Our American Stories
Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.
Episodes
Benjamin Rush: Founding Father of American Medicine
On this episode of Our American Stories, Benjamin Rush signed the Declaration of Independence, but politics was only one part of his extraordinary life. A physician by profession and reformer by temperament, Rush treated Philadelphia's poor when other doctors wouldn't, demanded humane treatment for the mentally ill, fought slavery, championed public education, and followed George Washington's army
The Winner Who Always Finished Last
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sage Hellstern was the fastest runner on his middle school cross-country team. In his final meet that year, he finished 12th out of 169 runners, with everyone ahead of him a year older. Then doctors found a tumor in the back of his brain.After surgery, a year and a half of radiation and chemotherapy, and months of physical therapy, Sage returned to the trac
The Super Bowl of Sitcoms: How "All in the Family" Changed Television
On this episode of Our American Stories, when All in the Family premiered in 1971, even its stars didn't think it would last. The show was abrasive, political, and unlike nearly anything Americans had seen on television. CBS was so nervous about offending viewers that it opened the first six episodes with a warning. Then America discovered Archie Bunker.Soon, Norman Lear's unlikely sitco
He Survived a Mass Shooting. Then Came the Hard Part.
On this episode of Our American Stories, for five years, the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, had been one of Tyler Spady's favorite places to hang out. But on November 7, 2018, as he stood on the dance floor thinking life couldn't get much better, he heard the gunshots that would change his life forever.Spady escaped through a packed kitchen as bullets struck the walls aro
Bat 21 Bravo: The Most Daring Rescue of the Vietnam War
On this episode of Our American Stories, on Easter Sunday 1972, 53-year-old Air Force navigator Gene Hambleton was shot out of the sky over Vietnam. He landed wounded and alone in the middle of the North Vietnamese Army's massive Easter Offensive, surrounded by tens of thousands of enemy troops. Worse, Hambleton possessed some of America's most sensitive knowledge of missiles, electronic warfare,
The Fatal Car Wreck That Changed a Deputy Forever
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz never imagined himself as a cop. He had a degree in astrophysics and considered himself an intellectual, not the kind of guy who wrestled criminals or rushed toward danger. But when he needed a job, law enforcement unexpectedly became his career.Then, two days after Christmas, Muniz was called to a horrific wreck outside Antonito, Colorado. A
The Storm That Swallowed 12 Modern Ships
On this episode of Our American Stories, in November 1913, Great Lakes captains were racing to make their final runs before winter shut down the shipping season. Coal, iron ore, and grain still had to move, and the promise of bonuses gave crews another reason to push their luck. Then the weather turned.For days, hurricane-force winds, blinding snow, ice, and waves reaching 35 feet battered ships a
The Story of Black Sam Bellamy, the Richest Pirate in History
On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures loomed larger on the seas than Black Sam Bellamy. He was young, charismatic, and ruthless enough to seize more ships and gold than nearly any pirate in history. His black flag struck fear into sailors from the Caribbean to the coast of New England. But his success was short-lived. In 1717, the richest pirate of his age went down in a wreck that
Inside the Mind of a Brain Surgeon
On this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager walking to school in Manhattan, Theodore Schwartz stopped to help a stranger whose car was trapped in the snow. The feeling he got from helping someone who could offer him nothing in return stayed with him. He decided he wanted to spend his life doing exactly that.He eventually became one of America's leading neurosurgeons, operating on thousa
How 100 Women Turned $1,000 Checks Into a Worldwide Giving Movement
On this episode of Our American Stories, Wendy Steele kept meeting women who wanted to help their communities but believed they didn't have enough time, money, or experience to make a difference. Then the Cincinnati banker had an idea: What if 100 women each gave $1,000, pooled the money, and together chose a local nonprofit to receive one transformational $100,000 grant?123 women took a chance on
Airplane vs. Airship: The 1926 Race to the North Pole
On this episode of Our American Stories, by 1926, explorers had spent decades risking their lives trying to conquer the world's most hostile places. Now, two of the greatest were racing toward the North Pole in radically different machines. American naval aviator Richard Byrd bet on the speed of a Fokker trimotor airplane. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen put his faith in the Norge, a massiv
Honor and Loyalty: The Story of Japanese American Soldiers in WWII
On this episode of Our American Stories, they were Americans by birth but treated as outsiders when the war began. After Pearl Harbor, many Japanese Americans were sent to camps under suspicion of aiding the enemy. Yet from those same camps came volunteers who joined the U.S. Army, determined to prove their loyalty.Known as the Nisei, these second-generation Japanese Americans fought in Europe's b
What a Cemetery Taught Me About Being an American
On this episode of Our American Stories, as a boy, Bob McClellan walked through Golden Gate National Cemetery on his way into town. Years later, he returned as a father, bringing his own children to place flags beside the graves on Memorial Day and visit the resting place of their grandfather, a Marine who fought at Guadalcanal.But their walks through the cemetery became about much more than remem
William Boeing: The Timber Millionaire Who Gave America Wings
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1909, William Boeing watched an airplane fly for the first time and became fascinated by a machine many Americans still regarded as little more than an expensive toy. The wealthy timberman learned to fly, built his own seaplane, and became convinced that aviation was going to change the world. When World War I ended and the young aircraft industry nearly
The Knights of the Golden Circle: America's Would-Be Slave Empire Builders?
On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Civil War, thousands of Southern men joined a secret society complete with castles, passwords, elaborate oaths, medieval costumes, and dreams of conquest. They called themselves the Knights of the Golden Circle, and beneath all the pageantry was a serious ambition: expand slavery by building a vast new empire across Mexico, Central America, and t
How Kenny Rogers Found His Voice at 40
On this episode of Our American Stories, Kenny Rogers grew up poor in a Houston housing project, one of eight children in a family that had little money but plenty of music, faith, and humor. He wanted something more and relentlessly chased a career in music, even when that ambition came at a cost in his personal life.By the time Rogers turned to country music, he was nearly 40 and had already bou
How MIT Basketball Shaped Bill Koch’s View of Leadership
On this episode of Our American Stories, before he was a billionaire businessman and America’s Cup champion, Bill Koch was a student-athlete at MIT learning lessons that would shape his leadership. Told he wasn’t smart or skilled enough, he worked relentlessly and discovered the power of teamwork, accountability, and focus.Koch shares how a coach, one play, and a group of “nerds&
1941: The Year America Entered World War II
On this episode of Our American Stories, at the beginning of 1941, Britain stood virtually alone against Hitler while the United States remained bitterly divided over whether to enter the war. But across the Atlantic and Pacific, events were rapidly pulling America closer to the fight.The late historian Stephen Ambrose shares the story of a fateful year and America’s precarious diplomatic ba
William Walker: The American Adventurer Who Conquered Nicaragua
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1850s, William Walker had an extraordinary idea: Why not conquer a country of his own? The Tennessee-born doctor, lawyer, and journalist gathered a small army of Americans, invaded Mexico, and declared himself ruler of a new republic. When that collapsed, he tried again. This time, he set his sights on Nicaragua.Mark Kawar, author of America, bu
The German Immigrant Who Built Coors Brewing
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Colorado was even a state, a young German immigrant named Adolph Coors arrived in Golden with years of hard-earned experience and a dream of building his own brewery. He had come to America with no money or papers, worked his way west, and in 1873 invested everything he had into a small brewery beside the waters of Clear Creek.His great-grandson Pete
How America Lost 4 Billion Chestnut Trees
On this episode of Our American Stories, there was a time when billions of American chestnut trees stretched across the eastern United States. In Appalachia, their nuts fed families and wildlife, their harvests provided income, and their rot-resistant wood was used for everything from fences and homes to cradles and coffins. Then, in the early 1900s, a deadly blight arrived from Asia and nearly wi
How a Room Full of Divided Delegates Found Unity in a Single Prayer
On this episode of Our American Stories, when the First Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia, the delegates arrived anxious about what Britain might do next and unsure of what they themselves should do. Before they argued or planned, they asked for prayer.The passage read that morning landed with surprising force and settled the room in a way no debate could have. Here to tell the story i
John Cazale: The Greatest Actor You Don't Know
On this episode of Our American Stories, John Cazale never became a movie star. He never received an Academy Award nomination, and his film career lasted only six years. Yet Al Pacino considered him an acting idol, Meryl Streep fell in love with him, and every one of the five films he appeared in was nominated for Best Picture.Jonjo Powers, author of A Small Perfection: John Cazale and the Ar
How Carole King and Gerry Goffin Wrote "A Natural Woman" for Aretha Franklin
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1967, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler approached the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin with an idea. He needed a hit for Aretha Franklin and even had a title in mind: "A Natural Woman."After putting their children to bed, King and Goffin went to work. By the next day, they had written a song specifically for a singer they had never
The Six Percent: The Woman Who Worked With the Enemy to Save Lives
On this episode of Our American Stories, Laura Margolis arrived in Shanghai to help Jewish refugees who had fled persecution in Europe. Then Pearl Harbor changed everything. With the city under Japanese occupation and some 20,000 Jewish refugees now trapped there, Margolis found herself classified as an enemy alien while desperately trying to secure the food and money needed to keep them alive.For
Clarence Birdseye: The Arctic Adventurer Who Invented Frozen Food
On this episode of Our American Stories, Clarence Birdseye was always looking for his next adventure. He hunted coyotes in the American West, collected dangerous ticks in the Rocky Mountains, and eventually took his young family into the frozen wilderness of Labrador.There, Birdseye noticed how Inuit people could freeze freshly caught fish almost instantly in the bitter cold. Years later, that mem
Ralph Cox: The Last Man Cut From the "Miracle on Ice" Team
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Cox had spent years dreaming of representing the United States at the Olympics. In 1980, he came within days of doing it. Then coach Herb Brooks called him into a room and delivered the news: Cox would be the final player cut from the U.S. Olympic hockey team.Weeks later, his former teammates pulled off the “Miracle on Ice.” Our own Greg H
America's First Animal Celebrities: Railroad Dogs
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the late 1800s, stray dogs began hopping aboard America's trains and riding wherever the rails took them. Their adventures soon made the newspapers, and some became celebrities known across the country.Paul Koudounaris, author of Go West, Young Dog, shares the story of America's railroad dogs and the legendary Railroad Jack. To a generation of Ameri
How a Farm Boy Invented Television
On this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager growing up on a farm in rural Idaho, Philo Farnsworth had an idea that seemed almost impossible: transmit moving pictures through the air. Before long, he had built the first fully electronic television system and found himself in a battle with RCA, one of the most powerful companies in America.The History Guy and Evan Schwartz, author of 
The Native American Chief Who Stood with George Washington
On this episode of Our American Stories, more than 13,000 Native Americans took part in the Revolutionary War, most fighting alongside the British. Daniel Nimham chose a different path. The last sachem of the Wappinger people of New York's Hudson Valley, Nimham joined the American cause, received a commission as a captain in the Continental Army, and served alongside George Washington at Valley Fo
Are Pro Wrestlers Really Athletes?
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.Sportswriter Riley Evans of Grandstand Central shares the real story and physical cost of professional wrestling. Sup
How America's First Female Detective Saved Abraham Lincoln
On this episode of Our American Stories, in February 1861, Abraham Lincoln was making a 13-day journey from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C., when warnings emerged of a plot to assassinate the president-elect as he passed through Baltimore, Maryland. With the country already coming apart and Lincoln’s inauguration only days away, detective Allan Pinkerton raced to uncover the threa
John Brown: The Radical Abolitionist Who Launched a Holy War Against Slavery
On this episode of Our American Stories, to Southerners, John Brown was a dangerous villain. To many Northerners, he was a fanatic. But Brown believed he was an instrument of God, called to wage war against the evil of slavery.David S. Reynolds, author of John Brown, Abolitionist, shares the story of how a deeply religious boy from Connecticut became one of the most feared and controversial m
James Madison: The Lawgiver Who Gave Us the Constitution
On this episode of Our American Stories, James Madison may not have been America's greatest president, but his understanding of the Constitution helped shape the nation long before he entered the White House. A Virginia legislator, author of the Federalist Papers, architect of the Constitution, political partner of Thomas Jefferson, and eventual fourth president of the United States, Madison devot
How Catholics Gave Us the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1960, McDonald's franchise owner Lou Groen had a problem. His Cincinnati, Ohio, restaurant sat in a neighborhood that was 87 percent Catholic, and on Fridays, when many Catholics abstained from eating meat, his hamburger sales collapsed. With his struggling restaurant and his family's livelihood on the line, Groen came up with an idea: sell fish.Simon Wh
Elijah and the Jewish Roots of American Liberty
On this episode of Our American Stories, from the American Revolution to the Civil War, the biblical prophet Elijah has played an important role in the American story, inspiring generations in their fights for liberty and justice.Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, co-author of The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares how Elijah’s rebuke of the tyrannical King Ahab inspired Americans during t
How One Man Made a Million Dollars Selling Pet Rocks
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1975, advertising copywriter Gary Dahl was sitting in a California bar listening to friends complain about the hassle of caring for their pets when he joked that a rock would make the perfect companion. It would never need to be fed, walked, groomed, or taken to the vet.Our frequent contributor Jesse Edwards shares the tale of the Pet Rock and how clever
How a Recovering Addict Created the World's Hottest Pepper
On this episode of Our American Stories, before "Smokin' Ed" Currie created the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X, two of the hottest peppers the world has ever known, his life was being consumed by drugs and alcohol. After hitting rock bottom, an experience during a Michigan blizzard led him to a rehabilitation hospital and began a journey through recovery, faith, family, and an obsession with peppers
America's 150-Year Quest to Get Greenland
On this episode of Our American Stories, when President Donald Trump floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, many Americans thought the proposal came out of nowhere. In reality, the United States had been eyeing the Arctic island for more than 150 years. We especially wanted it after Denmark fell into Nazi hands.Mark Kawar, author of America, but Bigger: Near-Annexations from Greenland
She Criticized Her Local Government. Then They Came After Her Farm
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Erica Brewer of Eagle, Wisconsin, spoke out in defense of a neighbor she believed was being treated unfairly by local officials, she never expected the town's attention to turn toward her own family. Soon, inspectors were showing up at their property, citing everything from tall grass and flower boxes to their small roadside farm stand, while fines and
The Incredible Story of Harvey Wallbanger, the Racing Buffalo
On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever imagined a buffalo running on a racetrack against thoroughbred horses? In the 1960s, Harvey Wallbanger did exactly that. This larger-than-life buffalo stunned crowds as he thundered past racehorses, turning a novelty act into an unforgettable chapter of racing history.Francie M. Berg of Buffalo Grande shares the unlikely but true sto
Texas Wanted Him to Spend 750 Hours Learning the Wrong Job
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Ash Patel opened his eyebrow threading business in Texas, he followed the law as it existed. Then state regulators decided eyebrow threading counted as cosmetology and demanded that his experienced employees spend up to 750 hours in beauty school learning techniques they would never use, at a cost of thousands of dollars, before they could return to th
My Dad Died Saving a Stranger, but He Never Stopped Saving Lives
On this episode of Our American Stories, ten days after Caleb Bailey was born, his father, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Joseph Dupee, was killed in the line of duty while trying to rescue one of his own firefighters during a warehouse fire in California. His death left behind a young widow and two small sons, and seemed to mark the beginning of a lifetime of heartbreak.Instead, it became the
Calvin Coolidge: The Farm Boy Who Became America's 30th President
On this episode of Our American Stories, born on the Fourth of July in the tiny village of Plymouth Notch, Vermont, Calvin Coolidge grew up surrounded by hardworking neighbors who prized honesty, humility, thrift, and service above wealth or status. Those lessons stayed with him from the family store to the governor's office, and ultimately to the White House.Matthew Denhart of the Calvin Coo
The Hidden Work Behind Every Horse
On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk has spent years in the saddle, but in this story, he takes us to a place most riders overlook: the quiet, deliberate work of caring for a horse. Before a hoof hits the trail or a rider lifts the reins, there are coats to brush, manes to comb, and hooves to clean.Even a horse's teeth require attention, a reminder that its strength begins with small
How One Small-Town Woman Lived Nine Lives
On this episode of Our American Stories, born in rural Missouri in 1934, Rebecca "Cubby" Hall grew up without electricity, joined the Women's Army Corps, learned to ride a Harley-Davidson, taught in a one-room schoolhouse, served as mayor of Neosho, owned a liquor store, worked as a garbage collector, and never stopped finding ways to serve her community.In her own words, Cubby looks back on a lif
Was Dropping the Atomic Bomb on Japan Necessary to End World War II?
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
Dick Bong: America’s Greatest Fighter Pilot
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard "Dick" Bong was a farm boy who learned to fly and never stopped pushing the limits of what a pilot could do. Flying the P-38 Lightning, he downed 40 enemy aircraft, making him the nation's Ace of Aces and one of the most decorated World War II aviators in history. Yet behind the record was a quiet Midwestern pilot who wrote letters home, worried abo
David McCullough: The Constitution Was Written by Serious People
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the summer of 1787, the United States was deeply in debt, politically divided, and struggling to survive under the weak Articles of Confederation. Behind closed doors in a sweltering room in Philadelphia, a remarkable group of Americans spent three months debating, compromising, and ultimately creating the United States Constitution.At a Constitution Day
Why a Billionaire Founder Encouraged Office Pranks
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Golisano didn't build Paychex by creating a joyless workplace. He believed people did their best work when they enjoyed coming to the office, and that meant making room for laughter, practical jokes, and a culture where even the CEO wasn't off limits.The Paychex founder shares some of the company's most legendary office pranks and explains why fun, trus
How the Beastie Boys Took Hip-Hop From New York to the Nation
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.Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of the Beastie Boys, how they found their plac
How Yogi Berra Became an American Original
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Yogi Berra became one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, he was an 18-year-old U.S. Navy sailor headed toward Omaha Beach on D-Day. After World War II, the son of Italian immigrants from St. Louis helped build one of the greatest careers in American sports, winning 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees and becoming one of
The Marine Who Taught Me How to Fight... and the Man Who Taught Me How to Live
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lance Cpl. Tom Morton deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, he found much more than a squad leader in Sgt. Joe L. Wrightsman. He found a mentor whose hardnosed training and leadership prepared a young Marine for the realities of combat. Then, during a mission across the Helmand River, Wrightsman gave his life trying to save an Afghan police office
"Take the Cake" & "The Third Degree" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 22)
On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of his ongoing series on the origins of everyday expressions, Andrew Thompson, author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red, shares the fascinating backstories behind the phrases "take the cake," "the third degree," and others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/do
How Elvis Reinvented Las Vegas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1956, Elvis Presley bombed in Las Vegas. Thirteen years later, he returned to a city that was struggling to attract a new generation, and together they changed each other's future.Author Richard Zoglin shares the story of Elvis's legendary 1969 comeback at the International Hotel and explains how the King of Rock 'n' Roll reinvented the Las Vegas stage w
White Feather: The Original American Sniper
On this episode of Our American Stories, before American Sniper introduced millions to Chris Kyle, there was Carlos Hathcock, the legendary U.S. Marine sniper known throughout Vietnam as "White Feather." Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Hathcock grew up hunting to help feed his family before becoming one of the greatest marksmen in American military history.Military veterans Colin D. Heato
What Exactly Is Bubblegum Flavor — and Why Pink?
On this episode of Our American Stories, we all know the look and taste of bubblegum, but few people know where it came from. The first bubblegum was invented in 1928 by Walter Diemer, who used the only food dye available: pink. That color stuck, and so did the flavor, a blend of fruit notes now simply called "bubblegum."Simon Whistler, from the Today I Found Out YouTube channel and its
“Black Harry” Hoosier: The Story Behind Indiana’s Namesake
On this episode of Our American Stories, Indiana did not choose its nickname so much as grow into it. The term Hoosier appeared in jokes, travel accounts, and frontier banter, yet no one ever agreed on where it started. Despite the uncertainty, the name kept rising to the surface until it became part of the state's character.What survives is a word tied closely to the people who shaped Indiana in
Louis Zamperini's Story—in His Own Words
On this episode of Our American Stories, Olympian, World War II airman, Pacific castaway, and prisoner of war, Louis Zamperini lived one of the most extraordinary lives in American history. In this rare recording, he tells his own remarkable story—from his troubled childhood and the 1936 Berlin Olympics to surviving 47 days adrift at sea, enduring brutal captivity in Japan, and ultimately fi
George Washington and the Day He Refused a Crown
On this episode of Our American Stories, at the end of the Revolutionary War, with soldiers restless and unpaid, whispers spread about replacing Congress with a monarchy. Some even suggested that George Washington take the throne. In what became known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, Washington faced a decision that could have reshaped America’s future.Instead of seizing power, he delivered words
The Inventor of the Machine Gun Became Deaf—So His Son Invented the Silencer
On this episode of Our American Stories, Hiram Percy Maxim grew up in the shadow of firepower. His father invented the machine gun, a weapon that changed modern warfare. But when that same weapon left his father deaf, Hiram took a different path. In 1902, he invented the first commercial gun silencer and later applied the same technology to early automobile engines.His work shaped not only the fut
A Good Name Is the Greatest Inheritance
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Steve Rakeman was young, his father gave him a simple instruction: “I’m giving you my name. There’s nothing wrong with it. Make sure you pass it on as clean as I gave it to you.”Steve and his son, Mike, share how that lesson shaped three generations of their family, guiding them through dangerous work, tempting opportunities, co
I Once Killed for Money. Then I Couldn't Bear to Hurt a Grasshopper
On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Bill Corum lived as an enforcer in the Kansas City underworld, surrounded by violence, drugs, money, and power. He smuggled guns, dealt cocaine, spent time in prison, and admits he was willing to kill for money. None of it brought him peace.In his remarkable story, Bill shares how a dramatic encounter with God changed his life, leading him from a
“Put a Sock in It” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 18)
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 “put a sox in it” 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 w
How the Memoir I Never Wanted to Write Changed My Life
On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, author Leslie Leyland Fields believed the best stories belonged to other people. Then her literary agent challenged her to write the one book she never wanted to write: her own memoir.Leslie, a regular contributor to Our American Stories, shares how writing Surviving the Island of Grace forced her to confront the deeper story benea
A Wrestling Match Made Abraham Lincoln a Frontier Legend?
On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln had another claim to fame: he was one of the toughest men on the Illinois frontier.When a local champion named Jack Armstrong challenged the young Lincoln to a wrestling match, the showdown became the stuff of legend. Wrestling historian Mike Chapman, author of The Sport of Lincoln, shares the
Everything I Needed to Know About Work, I Learned Selling Hot Dogs at Twins Games
On this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager, Jim Johnson landed what he thought was a dream job selling hot dogs at Minnesota Twins games in Metropolitan Stadium. But between spilled hot dogs, difficult customers, colorful coworkers, and unforgettable moments with baseball's biggest stars, he discovered that the biggest lessons had nothing to do with baseball.The longtime Minnesota past
What a Motorcycle Crash Taught Me About Risk, Faith, and Letting Go
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Brent Timmons' son was involved in a motorcycle accident on his way to work, a frightening phone call sent his family racing to the scene, unsure of what they would find. Thankfully, the crash was minor, but it became a powerful reminder of how quickly life can change.Brent reflects on what the accident taught his family about balancing caution with co
How Church Prepared Pat Boone to Become a Pop Superstar
On this episode of Our American Stories, many people remember Pat Boone as one of the biggest pop stars of the 1950s and '60s, but his story began in a church choir. He grew up learning how to hold a melody, lead voices in harmony, and carry a room without a single instrument behind him.Those simple lessons in discipline and presence became the foundation for a career that lasted longer on the cha
The Story of America: The Crisis That Gave Rise to Abraham Lincoln [Ep. 27]
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Fugitive Slave Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, the Dred Scott decision, and John Brown’s raid pushed the United States ever closer to civil war. As the nation fractured over slavery, a little-known Illinois lawyer emerged with the words, principles, and political skill to meet the crisis.In Episode 27 of our ongoing Story of Us
The Congressman Who Invented His Own Biography: John McCormack
On this episode of Our American Stories, John McCormack spent decades telling Americans he was the son of Irish immigrants who overcame poverty to become Speaker of the House. The truth was more complicated. To make his way to the top, McCormack reinvented his own family story before rising to become the first Catholic Speaker in American history.Professor and Jack Miller Center fellow,
My Superman Never Wore a Cape. He Flew in WWII.
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lieutenant Ernie Latham's B-24 crashed into the Adriatic Sea during World War II, he escaped the sinking bomber, rescued five members of his crew, and refused to leave the war when the Army wanted to send him home. All he wanted was another chance to fly.Our American Stories regular contributor Roger Latham shares the story of his father, the Worl
Before Thanksgiving, New Yorkers Celebrated Evacuation Day
On this episode of Our American Stories, most Americans learn that the Revolutionary War ended at Yorktown. Fewer know the British Army occupied New York City for two more years before finally sailing away on November 25, 1783. For generations, New Yorkers celebrated that day as Evacuation Day, one of the city's biggest holidays.Our American Stories regular contributor Bill Bryk shares the re
How I Almost Became a Made Man in the Real Sopranos Mob
On this episode of Our American Stories, growing up in Bayonne, New Jersey, Giovanni Rocco was surrounded by mobsters, outlaw bikers, and the kind of street culture that most parents hope their children never experience. He was, in his own words, a pretty "bad" kid. Those same experiences eventually made him one of the FBI's National Covert Operations Unit's most successful undercover operatives,
How a $40,000 Land Rover Changed American Law Forever
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Tyson Timbs used his $40,000 Land Rover to sell drugs to an undercover police officer, Indiana seized the vehicle through civil asset forfeiture. Getting it back should have been straightforward. Instead, it took seven years, three trips to the Indiana Supreme Court, and a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.For our Rule of Law series
The Arkansas Nuclear Mishap That Launched CNN's First Big Story
On this episode of Our American Stories, it started with a dropped wrench. Moments later, a missile exploded inside its silo, launching a nuclear warhead into a roadside ditch outside Damascus, Arkansas. For hours, few people understood just how close the country had come to catastrophe.Former Arkansas newsman Randy Dixon was there from the beginning. He shares how one of America's most forgo
She Hid an Alcohol Addiction Behind a Successful Life
On this episode of Our American Stories, at thirteen years old, Rose Ann Forte took her first drink because she wanted to fit in. What began as teenage experimentation slowly became part of every stage of her life, from college and corporate America to marriage and motherhood, until one day she realized she'd crossed what she calls "the invisible line."When the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to conf
Davy Crockett Died at the Alamo, But the Story of How He Lived Remains
On this episode of Our American Stories, nearly every American knows Davy Crockett died at the Alamo. But before he ever crossed into Texas, he'd run away from home, survived on the untamed American frontier, fought in the War of 1812, and rose from six months of formal schooling to the halls of Congress.Our regular contributor Roger McGrath separates the folklore from the facts, sharing the real
The Man Behind Bugs Bunny: The Story of Mel Blanc
On this episode of Our American Stories, for generations of Americans, Mel Blanc's voice was childhood. As Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, and dozens of other unforgettable characters, he entertained millions and forever changed the art of voice acting.Through archival interviews with Mel Blanc himself and those who knew him best, we share the remarkable story o
Before He Was Rosco P. Coltrane: The Remarkable Life of James Best
On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard, James Best lived a remarkable American life. Orphaned at the age of three and raised in Kentucky and Indiana, he served with the U.S. Army in war-torn Germany, where an unexpected visit to a stage production inspired him to become an actor.Best went on to appear in hundreds of televisi
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صداستان: ساعتی با موسیقی
Becoming: HER with Nikki Spoelstra
Exposing Workplace Bullying
Everyday AI Made Simple - AI For Everyday Tasks
FemTech Focus
Not Too Sensitive - Empowering Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) To Own Their Sensitivity
Mother Daughter Relationship Show
Skin Deep MDs with Dr. Mamina Turegano, Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky and Dr. Jenny Liu
girl talk 🎧🫧
