Our American Stories

Moving to a Farm from the City Changed My Life

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, after moving from the bright lights of Tampa, Florida, to a farm in the small college town of Oxford, Mississ...

99 Reasons Why a Typewriter Is Better Than a Computer!

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, some interesting facts about the typewriter: The QWERTY layout was originally designed to slow typists down. ...

The Nuclear Mishap That "Created" CNN

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, a wrench slipped. A rocket leaked, lost fuel pressure, collapsed, and exploded. A nuclear warhead was launche...

[TWIH] How Jackie Kennedy Saved Grand Central Station

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in honor of Jackie Kennedy, who died this week in history in 1994, we tell the story of the preservation of a...

The Story Behind FDR’s “Day of Infamy” Speech

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Pearl Harbor was attacked, FDR's speechwriting team was out of town. So Roosevelt, with the help of a fe...

America's Greatest Grifter? The Odd Story of Appleton Oaksmith: Presumed Slave Trader, Confederate Spy, and Voting Rights Activist

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree— but Appleton Oaksmith landed on another p...

How Horse Racing and the Triple Crown Brought a Father and Son Together

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, a former high-powered media executive shares how the 37-year Triple Crown drought, finally broken in 2015, br...

The Henry Steinway Story

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when German guilds told him they didn’t need another piano manufacturer, Henry Steinway moved to Americ...

Are Professional Wrestlers Athletes?

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, oftentimes, when the topic of professional wrestling (think Hulk Hogan) comes up, it’s almost guarantee...

The Story of How Chick-fil-A Borrowed “My Pleasure” from a Luxury Hotel

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” catchphrase trace back to 2001. According to Chi...

How an Escaped Slave Hijacked a Confederate Ship and Sailed It to Freedom

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy shares the remarkable story of Robert Smalls, an escaped slave who stole a Confederate ship, ...

The Story of "Of Beards and Men" and How They Define Masculinity in Culture

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor Christopher Oldstone-Moore makes the case that today’s bearded renaissance is part of a centu...

The Story of George Washington

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, aside from the cherry tree legend, which, of course, isn't true, most of us don't know much about George Wash...

The Story of the Men Who Built the Most Expensive and Most Powerful Gun: The Colt Walker

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for a time, a near-mint Colt Walker held the distinction of being the most expensive gun ever sold, fetching ...

The Story of Bing Crosby and David Bowie’s “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth"

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was one of the oddest—and best—musical collaborations of the 20th century. Old-school pop croo...

Abercrombie & Fitch: The Story Behind the Story of an Iconic American Brand

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Abercrombie & Fitch clothing stores conquered malls in the late ’90s and early ’00s with gorg...

“High and Dry & Let the Cat Out of the Bag” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...

American Freedom Machines: The Story of Harley-Davidson

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Margie Siegal was a teenager, she had a boyfriend with a motorcycle. The boyfriend was forgettable&mdash...

How Chevy Chase, SNL, and One Pratfall Changed a Presidential Election

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 im...

Three Stories Guaranteed to Make You Laugh About the King of Rock & Roll—From the Man Who Was There

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Greg McDonald got his start in show business as a teenager after meeting Elvis Presley and his manager, Colon...

Olive Oatman: The 13-Year-Old Mormon Who Became an Indian

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1851, Olive Oatman was a thirteen-year-old pioneer traveling west with her Mormon family. Within a decade,...

The Story of Chuck Taylor: The Billy Graham of Basketball

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, he wasn’t an NBA star - he was a sneaker salesman who helped popularize the sport of basketball and the...

The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad: America's Greatest Infrastructure Project

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, climb aboard! The late, great historian Stephen Ambrose shares the epic story of how Americans laid 1,900 mil...

Americans Freed Her from Prison—And for Good Reason: The Redemption Story of Cyntoia Brown

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2018, the hashtag #FreeCyntoiaBrown went viral, making her one of the most well-known inmates in the world...

The Story of the Brooklyn Bridge—The Eighth Wonder of the World

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Brooklyn Bridge, with its unprecedented length and two stately towers, was dubbed the “Eighth Wonde...

The Slave Trader Abraham Lincoln Refused to Pardon

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Nathaniel Gordon of Portland, Maine, holds the distinction of being the only American ever executed for the c...

“On Skid Row” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice from his guide to unraveling the baffling mini mysteries of the English ...

A 14-Year-Old Historian Brings the First Day of the American Revolution to Life

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, you’ve probably heard that during his famous midnight ride through the Massachusetts countryside to war...

[Mother's Day Special] Forgiving My Worthless Father

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor from Kodiak Island, Alaska, Leslie Leyland Fields, shares the heartbreaking story of ...

[Mother's Day Special] Mother’s Day Means More When You Don’t Know if You’ll See Her Again

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Scott Jones, a regular contributor to Our American Stories and author of Growing Up Rural, sha...

[Mother's Day Special] Receiving Wylie: A High-Risk Pregnancy Story

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Karla Duerson shares what it was like to be pregnant with—and give birth to—her daughter Wylie. S...

[Mother's Day Special] The Eulogy Lee Never Gave for His Mother

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our host, Lee Habeeb, opens up about his mother’s life and legacy in the patch of earth in Northern New...

[Mother's Day Special] The Story of a Mother Who Destroys the Perfect Mom Myth

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, popular social media influencer and Mother Tiffany Jenkins shares her secret to being a mom… (Hint: It...

[Mother's Day Special] My Mother Had Me at 16: She's My Superhero

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for our Mother's Day Special, Alan Brown, a listener of Our American Stories, shares a story about him and hi...

[Mother's Day Special] 'Curls' by Winter Prosapio 

11 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for our Mother's Day Special, Our American Stories regular contributor, writer, and&...

The Story of America's Most Legendary Storm Chaser: Tim Samaras

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the turn of the 21st century, tornadoes were still one of nature’s greatest mysteries—ripping ...

How an Iowa Waitress Became an Officer's Wife in Texas

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney, a regular contributor to Our American Stories from Des Moines, Iowa, shares her mother&rsquo...

How a Capitalist and Some Communists Gave Us the Worst Car Ever Made: The Yugo

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, six months after its introduction in 1985, the Yugo was a punchline; within a year, it had become a staple of...

How One Black Woman Helped Redeem "The Most Dangerous Racist in America": The Story of George Wallace and Shirley Chisholm

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, a tragic event brought a racist (George Wallace) and a radical (Shirley Chisholm) together, forging an unlike...

Burrito Restaurant Owner Offers Job to Burglar

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, after Diablo's Southwest Grill in Georgia was broken into, owner Carl Wallace took an unexpected approach&mda...

The 11'8" "Can Opener" Bridge

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in Durham, North Carolina, there’s a bridge that trucks just can’t stop hitting—“The ...

Two-Time Oscar Nominee Volunteers for WWII at 37: The Story of Robert Montgomery

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Montgomery was a two-time Oscar nominee and one of the first major Hollywood stars to volunteer for se...

Did Abraham Lincoln Believe in God? 

08 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, did Lincoln believe in God? Yes—but his faith walk was more complicated and messier than you probably k...

The Redemption of a Man Who Went from Serving Life to Living Life in Its Fullest

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jeromy Clark had a rough upbringing, losing his father and suffering abuse at the hands of authority figures....

The Importance of Balance in Motorcycle Riding... and Life

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brent Timmons, an Our American Stories listener from Delaware, shares the story of a lesson in risk...

The Messy and Complicated Story of Thomas Jefferson and Slavery

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, how could a man who wrote the words "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence go to his ...

The Tour Company That Takes You to Tornadoes

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Martin Lisius, founder of Tempest Tours, and Kim George, Customer Relations Manager, talk about the company's...

The Story of the Quiet Cowboy

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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,...

The Story of the Woman Who Saved the Lewis and Clark Expedition: Sacagawea

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 hist...

Dred Scott in Spikes: The Story of Curt Flood

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Major League Baseball’s reserve clause bound players to their teams indefinitely, denying ...

The Story of the Only Museum Dedicated to Bad Art

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, most museums showcase the finer things in history, culture, and the arts—but not the aptly named Museum...

The “LA Speed Check”: A Story from a Pilot of the Fastest Plane in the World

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Major Brian Shul shares his legendary “LA Speed Check” story—an absurd and unforge...

My Hitch in Hell: A Soldier Recounts the Bataan Death March in WWII

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the fall of the Philippines in World War II, more than 70,000 American and Filipino soldiers were captu...

Samuel Colt and the Birth of the Revolver

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Phil Anschutz writes in Out Where the West Begins: “Samuel Colt’s life was the American story wri...

Pepsi Had the 6th-Largest Navy in the World?

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, as strange as it sounds, Pepsi (yes, the cola manufacturer) once owned a fleet of Soviet warships, briefly ma...

The Loyal(ist) Son: The Story of Ben Franklin’s Son Taking Britain’s Side During the Revolutionary War

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—but that wasn’t true for Ben Franklin and...

Flannery O'Connor: The Story of America's Master Writer on Good and Evil

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Flannery O’Connor wanted to shake her readers awake. Her mother wanted her to write the next Gone ...

Tony Mandarich Was the NFL’s Biggest Bust, Then He Rebuilt His Life

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tony Mandarich’s story became immortalized by two Sports Illustrated covers—one hailing...

Couple Adopts 7 Siblings Separated Across Four Foster Homes!

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Broadcast Hysteria: How Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" Changed the Way We Do News...Forever

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1938, many Americans were scared. As the news from Europe grew increasingly grim, radio listeners had grow...

Ben Franklin: Can Chess Make You a Better Person?

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Franklin holds the distinction of many "firsts" in American history. He invented the lightning rod, the F...

The First Catholic Speaker of the House Who Helped Bridge America's Protestant-Catholic Divide

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor Jeff Bloodworth tells the story of John McCormack, who rose from humble beginnings in South Boston ...

The Story of a 5-Star Steakhouse CEO and Her NFL Linebacker Husband

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Britney Ruby Miller is the CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, where she leads a team of more than 500 e...

The Story of the Infamous University of Wisconsin Stampede

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when a stadium full of excited sports fans pressed downhill against inadequate crowd control, tragedy struck ...

How One Man’s Suffering Inspired an Iconic Hymn of Hope: "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Marovich, a writer for the Journal of Gospel Music, shares the story of Thomas A. Dorsey and how ...

How One Doctor Delivers Bad News to End-Stage Cancer Patients

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Theodore Schwartz, a neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine and best-selling author of Gray Matters:...

My Life After "19 Kids and Counting"—As Told by Jill Duggar and Her Husband Derick

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jill Duggar and her husband, Derick, share the unedited truth behind TLC’s hit television show that cap...

Centerline: The Surprising History of Lane Markings

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when it comes to infrastructure that helps keep us safe while we drive, perhaps the greatest cost-to-benefit ...

How Smallpox Created Canada by Destroying Washington’s Army

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Canada is an independent nation, not part of the United States. A lot of that has to do with smallpox. Here t...

Brett Favre on His Miraculous Monday Night Game After His Father Died

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in part three of our five-part series, Brett Favre gets very personal about his miraculous Monday Night Footb...

Final Thoughts: Ruth Graham Shares Her Billy Graham Story

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, we all have a Billy Graham story—Ruth Graham, Billy's daughter, shares hers in the touching eulogy she ...

Ambrose on Ike

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Ambrose wrote the definitive biography of Dwight Eisenhower. Ike was born in a small rented shack bes...

The Story of How the Super Bowl Came to Be

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, today, the Super Bowl is the most-watched event on television—between 90 and 110 million people tune in...

Why One Man Decided to Teach City Kids Latin

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Latin is the dead language of the Romans—but to David P. Hardy, it was exactly what inner-city kids nee...

The Story of the Only Woman to Receive the Medal of Honor

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She is the only woman...

The Making of an American Pantheon: Grant's Tomb

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Presidential historian and author of Grant's Tomb: The Epic Death of Ulysses S. Grant and the Making of ...

Grant's Greatest Battle

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, author Louis Picone tells the story of how Grant's memoirs came to be while the former president was bankrupt...

Celebrating Grant's Birthday: A Presidential-Sized Comeback: The Story of Ulysses S. Grant

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library share the story of how Ulysses S. Grant...

The Graphic Design Professor Who Knits While Running Marathons

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor David Babcock shares his inspiring and quirky story of how he earned a Guinness World Record for kn...

How Crayola Crayons Came to Be: The True Story Behind America’s Most Colorful Creation

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, from bifocals and the cotton gin to the automobile and the iPhone, America has a long history of inventions t...

A Lost Boy and the Hippie Jesus Revolution: Pastor Greg Laurie's Story

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells the story of his life—from growing up in the tumult of the ’60s, to find...

What Happened to Bonnie and Clyde When They Came to Small-Town Iowa

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, to some, they were heroes. To others, they were villains. But when the Barrow Gang rolled into Dexter, Iowa, ...

Raising Children in the Midst of Tragedy: A Faith Story

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Caleb Bailey's father wanted nothing more than to be a firefighter. But just 10 days after Caleb was born, hi...

The Story of the Russian Immigrant Who Created America's Most Beloved Music—Irving Berlin

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, "White Christmas" and "God Bless America" are both standards of American popular music, and both were written...

The Story of the Japanese Americans Who Fought Against Imperial Japan in WWII

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General James Mukoyama rose from his blue-collar Chicago neighborhood to become the first Asian America...

The Story of Alexander Hamilton

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Alexander Hamilton is one of the most controversial and misunderstood Founding Fathers in American history. A...

The Story of the Town That Created Mark Twain: Hannibal, Missouri

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the river town of Hannibal, Missouri, spared Mark Twain from nothing, exposing him to poverty, death, racism,...

"My Grandfather Was the Best Storyteller I Knew"

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, OAS listener from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the spellbinding story of his grandfather, "Paw" Su...

The Story of America's Mascot—Uncle Sam

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, many countries have mascots. Canada has Johnny Canuck, Israel has Srulik, the U.K. has John Bull—and th...

The Story of The Television Deal That Made the NBA a Global Entertainment Powerhouse

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for the longest time, the NBA was a financially unstable, mostly regional, and hard-to-sell property—at...

The Civil War General Who Took His Dates to See His Severed Leg at the Smithsonian Museum

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Gettysburg National Park Service Ranger Matt Atkinson tells the story of Dan Sickles—the man who pionee...

College Graduate Works for General Motors Remotely—On a Sailboat?

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, working remotely meant she could live remotely, too... so Emma decided to buy a sailboat and go to Florida. H...

The Story of the 1945 Empire State Building B-25 Crash

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in July 1945, a U.S. B-25 Mitchell bomber got lost in heavy fog over Manhattan. Here’s The History Guy ...

The Story of a Miracle from the Man Who Brought Us the World's Hottest Pepper

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, “Smokin’” Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder and the founder and president of th...

Some Indians, a Jew, a Hotel Partnership—and The American Dream

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp.—one of the great hote...

How VHS Beat Betamax

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, format wars are nothing new—Edison and Berliner battled it out over phonograph methods, and 8-tracks an...

The Harriet Tubman Story

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harriet Tubman is one of the giants of American history—a pistol-packing, fearless, and inspiring visio...

The Stories Behind Our Easter Traditions

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, bestselling author Ace Collins reveals the stories behind the events and traditions that shaped Easter, intro...

Louis Zamperini: The Story of the Real-Life "Unbroken" Hero -- In His Own Words

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story was made into a 2014 motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie and based on the 2010 non-ficti...

Why Is It Called a "Crapper"? The Amazing Story of the Toilet

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler—and others—tell the splinter-free story of the toilet and its many accessori...