked them from getting a license. What followed was a long legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, raising questions about constitutional law and whether states can limit who is allowed to run a business within their borders.For our Rule of Law series, Doug and Mary share the story of how they brought a bottle of wine to the highest court in the land, and won. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brian Wilson didn’t record “Good Vibrations” the way most songs were made at the time. He built it section by section, using different studios and techniques to create a new kind of sound. The result pushed the boundaries of pop music and influenced the evolution of rock.For our Story of a Song series, our own Greg Hengler shares the story of how the Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson’s imagination, created one of the most important songs in music history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the American Civil War, inventor Richard Gatling set out to solve a problem he believed defined modern warfare: too many soldiers were dying not only in battle, but from disease in overcrowded armies. His solution was the Gatling gun, a hand-cranked, rapid-fire weapon capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. It would reshape how wars would be fought in the decades to come.Gun expert and Our American Stories regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of how a weapon intended to reduce the size of armies and limit suffering ultimately changed warfare forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early years of the United States, Washington Irving became one of the first writers to achieve both national and international fame. His stories, including Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, helped define early American literature and introduced elements of Gothic fiction and Romanticism to a wider audience. He also helped reshape Christmas; a holiday once associated more with rowdy and drunken celebration than with time-honored traditions and family.Brian Jay Jones, author of Washington Irving: An American Original, shares how Irving built a lasting reputation through storytelling and became America’s first true literary celebrity. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during a quiet family visit, Brent Timmons, our regular contributor from Connecticut, found himself pulled out of conversation and into a situation with his young son that escalated quickly. A simple attempt to fix a small cut created a problem he hadn’t anticipated. He literally glued his finger to his son’s face.Brent shares the story of the oddest parenting lesson he ever learned. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Keeshan, a Marine, created Captain Kangaroo in 1955, at a time when television was still new and largely unstructured. He built the program around a simple idea: speak directly to children and hold their attention without noise or chaos.The show ran for decades and became one of the longest-running and most influential children’s programs in television history. Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the story of Mr. Green Jeans himself, and his iconic children’s show. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas A. Dorsey helped bridge blues and church music, but his most famous hymn came from tragedy. In 1932, after losing his wife and child, he sat at the piano and wrote “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” The song would go on to become one of the most recognized gospel hymns.For our Story of a Song series, our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of this iconic gospel standard. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, but he changed its place in American life. By making the car affordable and reshaping the factory around speed and precision, he turned a rare machine into something millions of people could own.Historian Richard Snow, author of The Rise of Henry Ford, shares the spellbinding story of how Ford transformed manufacturing in the United States and Detroit and single-handedly ushered in the modern age. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before World War I, the suffrage movement had been fighting for decades without success. The war changed that. Women stepped into visible, demanding roles tied directly to the military and daily life at the front.Kara Dixon Vuic, author of The Girls Next Door: Bringing the Home Front to the Front Lines, explains how those experiences shifted public opinion and gave political leaders a reason to act. Women’s wartime service became part of the case for granting the right to vote in the United States. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Aron Marquez’s story begins in the fields, working long hours and learning firsthand what hard work really looks like. Years later, he would go on to build WildCat Oil Tools, a Texas-based company generating over $100 million in annual revenue and employing hundreds of people.But for Marquez, success was about people, not just profit. From doing the same work as his employees to building a culture rooted in respect, he learned that leadership is earned long before a company scales.Aron shares what it takes to build something that lasts and why the way you treat people ultimately defines the strength of your business. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the early United States faced deep uncertainty after the American Revolutionary War, and the Constitution had yet to prove itself in practice. George Washington entered office knowing that every decision would set a precedent, especially as the revolutionary ties that bound the nation began to break down along emerging party lines.As part of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of the decisions that shaped the role of the presidency and set lasting precedents that continue to influence America today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1984, a contestant named Michael Larson, an ice cream man from Ohio, stepped onto the set of Press Your Luck and walked away with over $110,000, becoming one of the biggest winners in game show history. His run looked like pure luck, but behind the scenes, Larson had figured out how the game really worked.Comedian and mathematician Matt Parker breaks down the famous Press Your Luck scandal, explaining how Larson memorized patterns on the board and cracked the code of one of America’s most popular game shows. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War I, one unlikely hero stood out among the soldiers, and he walked on four legs! Sergeant Stubby started as a stray dog before becoming a beloved mascot and eventually one of the most decorated war dogs in American history.Jeremy Swick of the College Football Hall of Fame shares the remarkable true story of how Stubby became a national symbol of loyalty and courage. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Reignite Hope began with a simple question about how to help people move forward when life has fallen apart. Steve Bunyard turned to welding as a way to create opportunity, building a program that trains people, certifies them, and connects them to meaningful work.Today, the program reaches far beyond Skid Row, helping people struggling with homelessness, poverty, and major life transitions. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Iin September 1965, a quiet stretch of road in New Hampshire became the setting for what many still consider one of the most compelling UFO sightings in the United States. The Incident at Exeter began when a teenager reported a large object with red flashing lights hovering in the distance, an account that quickly drew the attention of local police and, eventually, national headlines.Ashley Hlebinsky recounts the details of that night and explains why the Exeter UFO sighting remains one of the most well-documented UFO cases in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883 and quickly became one of the most remarkable engineering achievements in the world. Spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it created a lasting connection between two rapidly growing communities.But the bridge’s story is also the story of a family. After its designer, John Roebling, died during construction, his son Washington took over as chief engineer, only to be left bedridden by illness. From there, his wife Emily stepped in, helping oversee the project and carry it through to completion. The History Guy joins us to share the story of one of America’s greatest modern marvels and the people who made it possible. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after watching Saving Private Ryan, Jay Moore walked into a bookstore in Texas and struck up a conversation with an older man browsing a World War II book. That man was Joe Brown, a Marine veteran whose service took him through Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian, some of the hardest fighting in the Pacific.What began as a brief exchange turned into a friendship and a firsthand encounter with the kind of war hero most Americans never expect to meet in ordinary life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, from 1945 to 1992, the United States conducted more than a thousand nuclear weapons tests. Many took place in Nevada, where young Marines were ordered into trenches to observe what would happen when the bomb went off. Among them was Toby Madrid.For decades, he stayed silent, sharing his memories only once with his son and a trusted co-worker, Richard Muniz. That rare conversation captured the surreal experience of facing a nuclear explosion in the desert and the shadow it left on the men who served. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1970s, a UCLA student named Steve Stoliar set out to track down a missing piece of Hollywood history. The film was Animal Crackers (1930), one of the early Marx Brothers movies starring Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, and Chico Marx. But because of a copyright issue, the film had disappeared from circulation and was nearly impossible to see.His effort to track down the film and push for its re-release led him into direct contact with Groucho Marx and the people behind the movie. What followed helped restore a lost chapter in the history of Marx Brothers films. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the winter of 1838, a political argument in Congress crossed a line few thought possible. Maine Representative Jonathan Cilley and Kentucky’s William Graves met on a field just outside Washington, rifles in hand. The nation watched in disbelief as two elected officials prepared to settle a dispute the old-fashioned way.When the smoke cleared, one man was dead, and House Resolution 8 soon followed, banning duels between lawmakers. Our regular contributor and firearms historian, Ashley Hlebinsky, revisits this little-known chapter in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the American Revolution, few family divisions ran deeper than the one between Benjamin Franklin and his son, William Franklin. While Benjamin Franklin became a leading voice for independence, William Franklin remained loyal to Britain, serving as a royal governor and standing firmly on the Loyalist side.Our own Lee Habeeb shares the astonishing story of how Benjamin Franklin and his son ended up on opposite sides of history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Billy Graham became one of the most influential Christian evangelists in American history, preaching to millions through large-scale crusades, radio, and television. What began with small gatherings grew into a global ministry that reached audiences across continents and generations. Over the course of his life, Graham met with and offered counsel to every U.S. president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.Here’s our own Greg Hengler with his story. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for granting us permission to use the audio you’re about to hear from their exceptional film, Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Chloe Howard was born with a congenital clubfoot, a condition known medically as talipes equinovarus that affects how the foot develops before birth. From infancy through her teenage years, she underwent repeated treatments and surgeries to correct it, spending much of her childhood in casts, on crutches, and in recovery.Chloe shares what it was like to grow up with clubfoot and how the condition shaped her identity. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the U.S. Constitution was drafted, it created a new national government but left many Americans uneasy. There was no clear statement of individual rights, and critics feared that without one, the federal government could overstep its authority. These debates shaped what are now our first ten amendments, also known as the Bill of Rights.As part of our ongoing The Story of Us—The Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains how the Founding Fathers created one of the most influential documents protecting hard-won American freedoms. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Allied forces fought through one of the most dangerous stretches of World War II in Europe. Cecil Wax, a young American soldier, was ordered to drive a supply truck loaded with fuel and ammunition down a frozen mountain road in the dark. But when the truck began to slide toward disaster, Cecil turned to prayer. What followed became the defining moment of his life.Marilyn Jensen shares the story of that night, when her father believed God intervened and guided him to safety. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when a major deal with Mercedes-Benz went wrong, Roger Penske didn’t send an email or a team of lawyers. He took the seats out of his own private jet to fit a race car inside, then flew across the world to deliver both the car and a personal apology. Here’s Penske with his incredible story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Walter Isaacson began working on his biography of Steve Jobs, he quickly saw that Jobs approached Apple with a different kind of discipline. He believed a product should be built with care from start to finish, even if the customer would never see it.Walter Isaacson shares how that mindset shaped Apple’s growth, from its early days with Steve Wozniak to its place today under CEO Tim Cook. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tyler Hamilton spent years competing at the highest level of professional cycling, including riding alongside Lance Armstrong at the peak of his Tour de France career. As one of Armstrong’s teammates on the U.S. Postal Service cycling team, he saw firsthand how widespread doping in cycling had become. Eventually, he chose to speak publicly about what was happening inside the sport, helping expose one of the biggest scandals in sports history. Here's Tyler with his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when John O’Leary was nine years old, a house fire left him with burns over 100 percent of his body. Doctors said he wouldn’t survive. He did. They said he’d never walk again. He did.When he returned home, his mother insisted he do one more thing no one thought possible: learn to play the piano. John had no fingers, but she believed he had more strength than anyone could see.The bestselling author of On Fire shares how one act of motherly determination helped him face the world again and taught him that no obstacle is bigger than love, hope, and the will to try. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Urschel had money, influence, and a target on his back. When Machine Gun Kelly broke into his home and took him hostage, it seemed like just another high-profile crime in a lawless era.But Urschel didn’t panic. Instead, he took mental notes, tracking every moment, every voice, every clue. His memory became the FBI’s secret weapon and helped lead to one of the first major takedowns of America’s new wave of gangsters.With insight from Joe Urschel and Dr. T. Lindsey Baker, this is the story of how a businessman played a crucial role in bringing down one of the most infamous criminals of the 1930s. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jesse Owens arrived in Berlin for the 1936 Olympics as one of the fastest men in the world. The long jump competition placed him beside Luz Long, a German athlete competing under the watchful eyes of the Nazi regime and in a stadium built to showcase its ideals.During the event, Long noticed Owens struggling with his approach and quietly offered advice that helped him stay in the competition. The two men spoke easily, competed fiercely, and walked off the field together in front of a crowd that had not expected to see them side by side. Elliott Drago of the Jack Miller Center shares the story of how a single Olympic event created a bond that outlived the medals. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrases “high and dry” and “let the cat out of the bag” came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Borelli once believed the Mafia offered the clearest path to power. As a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, he set out to become a gangster, drawn to the respect, money, and status he saw around him. Instead, that path led him in and out of prison, and eventually to rock bottom.But inside a jail cell, at his lowest point, Borelli cried out to God for change. What followed was a transformation that gave him a new purpose in life, one rooted in faith and service to others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever heard of a Puritan pastor who learned a new language so he could preach the Bible to Native Americans in their own words?In the 1600s, John Eliot did exactly that. He became known as the “Apostle to the Indians” for translating Scripture into Algonquian and sharing it across New England, leaving behind the first Bible printed in North America.Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of John Eliot’s mission and its place in America’s early history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the nineteenth century, a woman’s future could collapse overnight. If a husband died, disappeared, or fell into debt, she often had no legal claim to the house she lived in. The homestead law changed that.As Professor Jean Stuntz explains, the law created a small but powerful shield that prevented families from losing the one thing they could not live without. It was far from perfect, yet for countless women who had no voice in court and few rights under most state laws, this protection meant stability and offered a kind of dignity that had rarely been within reach. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Diablo’s Southwest Grill in Georgia was broken into, owner Carl Wallace could have responded the way most business owners would. Instead, he posted a public message offering the burglar something unexpected, a job. Here’s Carl sharing his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the summer of 1864, Union prisoners at Andersonville were dying by the thousands. The Confederate prison camp in southwest Georgia had become one of the most infamous places in the Civil War, marked by starvation, disease, and a desperate lack of clean water.Then came an event many survivors would never forget. After a violent storm and a prayer meeting among the prisoners, fresh water began flowing from the ground in what became known as Providence Spring.Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of Andersonville and the moment that gave prisoners a renewed sense of hope. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures in twentieth-century American politics stood farther apart than Shirley Chisholm and George Wallace. Chisholm broke barriers as a Black congresswoman and presidential candidate. Wallace became a national symbol of segregation and resistance to civil rights.A tragic event brought them together, forging an unlikely connection. Special thanks to the Jack Miller Center for bringing this story to our attention. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before digital photography took over, Kodachrome was one of the most famous color films in the world. Its rich tones and sharp detail made it a favorite among professionals, travelers, and families for generations. But when Kodak stopped making it, there was only one lab left on Earth that could still process it.That lab was Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas. As the end drew near, photographers from around the world rushed to send in their final rolls. The family behind Dwayne’s shares the story of the remarkable final days of a film that helped define color photography. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after serving as the Union general who helped win the Civil War and later as the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant entered the final chapter of his life facing two crushing blows. He had lost his money in a financial swindle, and he was dying of throat cancer.With little time left, Grant set out to write his memoirs so his wife would not be left destitute. Working through severe pain and racing against death, he, with the help of Mark Twain, produced what many still consider one of the finest military memoirs in American history. Our regular contributor, Christopher Klein, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, she was just a teenager, carrying her infant son, when she joined the most daring expedition in American history—and without her, Lewis and Clark might never have made it. Dr. Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College brings us the incredible story of Sacagawea, the young woman who made America's most daring road trip possible. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as an icon of the Protestant elite, Theodore Roosevelt was an unlikely ally of the waves of impoverished Jewish newcomers who crowded the docks at Ellis Island. Here to tell the story is Arizona State History Professor Andrew Porwancher. Andrew is the author of American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1944, American forces were fighting to hold ground in the Italian village of Sommocolonia when German troops overran the area. First Lt. John Robert Fox remained behind to direct artillery fire from an exposed position. As enemy forces closed in, Fox made a decision that would define his legacy. He ordered artillery to be fired directly on his own location, knowing it would stop the advance but cost him his life. For his heroic actions, First Lt. Fox was posthumously awarded our nation’s highest honor for valor, the Medal of Honor. But that recognition wouldn’t come until decades later.Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice from his guide to unraveling the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, explores where our favorite sayings come from and what they mean. This time, Andrew shares the story of how the phrase "red tape" came to be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1776, the relationship between Britain and the American colonies reached a breaking point. What began as political disagreement had grown into open conflict, and the possibility of independence was closer than ever.The late, great historian David McCullough looks at this turning point in American history and explains how 1776 became the year the Revolution truly took hold. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, they needed a way to get from ship to shore quickly, directly, and under fire. That job fell to a simple but revolutionary landing craft known as the Higgins boat, a vessel that could run up on the beach and drop its front ramp in seconds. Eisenhower himself called it a key reason victory was even possible.Nancy Rust and Carol Stubbs, authors of Higgins and the Boats That Landed Victory in World War II, share the story of Andrew Higgins and how an invention born in the bayous of Louisiana helped change the course of World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kenny Monfort built significant wealth, but he didn’t live like someone trying to prove it. Hank Brown shares what it was like working for a man who valued humility over appearance, and character over status. Whether showing grace to those who criticized him or refusing to measure success by what he owned, Monfort lived out his beliefs in quiet, everyday ways. It’s a story about money, yes, but more than that, it’s about the kind of man he chose to be Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when a stadium full of excited sports fans pressed downhill against inadequate crowd control, tragedy struck in an instant. Michael Brin, a player on the field that day and now an emergency physician, shares his harrowing story of the infamous University of Wisconsin stampede and its aftermath. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the 1820s, many of the heroes of the American Revolution were gone, and the country they helped create was already beginning to divide. When General Lafayette returned, his visit quickly turned into a nationwide event. His grand tour across the country drew massive crowds and reminded Americans of the leaders and ideals that shaped the nation. Towns, counties, and landmarks across the country still carry his name because of the impact of that visit.Ryan L. Cole, author of The Last Adieu, shares the story of one of the most unifying moments in early American history. We’d like to thank the Library of Congress for originally hosting this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Maureen Elwyn shares the heartfelt story of a moment with her elderly grandfather and his beautiful singing as she played the organ. We’d like to thank Leslie Leyland Fields for introducing us to this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Diego Moreno was a police officer in Washington, a trainer, and a father whose life left a lasting mark on those closest to him. His wife and patrol partner share the story of the energy, devotion, and sense of duty he brought to his work in law enforcement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 20th episode of our ongoing Story of Us, The Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of a rapidly changing America in the early 19th century. As the nation expanded westward and experienced unprecedented economic growth, a deeper conflict loomed beneath the surface.At the center of it all was slavery, an unresolved issue that threatened to divide the country. Through the lens of the Missouri Compromise and the warnings of Thomas Jefferson, Dr. McClay explores a nation on the brink of a collision over the very meaning of freedom, liberty, and the future of the Union. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Estel Myers joined the military after an argument with his father and soon found himself in the Philippines as the war in the Pacific turned against American forces. After the fall of Bataan, he was captured by the Japanese and forced into one of the darkest chapters of World War II, the Bataan Death March. He survived imprisonment, brutal treatment, and the uncertainty that defined life as a prisoner of war in the Pacific.His children tell the story of the man who came home after the war and the father they grew up knowing. In remembering Estel Myers, they reflect on his World War II service, the meaning of POW survival, and why his story still matters today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few players in baseball history match what Ted Williams accomplished at the plate. Called the “John Wayne of sports,” he carried a secret, one he was told to bury: his Hispanic heritage.Williams was the last player to bat .400, a 17-time All-Star, a two-time Most Valuable Player, and a two-time Triple Crown winner. Ben Bradlee Jr., author of The Kid: The Immortal Life of Ted Williams, shares the sweeping story of his life, from his illustrious baseball career to his service in the military, where he fought in two major wars, World War II and the Korean War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Bruce Paddock bought a bankrupt pharmaceutical company at 29, most people thought he was making a terrible mistake. What followed was the slow, difficult building of a business that helped expand access to generic drugs at a time when brand name drugs still dominated the market. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tiffany Jenkins built a large following as a mom influencer and creator of Juggling the Jenkins, but her story doesn’t match the polished version of motherhood people see online. She shares what it felt like to become a mother while rebuilding her life, including the reality of postpartum depression and the pressure that comes from comparing yourself to other parents. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Gideon started out doing what he loved, working on cars and restoring classics with the expectation that it would be his career long-term. Over time, the work inside his shop began to take on a deeper meaning. Mike joins us to discuss how his relationship with God helped transform his life's work. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of Queen Esther, told in the Book of Esther in the Bible, is usually read as a story of courage and survival. Less often, it is connected to the ideas that shaped American liberty. Rabbi Stuart Halpern, co-author of Jewish Roots of American Liberty, explains how this Old Testament story, including Esther, Mordecai, and King Xerxes, carried meaning into colonial America and helped shape the way people understood freedom, responsibility, and the role of faith in public life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the height of his career, Pat Boone was one of the most recognizable figures in American music, known for his success on stage and on television. Behind it all was his marriage to Shirley Foley Boone, which remained at the center of his life. The legend himself joins us to tell the story of how he balanced stardom with his personal faith and family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General “Mook” Mukoyama volunteered and served in both Korea and Vietnam, building a long career in the U.S. Army during some of the most defining conflicts in American military history. In 1986, he became the youngest general in the Army at the time, and soon after was promoted to Major General, where he went on to command the 70th Training Division during Desert Storm. After retiring from military service, Mukoyama turned his focus to working with American veterans, dedicating his time to understanding and addressing the lasting impact of combat. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people set out to run a single marathon and call it a lifetime achievement. Karen Thomson and her son, Joe Meilink, decided to take it much further. Together, they ran a marathon in every state, turning long miles and early mornings into something more than a physical challenge. Along the way, the journey became a shared pursuit, one that brought family closer together and created memories that stretched far beyond the finish line.Karen and Joe, joined by Joe’s wife Vicky, share how it all started, what kept them going, and what they found in each other over the course of 50 races across the country. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrase “back to square one” came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln often spoke about God, especially during the darkest days of the Civil War. But what he believed, and how he arrived there, is more complex than many assume. He did not belong to a church for most of his life. He wrestled with loss, read widely, and thought deeply about providence, suffering, and the role of faith in a nation at war.Richard Carwardine, a Lincoln Prize-winning historian, shares the story of Lincoln’s spiritual life, how it evolved over time, and how his understanding of God shaped the way he led the country through its greatest crisis. We'd like to thank the Bill of Rights Institute for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brian Jay Jones, author of Jim Henson: The Biography, tells the story of how some of America’s most beloved characters—the Muppets—got their start in advertising and television commercials. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early days of hip-hop, the music grew out of Black and Latino communities in New York City. It was local, raw, and deeply rooted in the neighborhoods where it began. So when three white, Jewish kids from New York entered that world, it raised more than a few eyebrows.Greg Hengler shares the story of the Beastie Boys, how they found their place in a culture that wasn’t originally their own, and how their music helped carry hip-hop to audiences far beyond the city. It’s a story about risk, identity, and the unexpected ways American music can grow and change. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the middle of the Civil War, when battlefield medicine was rough, dangerous, and often improvised, one doctor refused to stay on the sidelines.Dr. Mary Edwards Walker served on the front lines, treating wounded soldiers under fire and crossing enemy lines to care for those in need. Along the way, she was captured, held as a prisoner of war, and ultimately recognized for her service in a way no other woman in American history has been.The History Guy shares the remarkable story of the only woman ever awarded the Medal of Honor, and how her courage, skill, and determination left a lasting mark on both American medicine and the nation she served. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, General Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War and later served two terms as the 18th president of the United States. Today, he is buried at Grant’s Tomb in New York City, the largest presidential tomb in the country and one of the city’s most important historic monuments.By the late twentieth century, however, the memorial had fallen into serious disrepair. Graffiti covered the walls, maintenance had stalled, and many believed the National Park Service was failing to protect the historic site. That’s when a determined college student named Frank Scaturro decided to step in. His lawsuit against the federal government forced officials to confront the neglect and ultimately helped save Grant’s Tomb. Here's Frank with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a boy growing up in Kansas City, Roger Rench’s life changed suddenly when his father took a job as a golf pro in the small town of Sheridan, Iowa. The move meant trading city life for a tiny community and living inside the clubhouse of the Lakeview Country Club. It also meant giving up something Roger loved even more than the golf course: his dog, Flash.The stay in Iowa lasted only a month before the job ended and the family returned to Kansas City, leaving Roger with more questions than answers. Decades later, while making a delivery in southern Iowa, he unexpectedly found himself back in Sheridan, standing in front of the same clubhouse where that brief chapter of his childhood had unfolded. Roger shares the story of that short, bittersweet time in Iowa. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitution emerged from the Constitutional Convention in 1787, its future was far from certain. The document still needed to be ratified by the states, and fierce debate quickly followed. Supporters argued that the new framework of government would stabilize the young republic, while critics warned that it gave too much power to a distant national government.Into that debate stepped Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Writing under the name “Publius,” they published a series of essays now known as the Federalist Papers, explaining and defending the Constitution to the American public. For our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares how those writings shaped the future of American government. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, acts of kindness often begin in ordinary moments. For Paul Kotz, a regular contributor to Our American Stories, one of those moments started behind a building with a deck of cards and a brief conversation with a homeless man. What followed was unexpected: Kotz climbed into a dumpster so the two of them could sit down and play a few hands.The game itself was simple, but the encounter stayed with him. Kotz reflects on that afternoon and the quiet ways compassion and human connection can show up in everyday life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Stories host Lee Habeeb speaks with Mitchel "Big Mitch" Rutledge, who has spent more than forty years serving a life sentence in Alabama. Each call traces the shape of faith, regret, and forgiveness inside a place built for punishment.As the series comes to a close, Mitch reflects on what those years have taught him about freedom and bondage. Prison, he explains, is not only a physical place. A person can be trapped by anger, bitterness, or regret just as easily as by walls and bars. Looking back now, Mitch believes life returns what a person plants in it, and he hopes anyone listening might take that lesson seriously and begin their own search for freedom. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Doc Holliday is one of the most famous figures of the American Old West, known for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his role in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Movies and television have turned him into a legend, but the real Doc Holliday was far more complicated than the popular portrayals suggest.Historian Roger McGrath joins us to tell the true story of John Henry “Doc” Holliday—the Southern dentist who became a gambler, gunslinger, and enduring figure of frontier history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, behind many successful people is someone who helped guide them along the way. For Stephen Ross, owner of the Miami Dolphins and founder of Related Companies, that person was businessman and philanthropist Max Fisher.Ross explains how Fisher’s mentorship shaped the decisions he made in business and in life, leaving an impact far greater than money or titles. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the Civil War, hundreds of Irish-American veterans launched an invasion — not in Ireland, but across the Canadian border. It was a daring, chaotic attempt to pressure Britain into freeing Ireland. Author and History Channel contributor Christopher Klein shares the untold story of the Fenian Raids. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Olivia Hooker’s life spans some of the most important chapters of American history. A survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre as a child, she later went on to become the first Black woman to serve in the United States Coast Guard.In her own words, Hooker reflects on the path that led her to military service and the experiences that shaped her remarkable life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, today the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star is one of the most recognizable sneakers in the world, worn by athletes, musicians, and everyday fans alike. But the man whose name appears on that famous ankle patch was not a superstar athlete.Chuck Taylor was a basketball evangelist and traveling salesman who spent decades promoting the sport and the shoes that would become synonymous with it. Lee Habeeb shares the story of Charles “Chuck” Taylor and how a passionate promoter helped popularize basketball while turning Converse high-top sneakers into an American icon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ed Sykes shares the remarkable story of his friendship with fellow fighter pilot Dave Dinan and the decades-long effort to bring his fallen comrade home.During the Vietnam War, Sykes flew dangerous combat missions in the F-105 Thunderchief alongside a close-knit brotherhood of pilots. One of those men was Dave Dinan, a brilliant young airman who was shot down over Laos in 1969 while flying in the secret “Hidden War” connected to the conflict in Vietnam. Dinan’s body was never recovered, and over time his family was told there was little hope that his remains would ever be found.But Sykes never forgot his friend. Here's Ed with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every immigrant story begins with a decision to leave something familiar behind. For Kevin Samy’s father, that meant leaving a village where opportunity was scarce and education was almost nonexistent.Samy shares how that journey to the United States influenced his upbringing, from growing up in a diverse American community to discovering how football, education, and discipline helped shape the path of his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brent Timmons, a listener of Our American Stories, shares the story of his grandfather, a quiet man known in the family simply as “Pop Pop.” Vernon Timmons lived a modest life in southern Delaware, working hard, speaking little, and rarely seeking attention. He briefly ran a small gas station and later worked long hours while farming a piece of land outside the town of Dagsboro. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer sits at the intersection of faith, politics, and conscience during one of the darkest chapters of modern history. As a Lutheran pastor and theologian, Bonhoeffer spoke openly against the Nazi regime and later became connected to members of the underground resistance working to overthrow Adolf Hitler.Eric Metaxas shares the story behind Bonhoeffer’s life, from his early years as a pastor to the sacrifice that ultimately made him one of the most compelling figures of Christian resistance during World War II. Metaxas is the author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, born on the land of the former plantation where her parents had been enslaved, Madam C. J. Walker married young, became a mother young, was widowed young, and divorced young. Out of necessity, she went on to create a revolutionary hair care product that transformed her life and helped make her one of the first self-made female millionaires in American history.A'lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-great-granddaughter and author of On Her Own Ground, shares the remarkable story of entrepreneurship, resilience, and legacy behind one of the most influential businesswomen in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in his 1939 State of the Union address, President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned that attacks on religion often appear alongside attacks on democracy itself.Speaking at a time when authoritarian regimes were rising overseas, Roosevelt argued that freedom of religion and political liberty were closely connected. Our American Stories’ own Lee Habeeb shares the story behind this powerful presidential address and the warning FDR delivered about threats to free societies. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world with shamrocks, green clothing, and parades, but the real Saint Patrick lived a life far removed from the holiday that grew up around his name.As a teenager, Patrick was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave. Years later, he returned to the same land, this time as a Christian missionary determined to share his faith with the Irish people. Our own Greg Hengler tells the astonishing tale of the man behind the holiday. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Bryan spent decades in the business world leading the Sara Lee Corporation and helping shape one of America’s most recognizable food brands. His leadership also left a mark on Chicago, where he helped bring the vision of Millennium Park to life.But before the boardrooms and public projects, John Bryan was simply an older brother. George Bryan joins us to pay tribute to his brother, John. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for thirty-seven years, no horse won the Triple Crown. Then, in 2015, American Pharoah finally broke the drought and gave horse racing one of its biggest moments in a generation.For former media executive Gary Ginsberg, that win brought back something more personal. Watching the Triple Crown races returned him to the Sundays he spent at the track with his father, where the horses, the racing form, and the rhythm of the day became part of their relationship. Here's Gary with his moving story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few public figures captured the American mood quite like Will Rogers. Raised in "Indian Territory" and shaped by the traditions of the American West, he first gained attention as a rope-twirling performer in vaudeville. From there his career expanded rapidly. Rogers became a film star, newspaper columnist, and radio personality whose observations about politics and everyday life were quoted across the country.Tad Jones, director of the Will Rogers Memorial, shares the story of the man often called America’s cowboy philosopher, along with historic audio from Lux Radio Theater. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Desi Arnaz fled Cuba as a teenager after his family lost everything during political upheaval. Starting over in Miami, he worked odd jobs, learned English, and fought his way into show business through sheer persistence and charisma. But his greatest impact wouldn’t just be as a performer — it would come behind the scenes.As the co-star of I Love Lucy alongside Lucille Ball, Arnaz helped pioneer the three-camera filming technique, insisted on filming before a live studio audience, and co-founded Desilu Productions — the studio that would later produce iconic shows like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible. In doing so, he helped invent the modern sitcom and reshape American entertainment.Here to tell the remarkable story of Desi Arnaz, from refugee to television revolutionary, is our own Jim Watkins. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Declaration of Independence is one of the most famous documents ever written. Its words helped launch a revolution and have inspired independence movements around the world ever since.But the parchment signed in 1776 faded badly over time. By the early twentieth century, it was nearly impossible to reproduce clearly. The version most Americans recognize today exists because of Theodore Ohman, an immigrant craftsman who settled in Memphis, Tennessee. Mark Hill tells the story of how Ohman created the detailed reproduction that preserved the Declaration’s appearance for generations. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, much of what the public knows about Brett Favre happened on the football field. But behind the touchdowns and championships is a life shaped by hardship, faith, and the lessons that come with age.In part four of our five-part series, Greg Hengler sits down with Brett at his home in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he reflects on the role faith has played in his life, the humility that comes with experience, and how adversity has shaped the man he has become. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the polio vaccine transformed public health, poliomyelitis was one of the most feared diseases in America. Severe cases could leave patients paralyzed and unable to breathe, forcing doctors to rely on a strange new technology: the iron lung.These massive metal chambers lined hospital wards during major polio outbreaks, rhythmically expanding and contracting to help patients breathe. Daryn Glassbrook of the Mobile Medical Museum shares the story of the iron lung, the medical innovation that helped people survive one of the twentieth century’s most frightening epidemics. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dustin Tomlinson grew up in rural Missouri, the youngest of four brothers on a cattle farm where competition was part of everyday life. Like a lot of people in small towns, he had arm wrestled plenty of times on truck hoods, in hayfields, and around the high school cafeteria table. But he never imagined it could become a serious sport.After stumbling across professional arm wrestling online, Dustin decided to see how far he could take something he had always done for fun. What started as a trip to a local tournament soon turned into a passion for a sport that demands strength, strategy, and precision. Dustin shares how he discovered the competitive world of arm wrestling and what it takes to move from friendly challenges to the professional arena. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most Americans remember Brian Keith as Uncle Bill on the television series Family Affair. Calm, steady, and dependable, he played the bachelor suddenly responsible for raising his niece and nephew.That calm presence came from a life far from Hollywood soundstages. During World War II, Keith served as a U.S. Marine aerial gunner in the Pacific, flying combat missions where young crews faced enemy fire and long hours over open water. In this installment of our Hollywood Goes to War series, historian Roger McGrath shares the story of Brian Keith’s wartime service and the years that came before his career in film and television. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Annie Oakley could do things with a rifle that most people would not even attempt. She shot right-handed, left-handed, from horseback, and even over her shoulder using a mirror. At a time when women were expected to remain in the background, she stepped into the spotlight with a rifle in her hands.Her path to fame began in poverty. As a young girl in Ohio, Oakley hunted to put food on the table for her family. That skill eventually brought her to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, where she became one of its biggest stars. Gun historian Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of Annie Oakley’s life, her partnership with fellow sharpshooter Frank Butler, and how a quiet woman from Ohio became one of the most famous performers of the American West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the sudden death of his father, Irvin Favre, Brett Favre faced a decision about whether he could play the next night in a crucial Monday Night Football game. What followed became one of the most remarkable performances in NFL history.In this installment of our five-part series, Brett reflects on the night he took the field with a heavy heart, played one of the greatest games of his career, and came to believe that God had answered the prayer he whispered before kickoff. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Confederacy entered the Civil War with a serious problem. It didn’t have the industrial strength to build the navy it needed. To keep the war effort alive, Southern leaders turned to something they still had plenty of: cash crops and international trade.That’s where blockade runners came in. Fast ships slipped through the Union blockade carrying cotton out and weapons and supplies back in. Some of those vessels became legends of Civil War naval history. Others disappeared almost as quickly as they appeared. John Freeman of the South Carolina Military Museum shares the story of a mystery 'blockade runner' and how it met its demise. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The United States Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in force, yet one question about the document continues to shape debates about American history: Did the Constitution support slavery, or did it leave room for the institution to be challenged and eventually abolished?For our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, examines how the framers dealt with slavery during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and what the text of the Constitution actually says about our original sin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joe Garman wanted to minister to people on his own terms, and certainly not in a prison setting. As he tells it, God had other plans. He would end up forming ARM, one of the largest prison ministries in the world. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the first American Christmas came just months after the Declaration of Independence. But by December, the mood across the colonies was anything but triumphant. Washington’s forces had been pushed back again and again. The army was cold, outnumbered, and on the brink of collapse. What happened on Christmas night turned the tide. With no guarantee of success, Washington led a quiet crossing of the Delaware and launched a surprise assault on Trenton. The victory didn’t end the war, but it gave people something they hadn’t had in weeks: hope. Historian Brian Benjamin shares a poem that tells the story behind one of the most important days in the fight for independence. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, immigration to the United States has always been driven by the same simple hope. Families leave the places they know best and step into an uncertain future because they believe the next generation might have greater opportunity.Our American Stories listener Jon L. Jacobson shares the story of his great-grandfather, Cornelius, an immigrant whose arrival in America more than a century ago changed the course of his family’s history. Jon reflects on the sacrifices, struggles, and determination that defined the immigrant experience and helped shape the country many families now call home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jen Neiman was dealing with persistent health troubles that would not go away. She was depressed, upset, and felt as if any progress she had made had been met with more bad news. Then a mysterious gift appeared on her doorstep. Jen shares the story of what she learned about friendship in her darkest hours. We would like to thank our regular contributor, Leslie Leyland Fields, for introducing her student Jen to the show. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few television comedies have had the lasting impact of I Love Lucy. When the show debuted in the early 1950s, Lucille Ball quickly became one of the most recognizable performers in American entertainment.Her success did not arrive quickly. For years, Ball struggled to find a role that truly fit her talent, moving through small film parts and studio setbacks before television offered a new opportunity.Kathleen Brady, author of Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball, joins us to tell the story of Lucille Ball’s long road to success and the breakthrough that made her one of the defining figures of early television. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on February 5, 2018, Colorado Deputy Micah Flick was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call in Colorado Springs. His death was one of many law enforcement line-of-duty deaths that year, and it left a family, a department, and a community grieving the loss of a young officer who had dedicated his life to public service.Our American Stories remembers Deputy Flick through the words spoken at his funeral. His widow and brother-in-law reflect on the life he lived, the man they knew, and the moments that made him more than a badge and a uniform. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Steve Trice started Jasco Products in 1975, he didn’t set out just to build a successful and profitable company. Guided by his Christian faith, he believed his business could be a way to serve others.That belief eventually led Jasco to make an extraordinary commitment: giving away half of its profits to charitable causes around the world. Steve Trice shares how faith, generosity, and a higher calling shaped both his company and its culture. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney, a regular contributor of Our American Stories, shares the tale behind a cherished family photograph taken on the Fourth of July in 1907. Through the memoirs of Leora Goff, we're transported to small-town Iowa, where parades, brass bands, picnics, and fireworks filled a long summer day of celebration in 1907. It is a vivid snapshot of how Americans celebrated Independence Day more than a century ago. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Johnsonville Sausage grew into the best-selling sausage brand in the United States, but the company’s success did not come from product alone. It also came from a culture that placed unusual trust in its employees.When a Johnsonville plant in Watertown, Wisconsin burned down, the company faced a difficult choice about what to do with the workers who suddenly had no place to work. Instead of layoffs, Johnsonville’s leadership made an unexpected decision.Ralph Stayer, former CEO and board chairman of Johnsonville Sausage, shares the story of that moment and how a commitment to doing the right thing helped shape the company’s culture and long-term success. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1880s, San Francisco passed an ordinance regulating laundries that operated in wooden buildings. On paper, the law applied to everyone. In practice, city officials enforced it almost entirely against Chinese immigrant laundry owners.One of those business owners was Yick Wo. When local authorities repeatedly denied him a permit to continue operating his laundry, he challenged the decision in court in what would soon become the landmark case Yick Wo v. Hopkins.Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the story of the Chinese immigrant whose fight over a laundry business helped define equal protection in American constitutional law. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, across the United States, many young people labeled “at risk” struggle to find stable work and long-term career opportunities. In Colorado, one electrical contracting company decided to confront that challenge directly.Weifield Group began hiring and training individuals who might otherwise be overlooked in traditional hiring processes.Karla Nugent and Curt Andersen share the story of Weifield Group’s approach to hiring at-risk individuals and explain why investing in people has become a central part of the company’s success. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the 1730s and 1740s, George Whitefield traveled through colonial America preaching revival sermons that drew enormous crowds. His voice became one of the defining forces of the First Great Awakening.Among those who followed Whitefield’s rise was Benjamin Franklin. Working as a printer in Philadelphia, Franklin published many of Whitefield’s sermons and helped circulate them widely throughout colonial America. Although Franklin approached religion with skepticism and did not share Whitefield’s theology, the two men developed a lasting friendship built on mutual respect.Randy Peterson, author of The Printer and the Preacher, shares the story of Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield and explains how their partnership connected the revival culture of the Great Awakening with the expanding world of the colonial printing press. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener from Iowa, Roger Rench, shares memories from his time playing various competitive sports throughout his life that are sure to put a smile on your face. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1851, Olive Oatman was thirteen years old and traveling west with her Mormon family during the era of westward expansion. Along the way, her family was attacked, and Olive and her younger sister were taken captive.For years, Olive lived among Native American tribes of the Southwest, including time with the Mojave, where she received a traditional chin tattoo that would later make her instantly recognizable. When she eventually returned to white society, she carried with her a story that unsettled the tidy narratives of the American frontier.Bob Boze Bell of True West magazine shares the life of Olive Oatman, a figure caught between cultures during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1965, California Senator George Murphy started a sweet tradition, literally. He began stocking his desk on the Senate floor with candy to share with his colleagues. That desk, now known as the “Senate Candy Desk,” remains a Capitol Hill tradition to this day. Jesse Edwards shares the history, mystery, and origins behind one of the Senate’s most interesting traditions. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, since its release in 1983, Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders has drawn generations of viewers back to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The story of Ponyboy, Johnny, and the Greasers has become part of American coming-of-age culture, and the modest house where much of the film was shot still stands in the city where it was made.Now, in what is surely one of the most interesting pop culture intersections of all time, hip-hop artist Danny Boy O’Connor from the rap group House of Pain, best known for their iconic 1992 anthem “Jump Around,” purchased the Tulsa, Oklahoma home where much of The Outsiders film was shot. Here to tell the story is Danny Boy O’Connor himself. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the 1984 NBA Draft brought Michael Jordan to Chicago and led Nike into a gamble that would define its future. Nike committed to a signature shoe built around a rookie and released a design that drew immediate scrutiny from league officials. But the fines that followed became part of the story rather than the end of it.As Jordan’s career began to climb, so did the visibility of the Air Jordan line. Nicholas Smith, the author of Kicks, revisits the early days of the Nike and Michael Jordan partnership and the circumstances that led to one of the most recognizable brands in sports. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, from the days of Hulk Hogan to modern WWE, wrestlers travel constantly, train relentlessly, and perform feats that demand strength, timing, and endurance. The spectacle may be designed for drama, but the toll on the body is no joke. Riley Evans, sportswriter and CEO of RealPodcasting.com, shares the real story and cost behind professional wrestling. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a young woman, Harmony Dust Grillo found herself pulled into the commercial sex industry, a world that promised independence but delivered something far more complicated. One friendship, however, changed everything. Here’s Harmony with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1970s, spotting Elvis Presley on tour meant crowds, security, and long odds. For one twelve-year-old girl from Colorado, it meant something else entirely: an eight-hour car chase fueled by determination and the hope of catching a glimpse of the King of Rock and Roll. Our American Stories listener Patty shares her story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on March 5, 1770, tensions in colonial Boston erupted when British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing five men in what would soon be known as the Boston Massacre. The event became one of the most significant moments in the timeline of early American history. Then John Adams made a decision that stunned many of his fellow colonists.Though he believed British policy toward the colonies was unjust, Adams agreed to defend the soldiers in court. He understood that if the American cause stood for liberty and justice, it could not abandon those principles when they were inconvenient. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, listener and regular contributor Joy Neal Kidney, from Des Moines, Iowa, shares the story of her uncle, Donald Wilson, a man she knew simply as “Uncle Don,” the quiet fisherman from Washington State who sent home pictures of himself holding salmon.But behind those snapshots was a story few would have guessed. Donald Wilson grew up in small-town Iowa and joined the Navy during the Great Depression. Serving aboard the USS Yorktown throughout its life, including during the pivotal Battle of Midway. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Klondike Gold Rush reshaped the Yukon and Alaskan frontiers almost overnight, drawing prospectors from around the world into one of the most unforgiving landscapes in North America. Among them was Belinda Mulrooney, a businesswoman who understood that the real opportunity of a gold rush often lies beyond the mines.Rather than search for gold herself, Mulrooney built the infrastructure that made the rush possible. She supplied miners, constructed hotels, and moved quickly in a volatile economy where fortunes appeared and vanished with startling speed. Her success brought international attention, and for a time she stood as the richest woman in the Klondike. Here to tell her story is historian Roger McGrath, author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes: Violence on the Frontier. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Tracy Grant’s husband became terminally ill, their lives shifted from planning for the future to paying close attention to the present. Over the next seven months, Tracy became her husband’s caregiver in every sense of the word. She managed medications and appointments, but she also found herself rediscovering the core of their marriage.Tracy joins us to reflect on those final months and why the season that looked like a loss from the outside became, for her, a profound and life-altering gift. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, there is a moment when you realize the toys are still in the room, but they are no longer being played with. Our regular contributor, Stephen Rusiniak, remembers the years when his daughter’s world revolved around stuffed animals, bedtime stories, and the small rituals of early childhood. He also remembers the first time he saw her step away from all of it, when she got rid of her Easy-Bake Oven. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the summer of 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to draft what would become the Constitution of the United States. The Articles of Confederation had proven too weak, and the young nation faced a basic question: How should power be divided in a republic made up of very different states?The answer became known as the Great Compromise: a House based on population and a Senate with equal votes for every state. In our 10th episode of our ongoing Story of Us—The Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of how the Constitution was designed with our most partisan attributes in mind. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on November 9, 1991, fifteen-year-old Hayden Perkins was driving home through the Mississippi Delta when a strong gust of wind pushed his SUV off the highway. The vehicle rolled, and he was thrown through the windshield, eventually leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.He returned to school in a wheelchair and, in time, returned to the question every teenager faces: what comes next? Prior to his accident, dentistry was never on his mind. But, years later, it became his main profession. Hayden joins us to share that harrowing story of that afternoon and how that path led him to his practice in Oxford, Mississippi, today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in parts of Burma, civilians live between armed groups with little protection. The Free Burma Rangers move into those areas to treat the wounded and help families escape.Founded by former Green Beret Dave Eubank, the group blends military training with humanitarian work. Their missions include medical rescue, documentation of human rights violations, and direct support for displaced communities. Dave joins us to tell his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Phillis Wheatley was brought from Africa to Boston as a child and enslaved. Within a few years, she was reading classical literature and writing poetry that would be published in 1773 in Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.Leslie Johnson of The American Village revisits Phillis Wheatley’s life, her poetry on slavery and faith, and the uneasy place she held in a nation demanding liberty while denying hers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Soviets took control of Lithuania at the end of World War II, Audrey Gruss’s parents fled. After time in a displaced persons camp in Germany, they came to the United States, sponsored by relatives in Newark, New Jersey.Her mother, Hope, later developed severe depression at a time when mental illness was rarely discussed and poorly treated. Following her mother's death, she decided to establish a depression research foundation to help those like her mother receive the kind of care she never received. Audrey joins us to discuss her parents' courageous escape and how she honors her mother through her work every day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before interchangeable parts became standard in factories, they were an idea in need of proof. And Eli Whitney saw opportunity in that idea.Seeking federal backing, he promoted the concept that muskets could be assembled from uniform, standardized pieces. That claim pointed toward the future of American manufacturing. Here to tell the story is Ashley Hlebinsky. Ashley is the former co-host of Discovery Channel’s Master of Arms, the former curator in charge of the Cody Firearms Museum, and president of The Gun Code, LLC. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, despite the church's refusal to annul a previous marriage, this couple spent days together for decades, all the while upholding their traditional values. And despite never exchanging vows, even death couldn't part them. Tom Ryan, an Our American Stories listener, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, at six-foot-six and 250 pounds, Paul Bauer does not fit most people’s picture of a quilter. A few years ago, he took a stack of his late father-in-law’s T-shirts and stitched them into a quilt, expecting it to be a one-time project. But that first T-shirt quilt turned into a lasting hobby and, eventually, a way to honor those he holds close. Paul, a regular contributor to Our American Stories, joins us to share how he stumbled into quilting and how sewing quilts has helped him stay connected to the people he loves most. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Curt Flood was one of the best center fielders in Major League Baseball. As a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals, Flood built a reputation based on excellence.Iin 1969, the Cardinals traded him to Philadelphia against his wishes. He refused to report. He challenged Major League Baseball’s reserve clause, the rule that tied players to one team and denied them the right to free agency. His case, Curt Flood v. Kuhn, went all the way to the Supreme Court.Despite his best efforts, Flood lost the ruling and his career. But his stand opened the door for modern free agency and changed the business of baseball. Columnist George Will shares the story of Curt Flood, the player who risked everything to challenge the system. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The USS Indianapolis left Guam in July 1945 after delivering critical cargo connected to the Manhattan Project. But before she could make it to her next destination, a Japanese submarine would strike the cruiser, leaving hundreds of sailors and Marines sinking in shark infested waters.While the story gained popularity from Jaws, the details itself are more harrowing from the men who lived through it.The story later reached a wider audience through Jaws, but the details come from men who lived through it. The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, shares the real-life story of that fateful day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lambeau Field has hosted decades of Green Bay Packers history. In the 1980s, it also hosted something quieter: a kids-only section for young Packers fans to hang around and watch football with their peers.Jon Elfner spent his eighth grade year in that section, watching Packers home games week after week. But it wasn't just the players who cuaght his eye. John joins us to tell his love story that played out in Wisconsin's, and the NFL's, most famous field. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, from Green Eggs and Ham to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re all familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss. But the story of how he actually became the author we know and love is far from short and simple. Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, is here with the full story of the man behind the pen name. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Huff built a career in the nursing home and home healthcare industry. After 3 months of retirement, Bob decided to enter a new line of work… doggy daycare! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during some of the tensest moments of the Cold War, President Kennedy on July 4th, 1962 visited Independence Hall to give a motivating speech highlighting the importance of democracy and free enterprise around the world. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Winchester name carries weight in American history, especially when it comes to rifles and repeating firearms. But brands are not built by products alone. They are built by people who understand how to grow them.Thomas Bennett worked alongside John Moses Browning during a defining period for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. His leadership helped transform Winchester rifles from strong products into a national force. Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of this forgotten, but all-important, man. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, there was a moment when the future of home entertainment was uncertain. VHS and Betamax were locked in a format war, and the VCR you bought determined which tapes you could play.VHS eventually became the dominant video cassette system, reshaping movie rentals, television recording, and 1980s pop culture. Engineer Guy Bill Hammack explains how VHS won the format war and why Betamax slowly disappeared. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became known worldwide as B.B. King, he was Riley B. King, a young musician working the radio circuit in Memphis. Over time, his blues style, marked by precise bends and expressive vibrato, influenced rock, jazz, and rhythm and blues artists alike.With his guitar Lucille in hand, B.B. King developed a tone and phrasing that set him apart from other electric guitar players and helped earn him the title “King of the Blues.” Here to tell the story is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel de Visé, author of the first in-depth biography of B.B. in almost 30 years: King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sophia and Deshaun Olds were married in 2004 but didn’t immediately think about starting a family. They were busy serving overseas and pursuing their education. That all changed when, after 13 years without children, they became a family of nine—literally overnight. Here they are with their story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you have ever ordered at Chick-fil-A, you know the reply almost by heart: “My pleasure.” But this chicken giant didn't come up with its famous catchphrase.The phrase traces back to a visit founder Truett Cathy made to the Ritz-Carlton, where he noticed how consistently employees used those same two words with guests. The language was part of the hotel’s service standard, and it stayed with him long after he left. Cathy later adopted the phrase inside Chick-fil-A, where it became a defining part of the company’s culture. Horst Schulze, the co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, more than half a century after Mary Poppins premiered in 1964, it still sits near the top of the list of most beloved family films. But getting it made took years of persistence and a long fight over rights, creative control, and what the story should look like on screen. Our own Greg Hengler shares how Mary Poppins came to life and the filmmaking breakthroughs that helped turn it into a classic that continues to reach new generations. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, some competitions end when the plates are cleared. This one kept going in the form of a nickname. Lindsey Gallant shares the story of being challenged to an eating contest at church and walking away with a legendary nickname, “The Stomach.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Age of Discovery launched European exploration across the Atlantic, but Columbus’s motivations were more complicated than simple curiosity or greed. He wrote about prophecy, Christian expansion, and the belief that history was moving toward a final reckoning.George Grant, author of The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus, shares how faith, medieval politics, and apocalyptic expectation shaped Columbus' vision, and why the man saw himself not as a navigator, but as a servant in a divine plan. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti was able to keep and drive a meaningful memorial of his son, Jared, who was killed in action while defending his comrades. Those experiences later inspired the song “I Drive Your Truck,” recorded by country artist Lee Brice. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Malin Burnham, a San Diego business leader, shares his story of community development and philanthropy, including how he helped bring the USS Midway to San Diego and transform the retired aircraft carrier into the USS Midway Museum, now one of the city’s most visited landmarks and a lasting civic legacy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time the United States sent troops to Iceland, the war in Europe was already reshaping the Atlantic. Iceland declared neutrality, but its location placed it squarely inside the expanding European theater of World War II. Control of sea lanes, supply routes, and air coverage made the island too important to ignore.The History Guy walks through the timeline that brought American forces to a neutral country and explains how this move fit into the larger World War II European campaign. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, loving a team that loses year after year certainly has a way of shaping character, and in Oxford, Mississippi, Ole Miss football has never been a safe bet. For generations, being a Rebels fan has meant learning how to hope carefully, endure long seasons, and keep showing up even when winning feels distant.Our American Stories listener Nancy Ball shares a story she wrote titled “Being an Ole Miss Fan Is, in and of Itself, a Lesson in Humility,” and explains why winning isn't always about making playoffs. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, today, Herman Melville sits firmly within the canon of American literature. His novel Moby-Dick is assigned in classrooms, quoted in essays, and ranked among the greatest classic novels of all time. But when Moby-Dick was first published in 1851, it was a massive commercial failure.Our own Greg Hengler and others share the story of a man who was dirt poor for most of his life but is now considered America’s Shakespeare. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Mississippi native Madysen Acey was ten years old, an electrical accident led to the loss of both her arms. In a single day, her life shifted from school and friends to surgery, rehabilitation, and learning how to function without hands.Madysen reflects on what it meant to grow up as a bilateral amputee and how that experience shaped her sense of identity, and her deep faith. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, ask ten people what Spam is, and you will hear ten different answers. Some think of canned meat on a grocery shelf. Others think of World War II rations or Spam in Hawaii. A few still wonder what the word actually means.Dustin Black, the author of The Book of Spam, explains where Spam came from, how it got its name, and why this canned meat outlasted countless food trends. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in an age of viral marketing campaigns and carefully crafted advertising strategies, one Texas business owner took a very direct approach. Mitch Felderhoff, co-owner of Muenster Milling in Muenster, Texas, decided to eat nothing but his company’s dog food for 30 days. The goal was simple: prove confidence in the product and create a publicity stunt people could not ignore. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1898, the mysterious explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor lit a fuse that had already been burning for months. The ensuing Spanish–American War lasted only a few months, but its consequences still shape American foreign policy. American forces defeated Spain in Cuba and in the Philippines, ending centuries of Spanish colonial rule. For the first time, the United States faced the challenge of governing distant lands and defending its actions on the global stage.As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, the author of Land of Hope, shares the story of the Spanish–American War, from Havana Harbor to Manila, and explains why this “splendid little war” marked a turning point in U.S. history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kent Nerburn, author of Letters to My Son, set out on a road trip through Alaska as a young man—and found himself facing far more than he expected. As a snowstorm closed in, his group pushed past the last checkpoint and onto a narrow gravel road carved for the Alaska Pipeline, with no guardrails, no shelter, and miles of wilderness in every direction.What followed was a harrowing climb through the Brooks Range, moments of real danger, and then a sudden emergence into a vast Arctic landscape that reshaped how Kent understood fear, beauty, and himself. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s rise to become the King of Rock and Roll did not happen in isolation. Behind the scenes stood his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who helped guide the career of a young Elvis during the explosive years of 1950s rock and roll.Greg McDonald met Elvis Presley as a teenager shortly after Colonel Parker began managing him. What followed were encounters that reveal the personalities behind the headlines. Greg shares three stories from inside the early world of Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, snowboarding grew from a niche winter activity into a global sport within a single generation. At the center of that transformation stood Jake Burton Carpenter.As founder of Burton Snowboards, he played a central role in shaping the sport’s growth, guiding it from informal gatherings to professional events and eventually Olympic competition. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of Jake Burton and the rise of snowboarding as both an industry and an international sport. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III once said that if George Washington truly resigned his commission and returned to his farm, he would be the greatest man in the world. Washington did exactly that.Washington’s decision echoed the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman farmer and general who left his plow to defend the Roman Republic and then gave up power just as quickly.Hillsdale College professor Kenneth Calvert shares the story of Cincinnatus shaped the image of George Washington and how the city of Cincinnati came to bear the name of a Roman statesman. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitutional Convention opened in 1787, the United States was less than a decade old and already struggling. The Articles of Confederation had created a loose union of states with a Congress that lacked the power to tax, enforce laws, or stabilize the economy. By 1787, many leaders believed the country could not continue as it was.The men who met in Philadelphia were not unanimous in their views, but they shared a belief that reform was necessary. What began as a plan to amend the existing system became an effort to draft an entirely new Constitution. As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, the author of Land of Hope, shares the riveting story of the start of the Constitutional Convention and how the men there set out to create a document meant to last. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures shaped modern American Christianity like Billy Graham. His sermons reached across denominations and generations, and his ministry left a lasting mark on the country’s religious life. When Billy Graham passed away, tributes poured in from around the world. At his funeral, however, the most personal reflection came from his daughter, Ruth Graham.In this Final Thoughts segment, Ruth shares memories of her father that go beyond the public image of a famous evangelist and reveal the man she knew at home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1941, Captain America Comics No. 1 hit newsstands with an unforgettable image: Captain America punching Adolf Hitler. The cover appeared nearly a year before Pearl Harbor, at a time when much of the country was still divided over entering World War II.Joe Parrott of Ohio State University explains how Captain America’s first appearance reflected the mood of the moment, the character’s Jewish roots, and why that single punch became one of the most important images in comic book history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories regular contributor, Joy Neal Kidney, shares the forgotten stories of Union soldiers from Iowa whose sacrifices rippled far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from her family's letters, Joy tells the intertwined tales of Colonel James Redfield and Lieutenant Colin Marshall: farmers, fathers, brothers, and sons who left Iowa to fight for the Union. Joy's book is Leora's Letters, be sure to give it a read. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on July 4, 1986, moments before the largest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan gave a rousing speech from the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy in New York Harbor. Standing beneath the Statue of Liberty, he reminded the country and the world what freedom really means. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet. And neither did one single engineer working alone in a lab.The creation of the internet was a decades-long effort involving programmers, scientists, and visionaries who believed computers could talk to one another. From early network experiments to the first web browser and the first website, the internet story is one of shared invention. Critically acclaimed biographer and author of The Innovators, Walter Issacson, shares how the internet came to be with his audience at a book talk at the U.S. Library of Congress. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in American history when he took office in 1901. He is remembered for trust-busting, conservation, and the phrase “carry a big stick.” But before all of that, he was a young man in mourning.After the sudden death of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, Roosevelt fled west to the Dakota Territory, seeking solitude, purpose, and renewal on the frontier. Roger McGrath and Michael Blake tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt in North Dakota, and how the hardships of ranch life helped forge one of America’s most consequential leaders. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the United States Constitution, there were the Articles of Confederation. Written during the American Revolution, the Articles created a national government built on a “firm league of friendship” among the states. The Articles of Confederation limited federal power but reflected deep fears of centralized authority, leaving the founders' first attempt at a unified government susceptible to weakness and disarray.For our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, walks through the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and how they ultimately paved the way for the United States Constitution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Clarksdale, Mississippi is known for blues music and Delta history. It is also home to one of the most beloved barbecue restaurants in the state. Abe’s BBQ has been serving smoked meat for generations, drawing locals and travelers who come looking for Mississippi barbecue done right. Our American Stories regular contributor, Jesse Edwards, shares the story of how a small Delta joint became part of Mississippi lore. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1990s, Pepsi ran a commercial that joked a teenager could earn a Harrier jump jet, the pride of the Marine Corps, through Pepsi Points. The ad listed the jet at seven million points. Most viewers laughed and moved on. One college student did not.John Leonard gathered investors, calculated the math, and tried to claim the jet. When Pepsi refused, the dispute became Leonard v. PepsiCo, one of the most talked-about contract law cases of its era. Journalist Sean Kernan shares the story of the Pepsi Harrier jet lawsuit that still shows up in law school classrooms today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The First Amendment promised freedom of religion, but the reality in America was not always simple. In the nineteenth century, Catholics faced discrimination in politics, education, and public life.Archbishop John Hughes emerged as one of the most forceful defenders of American Catholics. Called “Dagger John” for the cross he signed before his name, Hughes fought for the right of Catholic families to educate their children and practice their faith without interference, setting the stage for modern religious freedom. Richard Daniel McCann, author of Hughes: Lion of American Catholicism, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the American flag carries deep meaning for millions of families, often shaped by service, sacrifice, and memory. For Our American Stories listener Joy Neal Kidney of Des Moines, Iowa, that meaning is deeply personal. Joy is the niece of the Wilson Brothers—young men from Iowa who served during World War II and whose lives and sacrifices left a lasting mark on their family. Their story, and what they stood for, helped shape how Joy and her family came to see the American flag not as a symbol, but as a reminder of real people, real courage, and real loss. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson is remembered as a Founding Father, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the nation’s third president. He is also one of the most important historical figures when it comes to religious freedom in America.In 1802, that commitment to religious liberty inspired one of the strangest thank-you gifts in presidential history. A Baptist preacher from Massachusetts organized his congregation to create a massive wheel of cheese and send it to the White House in Jefferson’s honor. The so-called “mammoth cheese” became one of the most unusual events in early American history. Historian Clay S. Jenkinson shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when American troops left for war, they carried reminders of home that came in the simplest form: food. Spam and Hershey’s chocolate became symbols of comfort in a world that had lost its sense of safety. Spam filled mess kits and fueled long marches through mud and heat. Hershey’s chocolate brought a quick burst of sweetness that could steady a soldier’s nerves or break the monotony of rations. Together they fed the body and the spirit, helping to turn familiar tastes into a quiet kind of strength that followed the American army wherever it went. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Holiday Inn began with one frustrated family road trip and grew into one of the largest hotel chains in the world. At the center of that growth was Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn and a salesman at heart. His son, Kemmons Wilson Jr., joins us with stories of his father's relationships with some of the greats: Muhammad Ali, Sam Walton, and Sam Phillips. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Vietnam War changed a generation of American men. For many of them, survival depended less on strategy and more on friendship. Camelo Venegaz was the kind of guy you could talk to about anything, and he became someone his fellow soldiers trusted with their fears and, at times, their final words. He joins us to tell his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Josh and Lauren Manning did not expect to end up in Noel, Missouri. After years in retail management, Josh felt pulled toward ministry and accepted a role at a struggling rural church.What they walked into was something unexpected: a congregation that spanned multiple cultures and languages. Noel had become home to refugees and immigrant families drawn to the area for work in local industries, bringing with them languages and traditions from around the world. Today, services are held in English, Spanish, Karen, Chuukese, and Marshallese—languages spoken by families from Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands who now call rural Missouri home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it is hard to imagine now, but there was a time when writing meant sitting in front of a typewriter. Just a keyboard, a ribbon, and a blank sheet of paper. The QWERTY layout, first designed in the nineteenth century, shaped how we still type today.Our American Stories listener Bert Rosica explains why that old typing machine still holds a certain power and why, in his view, there are 99 reasons a typewriter is better than a computer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Butch Hartman shares the story of how one of the most influential animation careers of the 2000s came to be. While millions recognize the shows he created; The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, and more, far fewer know the path that led him there. Hartman tells how his journey took him from the snowy shores of Michigan to the studios of Southern California, and how persistence, faith, and craft shaped a career that defined a generation of television animation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War I, carrier pigeons were woven into the U.S. Army’s communication system. When phone lines were cut and runners could not cross open ground, messenger pigeons carried handwritten notes over smoke and shellfire. At one point in the war, an American unit was pinned down by its own artillery. Cut off and taking heavy losses, the men turned to a wounded homing pigeon that had been trained to fly back to its loft. That small bird became their final line of communication.Frank Blazich of the National Museum of American History tells the tale of how pigeons entered modern military service and how one battered carrier pigeon altered the course of a battlefield in World War I. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when the automobile was hailed as an environmental savior. Cities at the turn of the century were suffocating under the burden of their own success. The horse had built them, but it was also destroying them. Streets were thick with waste, and the air carried the scent of disease. Into that chaos rolled the automobile, a machine that seemed to offer a vision of progress that was clean, modern, and under control. Miles C. Collier, founder of the Revs Institute, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Seaside, Oregon, was a small Pacific Northwest town built on logging and salmon fishing. Karl Marlantes’ grandfather had already survived a logging accident that crushed both his legs before turning fully to commercial salmon fishing. As a gillnetter, he worked the tides with precision, and when Karl was thirteen, he brought him into the family business. Karl, the author of What It Is Like to Go to War and Matterhorn, shares the story of how those summer days changed his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in NASCAR, some names fade. But Dale Earnhardt does not. Dale Earnhardt Sr. built his reputation one race at a time, driving the black No. 3 and collecting championships like stamps. More than two decades later, Dale Earnhardt remains central to NASCAR’s story. Jay Busbee, author of Earnhardt Nation, shares the tale of how a poor boy from Kannapolis, North Carolina, became “The Intimidator”—auto racing’s greatest legend and an American icon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Alcatraz: the inescapable prison. Inmates called it “the Rock,” and the distance from Alcatraz to the mainland was enough to make even the most hardened criminals shiver in fear. But in 1946, a group of prisoners attempted the impossible. They overpowered guards inside Alcatraz and tried to break out. The attempt spiraled into what became known as the Battle of Alcatraz, or the Alcatraz Prison Riot of 1946. U.S. Marines were called in to restore order, turning the most notorious prison in the United States into a battlefield. The History Guy shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert E. Lee is known for his role during the Civil War, but what about his life afterward? After the Confederate surrender, General Robert E. Lee returned to Virginia and accepted the presidency of a struggling college in Lexington. The aftermath of the Civil War left the South uncertain about its future, and Lee’s final years were spent guiding students rather than commanding troops.Historian Allen Guelzo shares how this quiet period helped redefine Lee’s legacy and shaped what would later become Washington and Lee University. We’d like to thank the Bill of Rights Institute for allowing us access to this wonderful audio, originally part of their Scholar Talks series on YouTube. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the top show of the 60's and 70's started with a simple question: "Scooby-Doo where are you?" The show introduced the Scooby-Doo gang, a group of teenagers and one nervous Great Dane riding around in the Mystery Machine, chasing ghosts that always turned out to be something far more human.Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of one of the most ironic cartoons of all time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Franklin had more “firsts” than most Americans could dream of. But before he was a statesman, a printer, or the face on the hundred-dollar bill, Benjamin Franklin was a devoted chess player. In fact, Benjamin Franklin’s chess history goes back further than most people realize. He is widely considered America’s first known chess player and the first American to write seriously about the game. Elliott Drago, a historian and editorial officer at the Jack Miller Center, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the real test began. Could a fragile rebellion defeat the most powerful empire on earth? In this episode of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, a Hillsdale College professor and the author of Land of Hope, tells the story of how American independence was secured through hardship, perseverance, and the indispensable leadership of General George Washington. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of Rosa Parks is often reduced to a single moment on a Montgomery bus. But here, in her own voice, Rosa Parks tells the fuller story of what led to that decision and what followed. Through rare audio from Felicia Bell, the director of the Rosa Parks Museum, Parks herself explains how segregation shaped every part of daily life in the South, why she was actually seated legally that day, and how her refusal to move from that seat became the spark that set off a year-long boycott that changed American history forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Valentine’s Day began as a feast honoring a third-century Christian martyr. So how did we get from beheading to betrothing? Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of Saint Valentine, a Roman priest executed under Emperor Claudius II for secretly marrying Christian couples. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 18-year-old Shelby Houston prepared to preach for the first time, her father sent her a reassuring text. Hours later, Richard Houston, a 21-year veteran of the Mesquite Police Department, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call. At his memorial service, Shelby delivered a moving eulogy—one that reflected her father’s faith, character, and courage. Here's the audio of that eulogy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Ragosta of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello shares the story of how religious persecution in colonial Virginia gave rise to one of America’s defining principles. As Baptist ministers were jailed and dissenters taxed to support the established church, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison joined forces with evangelical Christians to defeat state-supported religion. Their victory, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, helped shape the constitutional separation of church and state. The most astonishing thing about it all, however, was that Jefferson wasn't a normal believer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Stories host Lee Habeeb speaks with Mitchel “Big Mitch” Rutledge, who has spent more than forty years serving a life sentence in Alabama for killing a man. Mitch has never denied his crime or offered excuses for it. Instead, their conversations focus on what responsibility, faith, and accountability look like when lived out behind prison walls.In this episode, Mitch begins with a story about how a simple act of kindness toward an elderly man planted the seed for his belief in sharing God’s grace with others. He then shares another experience in which an act of generosity didn’t have the impact he intended but ultimately taught him an important lesson about being wise with charity and discerning where it will truly make a difference. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Third Reich lasted just twelve years, but the destruction it unleashed reshaped the world forever. In this episode, we examine the rise of Adolf Hitler—not as a sudden coup, but as a political ascent made possible through elections, institutions, and public support. How did a nation renowned for its Christian tradition, artistic achievement, scientific excellence, and technological leadership descend into moral catastrophe? This is the story of how Hitler came to power, and how a modern society surrendered itself to tyranny. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before leading ten publicly traded companies, Jerre Stead was waking up at 3 a.m. to deliver newspapers in rural Iowa. In this story, Stead explains how running a paper route at age nine—through snowstorms, strict deadlines, difficult customers, and personal loss—taught him the fundamentals of leadership, ethics, and responsibility. Those early mornings shaped how he later led companies, treated people, and built cultures rooted in trust and performance. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian Stephen Ambrose explains how World War II was actually fought, not just with tanks and planes, but with weapons that were often refinements of much older designs. From barbed wire and land mines to machine guns and artillery, Ambrose shares the story of how defensive positions were built, how infantry advanced, and why many of the war’s most effective tools had their roots in World War I or even earlier conflicts. Courtesy of the Stephen Ambrose Estate. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Texas is one of the last surviving locomotives of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, the line that helped create Atlanta, and played a starring role as the pursuit engine in the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War. Jackson McQuigg of the Atlanta History Museum explains how the Texas chased the stolen General at extreme speed, how it later served in wartime logistics, and how it narrowly avoided being scrapped again and again. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, founder and CEO Monica Kelsey tells the remarkable true story behind Safe Haven Baby Boxes—secure drop boxes installed at fire stations that allow mothers to surrender newborns safely and anonymously. Conceived in rape and abandoned at birth, Monica later served in the military and became a firefighter/medic before discovering the circumstances of her own beginning. After seeing a “baby safe” box in Cape Town, she returned home, helped pass America’s first baby box legislation in Indiana, and launched the first U.S. box in 2016. Today, baby boxes are saving newborns and reducing deadly abandonments. Monica’s full story is told in her book Blessed to Have Been Abandoned. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ryan Stewart never imagined that walking dogs would become his calling. But after years of drifting, dogs became the constant that helped him grow up, slow down, and finally like who he was. In this deeply personal story, Ryan shares how working with dogs changed his life, and how he now uses that bond to reach people who’ve lost their way. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ulysses S. Grant returned from a triumphal world tour as one of the most admired men on earth—then, almost overnight, he was ruined. After a catastrophic investment collapse left him bankrupt and in debt, Grant was diagnosed with inoperable throat and tongue cancer. With death approaching, he took on one last fight: writing his memoirs to ensure his wife Julia and their children would not be left destitute. Louis Picone, author of Grant’s Tomb: The Epic Death of Ulysses S. Grant, shares the remarkable story of how Grant rejected a bad publishing deal, turned to Mark Twain, and wrote in agony until he finished the manuscript just days before he died. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before modern Western dramas, there was Richard King, the real cattle king of the American West. Historian Roger McGrath and William Yancey of Texas A&M University–Kingsville share the story of how a New York orphan became one of the most powerful ranchers in American history, building the legendary King Ranch in South Texas, and helping transform America into a nation of beef eaters. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a plain white cloth, roughly woven, unremarkable at first glance, turns out to be a powerful witness to slavery, war, and freedom. Chris Graham of the American Civil War Museum shares the story of a towel woven by an enslaved person on a South Carolina plantation during the Civil War. Long interpreted as evidence of Confederate hardship, the cloth reveals a deeper truth about forced migration, self-emancipation, and the lives of enslaved people moved inland to escape Union lines. Through this single object, a hidden chapter of the Civil War, and America’s original sin, comes into focus. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Pulitzer Prize winning author of G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover, Beverly Gage, shares the story of J. Edgar Hoover’s forty-eight years at the center of American law enforcement. From his early obsession with files and bureaucracy, to his role under eight presidents, Hoover shaped the FBI—and the federal government itself—across the Depression, World War II, and the Cold War.Gage examines Hoover’s rise, his management of power, landmark cases like John Dillinger, and the contradictions that defined his legacy, including his role in civil rights investigations and the surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr. The result is a portrait of a man whose influence touched nearly every major political and cultural conflict of the twentieth century. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, writer Lilly Dancyger reflects on growing up with a father addicted to heroin, and the quiet ways addiction shaped her childhood. From early conversations about drugs to the confusing aftermath of her father’s death, she traces how love, denial, anger, and grief intertwined over time.Originally written for Psychology Today, Lilly's tale is a deeply personal story on addiction, loss, and what it means to reckon honestly with the people we love. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while plowing his field in the Ozarks, Ed Stilley suffered a heart attack and experienced a vision that would change his life. He believed God asked him to build musical instruments and give them to children, with a promise that his family would be cared for in return. The problem was simple: Ed had never made an instrument before.Musicians Kelly and Donna Mulhollan, founders of the Ozark Instrument Museum, tell the story of a poor farmer who taught himself to build guitars from scrap wood and metal, creating hundreds of deeply personal instruments meant not for profit or fame, but for faith. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Bradley Thayer and Chauncey Wright grew up in rural Massachusetts with little to suggest they would one day enter Harvard’s elite world. Yet both rose into Harvard Yard, where their paths sharply diverged. Thayer became a towering figure at Harvard Law, shaping generations of Supreme Court justices, while Wright’s brilliance was undone by personal struggle.Historian Andrew Porwancher, a professor at Arizona State University and a Jack Miller Center Fellow, tells the story of ambition, friendship, and the thin line between promise fulfilled and promise lost. The story is adapted from his book The Prophet of Harvard Law. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elizabeth Smith Friedman helped build modern American cryptography, though much of her work remained classified for decades. From World War I through World War II, she broke enemy codes, trained military intelligence officers, dismantled Prohibition-era smuggling networks, and exposed Nazi spy rings operating in South America.Lindsay Larkin, who attended Friedman's alma mater, shares the story of a pioneering codebreaker whose quiet work shaped U.S. intelligence and national security long before her contributions were publicly recognized. We'd like to thank Constituting America for turning us onto this tale.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Gladys Gonzalez once held a senior banking position in Bogotá, earning a dollar salary and managing major financial institutions. When Colombia’s drug war forced her employer to shut down operations, she was suddenly starting over in the United States.Her credentials didn’t transfer. The executive experience that once defined her career meant little in America, and she took whatever work she could find—cleaning offices, caring for people with disabilities, delivering newspapers—just to support her family. What followed wasn’t a single break, but a true example of the American Dream in action. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Becky Shaffer grew up in severe neglect and abuse, cycling through hunger, violence, and instability before entering foster care as a teenager. After aging out of the system herself, she built a life marked by faith, family, and hard-earned resilience.Years later, while fostering young women, Becky recognized a familiar pattern as girls left care without support and faced the same dangers she once had. That recognition led to the creation of Saving Grace, a residential program designed to help young women aging out of foster care learn practical life skills, build stability, and find direction. Becky shares how her past shaped her purpose, and how Saving Grace grew from an idea into a refuge for girls with nowhere else to turn. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, each fall at Brooks Camp in Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, brown bears race to gain as much weight as possible before winter. Ranger Lian Law shares the story of how Fat Bear Week began as a small educational project and grew into a worldwide event, showcasing how fat equals survival for bears that must live off their reserves through months of hibernation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, many music critics consider Duke Ellington one of the most important composers of the 20th century, in or out of jazz. The late Wall Street Journal culture critic Terry Teachout, author of Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington, shares the sweeping story of Ellington’s rise from segregated Washington, D.C. to the Cotton Club and national radio, examining his creative methods, collaborative tensions, and the music that carried him from Harlem stages to Newport in 1956 and ultimately to the White House. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Cecil Wax grew up in rural Iowa in the 1920s, when a simple errand could turn into an adventure. When his family runs out of vinegar during harvest season, young Cecil and his brother are sent on horseback to the local general store. What follows is a childhood journey filled with small dangers, hard lessons, and a moment that stayed with him for the rest of his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Portland became a destination, one businessman helped shape its future through hospitality, civic pride, and vision. Alex Adler, better known as Alex the Historian, shares the story of a logger named Simon Benson, the immigrant entrepreneur behind the iconic Benson Hotel, and explains how his investments helped put Portland on the national map. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, horse jumping was nothing new. So locals decided to see whether a mule could do better. What began as a friendly dare among coon hunters grew into an annual mule-jumping competition that blends skill, stubbornness, and small-town pride. Locals, longtime competitors, and families who helped shape the tradition share how this unlikely sport took root and why it has endured. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, stand-up comedian Mitch Hedberg was once called “the next Jerry Seinfeld,” but his comedy was unmistakably his own. A master of the one-liner in the tradition of Henny Youngman, Hedberg built a following with surreal observations and a laid-back delivery that felt effortless. Few knew that behind the calm presence was a deep fear of performing on stage. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of Mitch Hedberg’s life, comedy, and the legacy of a performer who changed stand-up by keeping it simple. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, America’s eleventh president, James K. Polk, served just one term and reshaped the nation more than most presidents who served two. Official Texas State Historian Monte Monroe, along with historians Rachel Helvering and Anne Claire, share the story of the disciplined and relentless president who oversaw the annexation of Texas, the settlement of the Oregon boundary, victory in the Mexican-American War, and the expansion of the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Stories host Lee Habeeb speaks with Mitchel “Big Mitch” Rutledge, who has spent more than forty years serving a life sentence in Alabama for killing a man. Mitch has never denied his crime or offered excuses for it. Instead, their conversations focus on what responsibility, faith, and accountability look like when lived out behind prison walls.In this episode, the discussion continues with Lee’s longtime friend Bo, who is grappling with the fallout of infidelity. This time, Bo’s wife Donna joins the conversation, sharing her own struggle to remain grounded in faith while navigating betrayal and uncertainty. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Super Bowl wasn’t always America’s biggest event. Emmy Award–winning producer and author Dennis Deninger tells how a rejected expansion bid, the rise of the AFL, and secret merger talks led to the creation of a new championship game.From its unsold seats and modest halftime shows to its transformation into a cultural and economic juggernaut, this is the story of how the Super Bowl grew from a league experiment into America’s secular holiday. Deninger is the author of The Football Game That Changed America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian Stephen Ambrose explains how World War II was actually fought, through the weapons that shaped the battlefield. From barbed wire and land mines to machine guns and artillery, Ambrose shows how many of the war’s most important tools were refinements of earlier designs. We'd like to thank the Ambrose Estate for allowing us to bring you this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, sisters Betsy and Elaine Brumley tell the story of their father, Bob, and the family legacy he carried forward from his father, gospel songwriter Albert E. Brumley, who wrote classics like “I’ll Fly Away” and “Turn Your Radio On.” From a music publishing base in Powell, Missouri, Bob kept the Brumley catalog alive through decades of change, from songbooks and live singings to film, television, and streaming. It’s the Brumley family story, and a portrait of how great American gospel music gets preserved, one generation at a time.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, the United States launched a massive twelve-day manhunt for his killer, John Wilkes Booth. Thousands joined the pursuit as Booth fled through Maryland and Virginia, narrowly evading capture at every turn.Historian and New York Times bestselling author James L. Swanson shares the story behind Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, reconstructing Booth’s escape, the people who helped him, and the relentless chase that followed one of the darkest moments in American history. We'd like to thank the Library of Congress for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Civil War general and politician Daniel Sickles was one of the most notorious figures of the 19th century. His life was marked by ambition, scandal, and a murder trial that stunned the nation.After killing his wife’s lover in Washington, D.C., Sickles became the first American to successfully argue temporary insanity as a legal defense, setting a precedent that still echoes in courtrooms today. Firearms historian and regular contributor to Our American Stories, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares the remarkable story of a man whose personal chaos left a permanent mark on American law. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Wally Soplata shares the story of his father, Walter, a union carpenter who quietly saved rare World War II aircraft by storing them in his own backyard. With little money but endless determination, Walter rescued fighters, bombers, and even jet aircraft that were destined for scrap.From hauling planes across state lines with a bus, to preserving a B-25 bomber that would later fly again, this is a story that could only happen in America. Wally is the author of The B-25 in the Backyard, the book that chronicles his father’s remarkable mission to save history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, teacher and World War II history buff Anne Claire shares the story of how Bremerton became a vital center of America’s wartime buildup. Home to the Bremerton Naval Yard, the town transformed almost overnight as the nation prepared for global conflict.After Pearl Harbor, damaged battleships from the Pacific Fleet were rushed to Bremerton, where workers labored around the clock to repair and return them to combat. The story of Bremerton is a powerful example of how small towns and civilian workers helped turn the United States into the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Christina Dent shares how becoming a foster mother in Jackson, Mississippi challenged everything she believed about addiction, crime, and motherhood. Growing up amid violence and uncertainty, she once saw being tough on crime as the only path to safer communities.That worldview changed when a newborn entered her home and she later met his mother, a woman battling addiction but deeply devoted to her child. Through their encounters, Christina came to see addiction not as a moral failing, but as a complex human crisis with consequences for families and children alike. It’s a story about foster care, compassion, and how one relationship can change a life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, listener and longtime Our American Stories contributor Katrina Hine shares a personal story from one of her first jobs out of high school, working as a dairy hand in rural Kansas. From whistling cows in from the pasture during brutal winter weather to learning the hard way why you never put your head under a cow’s tail, her story is a reminder that some of life’s most lasting lessons come not from classrooms or corner offices, but from honest work and unexpected moments on the job. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, war had already broken out in the American colonies, but declaring independence meant crossing a line from which there could be no return. In this episode of our ongoing Story of America Series, Hillsdale College professor and author of Land of Hope, Bill McClay, shares the story of how the Continental Congress arrived at that momentous decision and why the Declaration of Independence became one of the most consequential documents in human history.Drawing on the words of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, McClay explains how the Declaration was meant as both a justification to the world and a solemn pledge among its signers, men who knew they were committing treason and were willing to risk their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Alex Berezow remembers his grandfather Dimitri the only way a life like this can be remembered, by telling the story. Born under Stalin, forced into Nazi labor camps as a teenager, and surviving through nerve, charm, and impossible luck, Dimitri escaped the worst regimes of the 20th century and eventually made his way to America. What follows is a portrait of a man who cheated death again and again, lived boldly, laughed loudly, and finally faced a quieter ending that raises hard questions about memory, medicine, and what it means to live well. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Scott Jones, author of Growing Up Rural, shares a memory from his youth when a small decision and the temptation to bend the truth carried real consequences. What follows is a quiet but powerful reflection on honesty, responsibility, and how the lessons we learn as children can stay with us for life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Secretariat became a Triple Crown legend, Penny Chenery was a mother of five facing an unexpected turning point. As her father’s health failed, she stepped in to run a struggling Virginia horse farm and entered a male-dominated racing world where she was often dismissed and rarely welcomed.Filmmaker Randall Wallace, writer and director of Secretariat, shares the story of how Chenery navigated long odds, isolation, and pressure to keep the farm alive, and how her persistence helped lead one extraordinary horse to the historic 1973 Triple Crown. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Stephen Rusiniak became the father of a daughter, worry came with the job. When she grew into a high school gymnast, those worries took on a whole new shape. From the hospital delivery room to the balance beam, Rusiniak reflects on the quiet terror and deep pride of learning when a father must let go and simply watch from the stands. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the American Revolution, Jews made up only a tiny fraction of the population, yet many became passionate patriots in the fight for independence and religious freedom. Historian Adam Jortner, author of A Promised Land, shares the overlooked stories of Jewish Americans who fought, organized, and risked everything for a new nation, and how their struggle helped shape America’s earliest promise of liberty for all faiths. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, why do we have so many different kinds of screws? The answer lies in a little-known industrial rivalry between the Robertson and Phillips screw designs, where engineering innovation collided with manufacturing, war, and corporate power. The History Guy shares the fascinating story of how historical events and business decisions determined which screw would dominate toolboxes around the world. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, invented in 1897, Jell-O became one of America’s most recognizable foods through clever marketing, simple convenience, and perfect timing. Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out and The Brain Food Show tells how a wobbly gelatin dessert worked its way into American kitchens, culture, and history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Abercrombie & Fitch once ruled shopping malls in the 1990s and early 2000s, but its story began long before loud music and cologne. Founded in 1892 in New York City, the company started as an elite outfitter for explorers, presidents, and world-class outdoorsmen. Historian Ashley Hlebinsky traces the brand’s forgotten origins, from supplying Theodore Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart to becoming one of the most famous clothing labels in America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you could spend one hour talking with anyone, living or not, who would you choose? For regular contributor Stephen Rusiniak, the answer isn’t a famous figure or historical hero. It’s his parents. In this deeply personal reflection, Rusiniak imagines what he would say, what he wouldn’t say, and why simply being together again would be enough. It’s a quiet meditation on love, loss, gratitude, and the conversations we wish we could have just one more time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, born in small-town Oklahoma in 1918, Paul Harvey grew up shaped by faith, rural life, and the tragic murder of his father, a police officer. From World War II to Watergate, from civil rights to the dawn of the digital age, Harvey spoke to America nearly every day for more than 70 years. Stephen Mansfield, author of Paul Harvey’s America, shares the remarkable life story of how one man with a microphone became a steady voice of clarity, conviction, and comfort for generations of listeners. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before his stories became classic Hollywood films, James Warner Bellah was writing pulp fiction about cavalry, frontier warfare, and American identity. His short stories and screenplays were later brought to the screen by John Ford and helped define the on-screen voice of John Wayne. But Bellah’s life was shaped not only by Hollywood. He also served during World War I, an experience that deeply influenced his writing and worldview. As part of our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Roger McGrath shares the story of the writer whose words helped shape American war films and one of cinema’s most enduring icons. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, today, America runs on four time zones, but before the railroad era, thousands of towns kept their own local time based on the sun. As rail travel expanded in the 1800s, that system became dangerous and unworkable. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of how railroad companies, not the federal government, created standardized time zones to keep trains running safely and on schedule, reshaping how Americans understood time itself. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk tells the remarkable story of Joshua Lionel Cowen, the inventive mind behind Lionel trains. Cowen began his career designing electrical devices and naval mine detonators before discovering that motion, electricity, and imagination could transform toys forever. His Lionel trains became a defining part of American childhood, outselling real locomotives at their peak and shaping generations of play. This is the story of innovation, marketing genius, and the toy trains that once ruled America’s living rooms. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Eric Motley, author of Madison Park: A Place of Hope, shares how he was raised by a close-knit African American community in Montgomery, Alabama where storytelling, encouragement, and faith shaped a young boy’s life. In a place where many elders had been denied formal education, spoken words carried power, passing down dignity, purpose, and hope. This is the story of how encouragement, community, and stories told out loud can change a life forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The American Revolution began before independence was declared and before most colonists were ready for a complete break from Britain. In our fifth installment of our ongoing Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains how the fighting at Lexington and Concord shocked a deeply divided America, and how Thomas Paine’s Common Sense helped turn uncertainty into resolve, making independence imaginable and ultimately inevitable. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Stories host Lee Habeeb speaks with Mitchel "Big Mitch" Rutledge, who has spent more than forty years serving a life sentence in Alabama. Each call traces the shape of faith, regret, and forgiveness inside a place built for punishment.When Mitch first entered prison, he couldn't read or write. He had dropped out of school early and tested just above the threshold that once marked intellectual disability. But that was only where the story just began. Over time, he learned to read, earned multiple degrees, and became a teacher to other prisoners. On this particular Easter Sunday, Mitch shared what he saw as his resurrection story—one shaped by faith, discipline, and the belief that change is always within reach. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for most of his life, James Armistead Lafayette was known simply as James—not Lafayette. That last name came later, and from none other than the Marquis de Lafayette of the American Revolution. But why would an enslaved man take the last name of a French military officer? Here's Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute with the story of one of America's most important, underappreciated, and little-known spies during the American Revolution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—but Appleton Oaksmith landed on another planet. His mother was a feminist who knew top abolitionists; his father, a cartoonist admired across party lines. Appleton? He was hunted internationally for presumed slave trading and a failed kidnapping in Cuba that may have threatened Lincoln’s reelection. Yet he later fought for Black voting rights. Jonathan W. White, author of Shipwrecked, shares the story—courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Megan Bayer shares her touching letter of gratitude and healing to her constant companion through a struggle they will never forget. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in Victorian America, makeup was taboo. Respectable women didn’t enhance their eyes—unless they were silent film stars or prostitutes. That changed with one family experiment that quietly sparked a beauty revolution. At just 19, Thomas Lyle Williams created what would become Maybelline, inspired by his sister’s homemade eyelash treatments. Mixed in teapots and sold by mail, the product became so popular that the family once hauled orders from the post office by wheelbarrow.Sharrie Williams, a member of the founding family and author of The Maybelline Story, tells the inside story of how a homemade beauty aid became a global brand—and how changing one small cultural rule helped change everything. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a bill of rights depends on a government that actually manifests restraint. Otherwise, Justice Scalia suggests, it is just a bill of goods. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after becoming an empty nester, Paul Bauer decided to get a dog, despite knowing almost nothing about dogs. What he got instead was Gizmo, a stubborn, charming King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who quickly made it clear who was really in charge.With humor and humility, Paul shares the lessons Gizmo has taught him about patience, routine, pride, and love, and how sometimes the best teachers arrive with fur, a strong will, and no interest in playing fetch. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early months of the COVID pandemic, when fear and uncertainty were everywhere, Stephen Rusiniak received a call that stopped him cold. His brother was sick, struggling to breathe, and finally asking for help.What followed was a quiet, urgent drive to the hospital, shaped by fear, duty, and love. Stephen tells the story of a moment when concern for his own safety faded beside something stronger, the bond between brothers, and the simple truth that sometimes carrying the weight is not a burden at all. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Before he became the most famous pilot in the world, Charles Lindbergh was a barnstormer, a daredevil wing walker, and a U.S. airmail pilot flying dangerous routes with little margin for error. Long before his historic Atlantic crossing, Lindbergh learned to trust machines, weather, and his own instincts in the air.Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the lesser-known story of Lindbergh’s early years and the unlikely experiences that prepared him to attempt what no one else dared: flying solo across the Atlantic when others insisted it could only be done with a crew. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, on the 150th anniversary of American independence, Calvin Coolidge delivered a Fourth of July address that went far beyond celebration. Speaking in Philadelphia, he argued that America’s prosperity did not create its founding ideals, but that its founding ideals created America’s prosperity.Coolidge warned that abandoning the principles of the Declaration of Independence would mean losing the very source of American freedom. Drawing on the same moral tradition invoked by Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, he defended equality, natural rights, and self-government as final truths, not outdated ideas. Vince Benedetto, joined by Coolidge interpreter Tracy Messer, share the story of a speech that still challenges Americans to remember the real heart of their independence. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, deep in Richmond, Virginia, a converted warehouse known as Libby Prison held more than 1,200 Union officers during the Civil War. Prisoners survived on rotting cornbread, slept on bare floors, and shared the space with rats that outnumbered both guards and captives. Escape or death were the only ways out. Historian Robert P. Watson, author of Escape!, shares the astonishing and forgotten story of the largest and most daring jailbreak of the Civil War, when Union officers dug a tunnel through raw sewage, emerged onto the streets of Richmond, and risked everything to rejoin the fight. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few pop songs sound like nothing that came before them. Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” is one of them, a hypnotic blend of rhythm, repetition, and existential wonder that has puzzled and inspired listeners for decades.Music critics and musicians alike have called it a perfect song, praising its strange power and its lyrics, which feel both meaningless and deeply profound. Our own Greg Hengler traces how the song came together, why it resonated so strongly, and how it became one of the most enduring and influential tracks in modern music. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the lawn began as a practical patch of grass, a village common, and even a defensive buffer around medieval castles. Over time it became a status symbol on European estates, then a centerpiece of suburban life and a marker of the American Dream.The History Guy tells how one invention changed everything, the lawn mower, and traces the lawn’s evolution from grazing animals and scythes to Levittown suburbia, billion-dollar lawn care, and today’s debates over water, time, and the future of turf. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few decisions in American history remain as controversial as the choice to drop atomic bombs on Japan in the final days of World War II. Supporters argue the attacks hastened the war’s end and saved lives. Critics say they crossed a moral line that reshaped warfare forever.Ken LaCorte, host of the YouTube channel Elephants in Rooms, examines the historical context, military calculations, and ethical questions surrounding Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and why the debate over whether the bomb was necessary continues decades later. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Black athletes were welcomed in nearly every position in professional football, except one. Quarterback was considered a “thinking man’s” role, and many coaches and owners believed Black players did not belong there.That belief collapsed in 1988 when Doug Williams, a backup QB who had been out of the leauge for a few years, led Washington to a Super Bowl victory over the John Elway–led Denver Broncos, becoming the first Black quarterback to lift the Lombardi Trophy. Sports historian John Eisenberg, author of Rocket Men, shares the story of the barriers Williams faced, the racism he endured, and the performance that permanently changed the NFL. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, he was a saxophonist for one of the world’s great touring bands, Marcus King Band, but felt called to create something entirely his own. What started as a playful persona became a bold leap into creative freedom.Saxsquatch himself shares his story of leaving life as a sideman behind, building a new identity, writing original music, and connecting with millions as a saxophone-playing Sasquatch while redefining what it means to chase the American dream in music. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, legend says that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a Mississippi crossroads in exchange for his musical talent. It is one of the most enduring myths in American music history.Johnson’s grandson Steven Johnson shares the story and sets the record straight, tracing Robert Johnson’s life from Hazlehurst to the Mississippi Delta, explaining how years of discipline, mentorship, faith, and hardship shaped the King of the Delta Blues, and why the truth is far more powerful than the legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for Stephen Rusiniak, one of the most influential people in his life was his Cub Scout leader. Long before Stephen found his calling and built his career, this leader saw potential in him and took the time to invest in it.Rusiniak shares how the guidance, discipline, and encouragement he received through Boy Scouts of America shaped his character, changed his outlook, and left a lasting impact that followed him into adulthood. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, that old windmill along the highway may look like a relic, but without it, westward expansion would have been nearly impossible. Before electricity and diesel engines, windmills pumped water for farms, ranches, railroads, and growing towns across the American frontier.Our regular contributor, Jesse Edwards, shares the story of how windmills helped power settlement in the West, from early innovations in the 1800s to their lasting role in rural America, and why these iconic structures remain one of the most important tools in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on May 1, 1960, American spy pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down while flying a secret U-2 reconnaissance mission over the Soviet Union, setting off one of the most controversial moments of the Cold War. Questions followed immediately. Did his plane fail or was it hit by a missile? Did he defect? Did he reveal American secrets while imprisoned by the KGB?For years, Powers was judged by the public. To some, he was a hero. To others, a traitor. To Gary Powers Jr., he was simply Dad. Powers Jr. shares the true story of his father’s life, capture, imprisonment, and eventual Cold War spy exchange, finally setting the record straight. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it took empty store shelves and a toilet paper shortage for many Americans to finally take the bidet seriously. Long dismissed as unnecessary or foreign, the 18th-century bathroom invention saw a surprising surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, and unlike many pandemic fads, it never faded. Bidet sales exploded, inventories vanished, and companies like Bidet King have reported steady growth ever since.Simon Whistler, host of Brain Food Show and the Today I Found Out YouTube channel, tells the unexpected story of how a centuries-old invention found new life during a modern crisis. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs stepped onto the stage at Macworld and unveiled a device that would change how the world communicates. What looked like a flawless presentation was actually a high-wire act, with hidden risks, backup devices, and engineers bracing for disaster behind the scenes.Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of the iPhone launch that reinvented the phone, powered Apple’s comeback, and helped create the modern app-driven world we now take for granted. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Colin Powell was a four-star general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. But behind the titles was a man defined by humility, discipline, humor, and deep loyalty to those around him. Leslie Lautenslager, who worked alongside Powell for more than 25 years, shares personal stories that reveal the man few saw publicly, from his quiet acts of kindness to the values that guided his life and leadership. Reading from her book, My Time with General Colin Powell, she gives an intimate portrait of the man behind the stars. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Antonin Scalia could not have disagreed more about the Constitution, yet they shared a deep and lasting friendship. Speaking at the dedication of the Antonin Scalia Law School, Justice Kagan reflects on Scalia’s influence on American law, his love of ideas and students, and the personal bond they formed across sharp ideological divides. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, he played villains, soldiers, and tough guys on screen, but Sterling Hayden lived an even more dangerous life off camera. Best remembered as Captain McCluskey in The Godfather and General Jack Ripper in Dr. Strangelove, Hayden walked away from Hollywood during World War II to serve as a Marine officer and covert operative with the OSS. As part of our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, historian Roger McGrath shares the remarkable story of how one of Hollywood’s biggest stars became a real-life spy, running weapons, rescuing downed airmen, and risking his life behind enemy lines. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for nearly fifty years, Josephine Marcus Earp stood beside one of the most famous lawmen of the Old West. But she was more than Wyatt Earp’s wife. She helped shape how his story would be told. Historian Ann Kirschner, author of Lady at the O.K. Corral, shares the story of a Jewish immigrant who chased adventure across the frontier and worked quietly to turn Wyatt Earp into a national legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Morton always felt called to serve, but the path there was anything but straight. After trying college twice and walking away both times, he made a decision that put him on a bus to Parris Island and onto the yellow footprints of Marine Corps boot camp.Our American Stories listener Tom Morton takes us inside the physical and mental grind of Marine training, from relentless discipline and sleep deprivation to the final crucible that strips recruits down and rebuilds them as something new. What begins as a search for purpose becomes a hard-earned transformation, culminating in the moment he received the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and learned it wasn't just a piece of metal, but a way of life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the French and Indian War, Britain emerged victorious, but deeply in debt. Parliament believed the colonies should help pay the bill. Many colonists believed that demand crossed a line.In Episode 4 of our ongoing Story of America Series, Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains how new taxes, imperial control, and growing resentment collided with powerful cultural forces already at work in the colonies. The Great Awakening emphasized individual conscience. The Enlightenment elevated reason and self-rule. Together, they reshaped how Americans saw authority, liberty, and themselves. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Civil War, Boston’s Fort Warren held more than 2,000 Confederate prisoners of war. Unlike many prison camps of the era, it was not a place of cruelty or mass death. That was largely due to its commander, Union Colonel Justin Dimick. A career Army officer with deep Christian convictions, Dimick insisted that prisoners be treated with dignity, even after losing his only son in battle. Under his command, only thirteen Confederate prisoners died at Fort Warren, a fraction of the mortality rate elsewhere.Historian Christopher Klein tells the largely forgotten story of a Union officer who proved that mercy and humanity could endure even in the midst of war. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brent Evanoff thought he had life figured out until one phone call changed everything. He learned he had a son he never knew, conceived during his time in the Army and now serving overseas in the U.S. Navy.What followed was more than a reunion. A journey through Southeast Asia brought a family together, led Brent deep into the jungles of Vietnam, and set the stage for an unexpected act of healing when he returned a long-lost dog tag to a fellow American veteran. A story of fatherhood, service, and the surprising ways life can come full circle. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before texts, emails, or instant messaging, Abraham Lincoln found a new way to lead a nation at war. By embracing the telegraph, Lincoln became the first “wired” president, using near real-time communication to track battles, direct generals, issue orders, and project presidential authority in ways no American leader ever had before. He spent countless hours in the War Department’s Telegraph Office, reading dispatches from the front, firing off brief, decisive replies, and even sleeping there during critical moments of the Civil War.Historian and Our American Stories regular contributor Christopher Klein tells how Lincoln’s fascination with technology and mastery of concise communication reshaped the presidency, strengthened the Union war effort, and helped change the course of American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Greg Giltner spent nearly three decades with the Oklahoma City Police Department and later served as a police chaplain. His role was not to preach or persuade, but to show up. On the worst days of an officer’s life, and on the worst day in Oklahoma City’s history.Giltner shares how a mentor known simply as Chaplain Poe taught him that real ministry often means silence, presence, and compassion. From officer-involved shootings to line-of-duty losses, and from personal grief to the aftermath of the bombing at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, this is the story of what it means to serve those who serve, and why sometimes just being there is everything. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people know the story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Fewer know what happened next. After flames destroyed the heart of the city and left more than 100,000 people homeless, Chicago didn’t collapse. It rebuilt faster and bigger than anyone thought possible. Businesses reopened while the rubble was still smoking. New buildings rose within months. And in just a few decades, the city transformed itself into a global center of commerce, architecture, and innovation.Chicago historian Tim Samuelson, the city’s first official cultural historian, tells the largely forgotten story of how Chicago’s location, grit, and can-do spirit made one of the greatest urban recoveries in American history possible, and how that recovery gave birth to the modern skyscraper and the Chicago we know today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, beards may feel like a modern trend, but they’ve been shaping ideas about manhood for thousands of years. In some eras, a clean-shaven face signaled order, discipline, and respectability. In others, a beard stood for strength, rebellion, or independence.Christopher Oldstone-Moore, the author of Of Beards and Men, and a history teacher at Wright State University, tells the surprisingly rich story of how facial hair has risen and fallen alongside changing ideals of masculinity — from ancient Egypt and Greece to royal courts, revolutions, Hollywood, and today’s bearded resurgence. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, growing up in rural Alabama, Edie Hand shared an idyllic childhood with her three younger brothers, known as the Blackburn boys. Days were filled with horses, imagination, and dreams of the futures they would one day live.Those dreams were cut short by tragedy. One by one, Edie lost all three brothers, each death arriving in a different season of her life and leaving a deeper mark than the last. What remained was grief, memory, and a promise made to the last brother she held, to tell their story and live with kindness, courage, and purpose. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before founding Express Employment Professionals, Bob Funk believed his life’s work would be in the ministry. Instead, he discovered that helping people find jobs could become a calling of its own.Raised in poverty and shaped by hard work from an early age, Funk built a staffing company grounded in integrity, faith, and service. Over four decades, his mission to connect workers to work has helped millions find employment, dignity, and hope. His belief is simple: meaningful work gives people purpose, stability, and the confidence to build a better life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a child, Deborah Freeburg learned what faith, perseverance, and family looked like by watching her parents care for their own. Years later, she entered a new and frightening season when her father’s health declined and the roles reversed.In this listener's story, Deborah shares what it meant to become her father’s caregiver, tending to him through illness, loss of independence, and moments of deep vulnerability. It’s a story about aging, dignity, and the quiet, faithful love that binds families together when words are no longer enough. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Jamie Scott was born, he was placed for adoption and raised by loving parents in North Carolina. For decades, he lived a full life without searching for his biological family. Then a simple DNA test changed everything.In this listener's story, Jamie explains how taking a test through AncestryDNA revealed siblings, cousins, and a family history hidden in plain sight, all in his own hometown. What began as curiosity quickly became connection, turning a family of two into ten and redefining what family can mean.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Chosen is the first multi-season television series about the life of Jesus Christ, and it has become one of the most successful faith-based projects in entertainment history. What began as a small, crowdfunded Christmas special has grown into a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of views worldwide.Here to tell the story behind the series is Katherine Warnock, Vice President of Original Content, who explains how creator Dallas Jenkins and his team built a community-driven model that bypassed traditional Hollywood gatekeepers. This is the story of how The Chosen reshaped faith content, streaming television, and how studios now think about audience, community, and belief. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Roger Latham was handed a few handwritten pages years after his mother’s death, he did not expect them to change the way he understood her, or himself. Written in pencil and tucked away without intention of publication, the poem revealed a depth and inner life he never knew she possessed.In this moving story, Roger reflects on discovering his mother’s hidden gift for poetry, and his daughter Candy reads “Hands” by Gladys Latham, a quiet meditation on work, sacrifice, faith, and love. It is a story about inheritance, masculinity, memory, and how a parent’s voice can reach us long after they are gone. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, more than 150 years after his death, Jesse James remains one of the most famous and misunderstood figures in American history. Was he a Robin Hood style folk hero, or a ruthless criminal shaped by war and revenge?Historian Roger McGrath traces Jesse James’s life from his childhood in Civil War–era Missouri through his years as a Confederate guerrilla, bank and train robber, and national celebrity. Set against Bleeding Kansas, Reconstruction, and the lingering hatreds of the Civil War, this story explains how violence, propaganda, and politics helped turn an outlaw into a legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrases “bite the bullet” and "bless you" came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, an American reconnaissance armored car faced one of Nazi Germany’s most feared weapons, a massive Tiger tank. By every measure, it should have been an impossible fight.Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the tale of how a lightly armed U.S. M8 armored car encountered a German Tiger tank near the crossroads town of St. Vith, Belgium, and how quick thinking, timing, and nerve turned the encounter into one of the most extraordinary armored victories of World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, writer Taylor Brown shares a deeply personal eulogy for his father, a lifelong motorcyclist who taught him about patience, character, and what it means to choose what is hard over what is easy.Originally published in Garden & Gun, the piece traces their bond through long rides, shared roads, and the quiet lessons passed from father to son. From childhood trips on the back of a Harley to the final ride that took his father’s life, Brown reflects on grief, inheritance, and the ways a parent stays with us long after they’re gone. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, why is it illegal to shoot rabbits from a motorboat? Or to import skunks into certain states? And who decided these things needed to be written into law in the first place?Author Winter Prosapio joins Our American Stories to explore the strange, funny, and often forgotten laws that still exist across the United States. Drawing from her book Weird U.S. Laws, she explains how many of these rules began as practical solutions to real problems, from livestock theft to public safety, before becoming historical leftovers on the books. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jimmy Neary arrived in New York City from County Sligo, Ireland in 1954 with almost nothing but a gift for people. After finding work at the New York Athletic Club and learning the restaurant trade under famed Irish restaurateur P.J. Moriarty, he opened Neary’s near 57th Street and First Avenue and turned it into a Manhattan institution.Told by his daughter, Una Neary, this is an Irish immigrant story about faith, family, and the kind of hospitality that made everyone feel like they belonged, from doormen to presidents. And when Jimmy died, the respect he’d earned was unmistakable: the NYPD shut down major New York City routes and escorted his funeral procession from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Corrie ten Boom and her family turned their watchmaker’s home into a refuge for Jews facing deportation and death. Working with the Dutch underground, they built a hidden room behind a false wall, where hundreds found shelter from the Gestapo. Their courage came at a terrible cost. Corrie and her sister Betsie were arrested and sent to prison and then to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. In this powerful firsthand account, Corrie tells how faith sustained her through betrayal, imprisonment, and unimaginable suffering — and how light endured in one of history’s darkest chapters. This is the true story behind The Hiding Place. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Deon Joseph has worked in law enforcement for more than two decades, spending much of that time in places where support systems rarely hold. The people he meets are often in crisis, and the job asks more than it once did. He reflects on how expectations have shifted, how officers adapt when there’s nowhere else to send someone, and what it means to keep doing the work when most of the pressure lands on the same few shoulders. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, best known as the wife of Jack London, Charmian Kittredge London was far more than a companion to a literary giant. She was a writer, photographer, athlete, traveler, and intellectual partner whose contributions were long overlooked or misrepresented. Author and historian Iris Jamal Dunkle shares the story behind her groundbreaking biography, the first full-length account devoted solely to Charmian’s life. From global voyages aboard the Snark to creative collaboration, personal loss, and public erasure, this is the story of a remarkable woman whose legacy is finally being restored to its rightful place in American literary history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1984, Los Angeles police officer Bob Alaniz arrested a suspicious car thief without realizing he was detaining one of California’s most dangerous serial killers. That man was Richard Ramirez, later known as the Night Stalker. Though Ramirez was released, the fingerprints Alaniz took during booking would become the key to identifying him months later, after a single print was recovered from a crime scene. Alaniz recounts the moment he realized his routine police work had cracked the case, joined by firearms historian and regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky. It is a story about chance, forensic science, and how one small detail helped stop a reign of terror. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language—this time exploring the phrase “propose a toast” and others. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, uncovers the quirky roots behind the words we use every day. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Korean War, Navy pilot Thomas Hudner made a decision that defied orders and nearly cost him his life. When his wingman, Jesse L. Brown, the Navy’s first Black aviator, was shot down behind enemy lines near the Chosin Reservoir, Hudner deliberately crash-landed his own aircraft in the snow to try to save him. Trapped and badly injured, Brown could not be freed before darkness and freezing temperatures forced rescuers to withdraw. Told by the History Guy, this is the story of friendship, sacrifice, and an extraordinary act of selfless courage that earned Hudner the Medal of Honor and secured Brown’s place in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, award-winning storyteller Joy Neal Kidney shares a deeply personal family history from the Great Depression, when common childhood illnesses could still be deadly. Drawing from her Iowa roots, Kidney recounts how mumps and whooping cough devastated two related families already struggling with poverty, farm loss, and scarce medical care. In one household, nine children fell ill at once, and twin infants did not survive. Through vivid detail and remembered hardship, Joy's story reminds us how fragile life once was, and how much modern medicine and vaccinations have changed everyday survival.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, former Las Vegas Sands executive Mike Leven shares how an unlikely partnership helped launch the Asian American Hotel Owners Association in the 1980s. After hearing stereotypes inside the hotel industry about Indian American franchisees, Leven asked for the data and found their properties performed like everyone else, often better. Working with hotel owner H. P. Rama and organizer Lee Duschoff, he helped form an association to fight discrimination, improve access to financing, and claim a rightful place in American hospitality.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, regular contributor Anne Clare tells the lesser-known story of two ships lost at Pearl Harbor, the USS Utah and the USS Oklahoma. During the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, the Utah, a retired battleship used as a target ship, was torpedoed and left where it sank on Ford Island, where its quiet memorial still stands today. The Oklahoma was hit by multiple torpedoes and capsized in minutes, trapping hundreds inside. Ann recounts rescues, acts of bravery, and the memorials that honor the dead, including the 429 white pillars representing Oklahoma’s fallen crew, and what it means to remember them. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, one of the most successful blackjack teams in America was built around an unlikely bond: church friendships and trust. Colin Jones, founder of BlackjackApprenticeship.com, and David Drury, dubbed “the most notorious card counter in America,” tell how they learned to count cards, pooled bankrolls, and turned blackjack into a math-driven edge rather than pure gambling. They describe the discipline, long swings, disguises, and casino backoffs that come with winning, plus why honesty mattered when players were carrying huge amounts of cash. It is a strange double life, from church on Sunday to high-limit tables the next day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late historian David McCullough explains why America’s Founding Fathers cannot be understood as ordinary people living modern lives. Drawing on his deep study of figures like John and Abigail Adams, McCullough describes a world shaped by slow communication, constant risk, and immense personal responsibility. Decisions were made without instant news, quick consultation, or shared blame, and the consequences were often life or death. McCullough argues that to understand the founders, we must understand the culture they lived in, the hardships they endured, and the moral weight they carried. It is a reminder that history is not abstract and that character is formed under pressure. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while on a mission trip to Thailand, a modern worship band found itself playing an impromptu set inside a brothel in Pattaya, one of the world’s most notorious centers for sex tourism. In that unlikely setting, the song “God of This City” was written in real time by members of the Belfast-based band Bluetree. Our own Greg Hengler tells the story of how that moment gave birth to a powerful worship anthem that later caught the attention of Chris Tomlin and went on to be sung in churches around the world. It is a story about faith, courage, and light appearing in the darkest places. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, In the earliest days of settlement, America became a testing ground for bold ideas about faith, freedom, and self-rule. In this episode of our ongoing Story of America Series, historian Wilfred McClay, author of Land of Hope, examines the colonies founded by Puritans, Quakers, and reformers who believed the New World could perfect what the Old World could not. From Massachusetts Bay to Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, these communities pursued religious liberty and social renewal, often with utopian hopes that quickly ran into human limits. McClay explains why these failed experiments still mattered, how they encouraged habits of self-government, and why idealism and adaptability became lasting traits of the American character. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Allen was born into slavery in colonial America and went on to become one of the most influential religious leaders of the early United States. After purchasing his freedom, Allen became a successful entrepreneur, a powerful preacher, and the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. His stature was such that he was chosen to deliver the eulogy for George Washington, a moment that revealed both his influence and the contradictions of the young nation. Historian Richard Newman of Rochester Institute of Technology shares the remarkable life of Richard Allen, drawing on decades of research and his book Freedom’s Prophet. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodore Schwartz, a neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine and best-selling author of Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, shares how he approaches one of the most difficult responsibilities in medicine: delivering bad news to patients with terminal and late-stage brain cancer. Drawing on decades of experience, Dr. Schwartz explains how honesty, compassion, and clarity guide these conversations, even when there is no cure to offer. He reflects on what patients ask when time is short, how doctors prepare for moments medicine cannot fix, and why the way bad news is delivered can matter as much as the news itself. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Carl Montgomery grew up surrounded by neglect, instability, and violence, where a broken childhood pushed him toward gang life and years in prison. What began with poverty and bad choices led to a cycle of crime and incarceration that seemed impossible to escape. But prison became an unexpected turning point. Through faith, accountability, and new purpose, Montgomery began rebuilding his life and breaking free from the path that once defined him. This is a powerful story of redemption, transformation, and what it takes to start over. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a town with only one lawyer, every problem comes to the same door. Bill Bryk spent his career deciding when to fight for others and when wisdom meant stepping back. Practicing law in a small community taught him that justice isn’t only about winning cases, but about judgment, restraint, and knowing when to rest. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the iconic Hanson Brothers from Slap Shot weren’t actors. They were real minor-league hockey players. When Dave Hanson, known as “Killer,” was cast in the 1977 cult classic alongside Paul Newman, one of the most unforgettable trios in sports movie history was born. Here's Hanson with the true story behind the making of Slap Shot, how real hockey culture shaped the film, and why the Hanson Brothers became enduring symbols of grit, toughness, and comedy in American sports cinema. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, from 1962 to 1992, Johnny Carson defined late-night television as the longtime host of The Tonight Show. Over three decades, hundreds of guests passed through the chair across from him, but only a few appearances became truly legendary. Two of the most unforgettable belonged to Don Rickles and Ed Ames, whose moments on Carson’s stage are still talked about today. Mark Malkoff, author of Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, shares the stories behind these iconic late-night television moments and why they endure in comedy history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of the Protestant Reformation trace back to a deceptively simple and deeply personal question. A Catholic monk named Martin Luther wrestled with it for years: Am I a good person? That spiritual struggle would ultimately shake the foundations of Christianity and transform Western civilization. Eric Metaxas, bestselling author of Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World, tells the story of how one man’s search for grace sparked the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of world history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lee Habeeb, host of Our American Stories, reflects on his mother’s life and the quiet legacy she left behind. Set in the patch of Northern New Jersey she cared for and shaped, this is a deeply personal meditation on love, grace, character, and the influence a parent carries long after they are gone. It’s the eulogy he never gave, and the story he chose to share. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on January 29, 1774, Benjamin Franklin was summoned before the King’s advisers in an octagonal chamber at Whitehall Palace known as the Cockpit. Intended as a public humiliation, the encounter instead became a turning point. Franklin entered as a loyal servant of the British Empire and left deeply disillusioned, newly committed to the American cause. Sheila Skemp, author of The Making of a Patriot: Benjamin Franklin at the Cockpit, tells the story of the extraordinary hour that helped turn one of Britain’s most famous subjects into an American patriot and set him on a collision course with his own son. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for originally hosting this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ken Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, reflects on two profound college friendships that shaped his life long after graduation. In this deeply personal story, Kendrick recounts intimate conversations with two fraternity brothers before their deaths, moments that left a lasting imprint on his understanding of loyalty, mortality, and what it means to live with purpose. It’s a moving reflection on friendship, loss, and the words we carry with us long after goodbye. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the height of the Cold War, a routine American B-50 bomber flight over the North Pole turned into a tense encounter with a Russian MiG jet. Richard Muniz shares the story of his friend’s fateful meeting in the skies, revealing the quiet dangers of Cold War aviation and the high-stakes cat-and-mouse games between the United States and the Soviet Union. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Johnny Carson reigned supreme as the host of The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992, shaping modern late-night television and launching countless careers. Over three decades on the air, iconic sketches and unforgettable guests became part of American pop culture, from “Carnac the Magnificent” to appearances by Tiny Tim and Rodney Dangerfield. Mark Malkoff, author of Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan’s Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, shares behind-the-scenes stories of Carson’s influence, comedic instincts, and the moments that defined late-night television history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1964 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals played the mighty NY Yankees. On the pitcher's mound for the Cardinals was Bob Gibson, and his catcher was Tim McCarver. Here's Jeff Bloodworth, a professor of American history at Gannon University and a Jack Miller Center fellow, with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while George Washington fought the British on the battlefield, another invisible enemy was tearing through his army. William Federer, bestselling author and president of AmeriSearch, unpacks how smallpox played a pivotal role in the failure of the U.S. invasion of Canada and how that loss changed both Canadian and American history forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the USS Gregory was attacked and left sinking in the Pacific, Navy mess attendant Charles Jackson French jumped into shark-infested waters with a rope around his waist, dragging a raft full of wounded white sailors to safety for six straight hours. Bruce Wigo, former CEO of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, shares the true story of one of WWII’s most overlooked acts of bravery by a Black serviceman.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Rosen, author of Scalia: Rise to Greatness, shares the story of Antonin Scalia’s unlikely but inevitable rise to the U.S. Supreme Court. His family, faith, and immigrant roots were the primary drivers of his unwavering belief in the Constitution, which, in turn, led him to become one of the most impactful judges in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, she was built for war but became a beacon of memory. The USS Lexington (CV-16) launched into battle during the darkest days of World War II and earned her place in history through courage, endurance, and an uncanny ability to survive. Nicknamed the “Blue Ghost” by Japanese forces, she was reported sunk multiple times—but each time, she returned, ready for more. Today, the aircraft carrier serves as a museum in Corpus Christi, offering a tangible link to a pivotal era in naval warfare. Our American Stories contributor Anne Clare walks us through the enduring legacy of the Lexington. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he was president, Gerald Ford was a rising football star at the University of Michigan. But in 1934, his loyalty was tested when Georgia Tech refused to play if his Black teammate, Willis Ward, took the field. Author and historian John U. Bacon shares this remarkable story of friendship, integrity, and a quiet act of defiance that helped shape Ford’s views on civil rights. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before gloves, rules, or weight classes, there was John L. Sullivan: a powerhouse brawler who became America’s last bare-knuckle boxing champion. With fists of steel and a standing challenge to fight any man alive, Sullivan didn’t just win titles; he won the country’s attention. In 1893, he launched his infamous “Knockout Tour,” daring challengers to last just 12 minutes in the ring with the champ for a cash prize. Christopher Klein, a historian and journalist, shares the story of boxing’s first true superstar and the spectacle that made John L. Sullivan a national sensation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long after Roberto Clemente’s final game, Duane Rieder found himself returning to the images, stories, and memories that surrounded Clemente’s life and career. A photographer by trade, Rieder’s interest in Clemente became a quiet pursuit—scanning negatives, tracking down memorabilia, and sharing what he found with others. Over time, the project grew into a museum. Tucked away in a restored Pittsburgh firehouse, the Roberto Clemente Museum now houses game-used gear, rare photographs, and historic baseball cards. Here's Duane to tell the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrase “all hell broke loose” came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, he was the session guitarist behind some of the biggest songs of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, but chances are, you’ve never heard his name. Tommy Tedesco, a core member of The Wrecking Crew, played on everything from TV themes to Top 10 singles. His son, Denny Tedesco, tells the remarkable story of the man behind the music and the acclaimed documentary that finally gave these musicians their due. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the late 1960s, Karl Marlantes stood at a crossroads: remain at Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, or go to Vietnam and serve alongside the boys he grew up with, many of whom had already shipped out. He chose to go. That decision shaped his life in ways he’s still reckoning with. In this unflinching interview, Marlantes shares why he left behind comfort and entered the jungles of Vietnam. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ray Charles did not write “Georgia on My Mind,” but he gave it its enduring soul. Written in 1930 by composer Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Stuart Gorrell, the song lived a quiet life for decades before Ray Charles’ 1960 recording transformed it into a timeless American classic. Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story of how a haunting melody, a forgotten lyricist, and a singular voice came together to create a song that crossed genres, generations, and ultimately became the official state song of Georgia. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrases “hunky dory” and “hedge your bets” came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while her parents were among the many unjustly sent to internment camps during World War II, Mary Mikami and her siblings remained free. Mary rose to the top of her class, earned a doctorate from Yale, and built a life marked by quiet strength and achievement. Preston Jones, professor of history at John Brown University, shares her powerful and often overlooked story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, archaeologist Andrea Ludden and her husband, Rolf Ludden, turned a family passion for collecting salt and pepper shakers into the world’s largest museum of its kind. With over 20,000 pieces, ranging from whimsical figures to historical designs, the Museum of Salt and Pepper Shakers celebrate creativity, culture, and the stories behind everyday objects. Here’s their astonishing story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before the founding of the United States, a group of determined settlers landed in a wild and unforgiving land with one audacious goal: to build an Eden in the wilderness. In this second episode of our ongoing Story of America Series, historian Bill McClay, a professor at Hillsdale College and author of Land of Hope, traces how the earliest settlements were a bold experiment in liberty and community that continues to impact American life today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, what does freedom of religion really mean? For Mariam Ibrahim, it meant the difference between life and death. Born in Sudan and sentenced to execution for her Christian faith, Mariam escaped religious persecution and built a new life with her family in the U.S. Her journey is a powerful reminder of the cost of belief and the courage it takes to live it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The GAR Cemetery in Miami, Oklahoma, doesn’t look like much at first. But among the weathered headstones are the stories of Union and Confederate veterans, British pilots, rodeo stars, and forgotten locals who lived big lives before fading from memory. Nancy Bro has spent years documenting them, making sure their names and the histories behind them aren’t lost. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time exploring the term “Peeping Tom” and others. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, uncovers the quirky roots behind the words we use every day. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the NBA became a media powerhouse, it was fighting to stay relevant. Ratings were low, games were shown on tape delay, and advertisers kept their distance. When CBS considered cutting ties with the league, a young David Stern made a calculated move that would change the direction of professional basketball. Pete Croatto, author of From Hang Time to Prime Time, tells the story behind the NBA television deal that redefined the league’s future. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jackie Robinson didn’t plan to make history. He only wanted to play ball. But in a country that had barred Black baseball players for more than sixty years, that simple dream came with impossible expectations. After a short stint in the Negro Leagues in Kansas City, he became the first to cross into the majors, carrying not only a bat, but the burden of representing a nation’s progress. From racism on the field to isolation in the locker room, Robinson endured what few could. And because he did, Major League Baseball integration finally began. Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, tells the story of America’s greatest player. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Civil War took more American lives than any other conflict in the nation’s history, but few families endured loss like the Littletons of Iowa. When the war broke out, all six brothers enlisted to serve in the Union Army. One by one, they were lost to battle, disease, captivity, and accidents, leaving behind four grieving sisters and no surviving sons. Their story nearly disappeared into history, buried in a forgotten scrapbook. But thanks to a local historian, the Littleton brothers have been remembered for the sacrifices they made. John Busbee shares the story of how this Iowa family lost all six of their boys during America’s bloodiest conflict. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jameel McGee had just become a father when his life was derailed by a lie. In 2006, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, he was falsely arrested by narcotics officer Andrew Collins, whose fabricated reports and planted evidence led to a wrongful conviction and satisfied an internal push for arrest numbers. Although the truth eventually came out, Collins was sentenced to prison, and Jameel’s conviction was overturned, the damage had already been done. He had missed the early milestones of his son’s life and spent years behind bars for a crime he never committed. Most people in his position would seek revenge. But when their paths crossed again, Jameel chose to respond in a way that surprised them both. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time exploring the terms “nest egg,” “no dice,” and others. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, uncovers the quirky roots behind the words we use every day. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Paychex founder and entrepreneur Tom Golisano shares why having fun at work matters and how humor helped shape the culture of one of America’s most successful payroll companies. Known for his legendary office pranks and unconventional leadership style, Golisano explains how playfulness, trust, and creativity can coexist with discipline and hard work. Drawing from his book Built Not Born, he reflects on building a company where people were encouraged to enjoy their work while still aiming high. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1800s, an impossible idea was born: to lay a wire under the ocean and send messages between continents in minutes. The result was the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable, a feat of engineering and endurance that rewired the world forever. Historian John Steele Gordon tells the gripping story of the people, ships, and setbacks that connected North America and Europe by a single thread of copper. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was the Cold War on ice, and no one expected Team USA to win. But in 1980, a ragtag group of college kids stunned the world when they beat the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Mike Eruzione, captain of the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team and the man who scored the game-winning goal, tells the inside story of one of the greatest upsets in sports history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.