Our American Stories

The Story of "Trader Joe's": The Small Grocery Store That Beats the Big Guys

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler (and others) tell the story of a grocery store founded in Los Angeles in 1967 that expan...

Accordionist Nancy 3 Hoffman—Yes, That's Her Middle Name—Tells the Story of Her...Umbrella Cover Museum

13 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, meet Nancy 3 (that's the numeral '3' not the word 'three') Hoffman, an accordionist, world traveler, and owne...

He Survived WWII and Felt Guilty—So He Invented CPR

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, it might surprise you to hear that CPR was only invented in 1960. Here to tell the story of the man who inven...

The Baseball Team That Fought For Equality Before Jackie Robinson Hit The Majors

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Chris Siriano tells the story of a baseball team formed out of a religious commune in Benton Harbor, MI. The ...

Walter Isaacson: The Innovators That Created the Computer...And The Internet

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, renowned biographer and author of The Innovators, Walter Isaacson, tells the story of the teams tha...

The Glorious 25th of November, Evacuation Day

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk brings us the tale of the day British forces evacuated New York City after the Revolution...

Tom Landry: A Story From “America’s Coach”

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, He was one of the greatest coaches of the 20th century. Behind a stone face and beneath his trademark fedora ...

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Swanson, the NYT Bestseller of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, shares t...

A Listener's Advice to His Son—Be More Sociable

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kent Nerburn, author of Letters to My Son: A Father's Wisdom on Manhood, Life, and Love, shares how one ...

Thomas Jefferson: The Story of A Man Who Was Super...Human

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jon Meacham, the bestselling author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, shares with an audience at th...

America Builds Up to Fight WWII: The Story of The Bremerton Naval Yards

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, teacher, organist, choir director, Our American Stories listener, and World War II history buff Anne Clare sh...

Heart-Washing: My Antidote to 14 Years of Brainwashing in a Communist Prison

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1948, Richard Wurmbrand publicly stated Communism and Christianity were incompatible. As a result, he was ...

Fighting Crime in Downtown Los Angeles with Love, Respect, and God

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph recounts how he built community connections and relationships—and chang...

How Cornelius Vanderbilt Caused the Panic of 1869 ('Black Friday') and Then Personally Rescued the American Economy

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, by 1869, the 'Commodore’s' wealth had grown so much that his private interests intersected with the gen...

“Knock on Wood & Kick the Bucket” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 11)

10 Feb 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...

The Story of Steve Jobs: A Man at the Intersection of Art and Science

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Walter Isaacson, author of the biography of Steve Jobs, tells the story of the man who created the 21st ...

Hollywood Goes to War: Tim McCoy's Story of Service

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim McCoy was a major film star most noted for his roles in Western films. He was so popular with youngsters ...

Remembering the Gold Star Father Whose Story Inspired the Hit Country Song "I Drive Your Truck"

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 de...

The Most Important Children's Book Artist of the 20th Century—Maurice Sendak & "Where The Wild Things Are"

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, “Genius,” wrote poet Charles Baudelaire, “is only childhood recalled at will.” Few pe...

The Teen CEO of the Clean Teeth Candy

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, she was the youngest person ever to be featured on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine. Alina Morse, CEO of Zo...

The Man Who Witnessed the Assassination of Abe Lincoln

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ford's Theater reenactor Mike Robinson tells the full unknown story through the eyes of A.C. Richards, Washin...

A Manifest Destiny Hit: The Story of Saturday Night Live

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Scot Bertram and Christian Schneider of the podcast Wasn't That Special: 50 Years of SNL tell the story ...

The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for generations, students in American elementary schools were taught Christopher Columbus “sailed the o...

A Texas Boy vs. an Air Traffic Control Bully

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, you've heard that you, "Don't Mess with Texas." This story from our regular listener/contributor Roger Latham...

The Gospel of Gettysburg: The Story Behind the Story of the Gettysburg Address

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our host, Lee Habeeb shares the story behind the story of Lincoln's most important words—the Getty...

The Story of America: Reconstructing the Nation After Our Deadliest Man Man Disaster—The Civil War

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 33rd episode of "The Story of America" series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the sto...

A Little Brother's Prayer to Be As Big As His Very Big Brother

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, A listener, Paul Bauer, tells the story of his prayer to be as tall as his very big brother, "Moose." Support...

How Hawking Hot Dogs in the MLB Changed My Life

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jim Johnson, a listener of Our American Stories from Minnesota, tells the story of when he sold hotdogs for t...

I Picked Up "Tex" Watson Hitchhiking AFTER the Manson Murders

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, following the Charles Manson murders, Manson's lead henchman, Tex Watson, stayed in Los Angeles for almost tw...

Rod Serling and "The Twilight Zone": The Story of a Television Prophet

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rod Serling was the most prestigious writer in American television. As creator, host, and primary writer for ...

The 17-Year-Old Student Who Designed the Current US Flag for A School Project...and Got a B-

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story is about a 17-year-old kid named Bob Heft who designed the 50-star American flag we fly proudl...

Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, we talk to author and journalist James Maguire on everything from Ed Sullivan's early child to the legacy he ...

The Story of The Pigeon Who Received a Medal of Bravery During WWI

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, experience the gripping drama of the front lines as a valiant pigeon becomes the last hope to stop a brutal f...

"True Colors & Soap Opera" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 20)

03 Feb 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...

Why My Mother Forced Me to Play Piano...Even Though I had No Fingers

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John O'Leary, the bestselling author of On Fire tells the story of why his mother forced him to eat on his ow...

She Went from Running Banks...to Sweeping Floors

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, ...and then running her own business and helping others find work! Suazo Center founder Gladys Gonzalez share...

"The First Guy Cannot Fail": The Jackie Robinson Story

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Baseball Leagues Museum, tells the story of a man who started in Kansas ...

Josephine Earp: The Woman Who Shaped the Story of Her Beloved Husband—the Most Famous Lawman of the Old West

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for nearly fifty years, Josephine Earp was married to the most famous lawman of the Old West, Wyatt Earp. Ann...

On Fire: John O'Leary Shares His Story of Survival Against All Odds After Being Burnt on Nearly 100 Percent of His Body

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John O'Leary is the bestselling author of On Fire. Today he shares the story of how after being burnt on near...

Lesson Learned: Clean Hog Manure Off Boots Before Going to School

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Scott Jones, author of Growing Up Rural, shares the story of one of the most embarrassing moments of his time...

A Grave Escape?

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, ...as if spending the night in a funeral parlor wasn't scary enough! Our American Stories listener Tom Ryan b...

How a Group of Daring Bootleggers Created NASCAR

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before NASCAR’s rampant commercialism lurks a not-so-distant history that has been carefully hidde...

Danny Elfman Had "No Propensity for Music" Yet Became One of Film's Greatest Composers

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Danny Elfman came to prominence as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the...

Trapped Inside a Tube: The Story of The Iron Lung

30 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Daryn Glassbrook of the Mobile Medical Museum in Mobile, Alabama tells the story of the iron lung, an antiqua...

A President, a Preacher, and a Giant Block of Cheese

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson was known for championing religious freedom in our nation's infancy—but not many peopl...

Life Before Digital Photos: The Last Days of Kodachrome

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dwayne's Photo in Parson's, Kansas is truly a family affair, and for a while, it was an extraordinarily rare ...

How Windmills Won The West

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, that old windmill on the side of the highway might be fun to look at, but without it, the great westward expa...

Walt Whitman Served The Union...And The Confederate!

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Hillsdale professor Kelly Scott Franklin tells the story of how one of America's foremost literary figures wa...

Ruth Handler: The "Gambling" Woman Who Created Barbie and Launched a Marketing Revolution

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, her parents were poor Jewish immigrants and she was raised by her sister—spending her most developmenta...

The Story of The Manhattan Project...Through a Camera Lens

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1943 a quiet stretch of farmland in Tennessee transformed into a bustling secret city of 75,000 people on ...

The Story of Why Led Zeppelin Pays Royalties to a Southern Bluesman

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Davis, author of Hammer of the Gods, and Kirby Furgeson of the podcast "Everything a Remix" tell...

The Story of a Severely Wounded Army Ranger Inspiring Men

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Michael Schlitz enlisted in March 1996 and served in several positions...

The Story of A Real-Life “Rosie the Riveter”

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, while the men served in WWII, women also served by filling the spots in factories that men left behind. Unmat...

The Story of Andrew Jackson's Wild Inauguration Party 

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Jackson's inauguration says a lot about what he represented at the time to many—a changing of th...

The Story of Captain Kangaroo

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, on October 3, 1955, a television program debuted that would eventually produce nearly nine thousand shows ove...

The God and Divinity Roots of America's Most Famous College—Harvard.

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the Bible's role in shaping ...

The Best Storyteller in Abilene, Texas Shares the Story of His Hero—a Vietnam Veteran With an Eyepatch

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor Jay Moore tells the story of an ordinary man he considers his personal hero—Den...

General Colin Powell: The Story of the Man Behind the Stars

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, General Colin Powell was the youngest and the nation's first black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...

"All Hell Broke Loose" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 1)

24 Jan 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...

The Story of Mario Andretti: A Refugee from Communism to the Heights of Auto Racing

24 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mario Andretti shares how his family lost everything in WWII, came to America, and how he then launched ...

The Baylor Basketball Incident: An Eyewitness Tells the Story of One of the Biggest Scandals (and Turnarounds) in NCAA History

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, next we have a story about one of the biggest scandals in college basketball history and one of its biggest t...

The Union Colonel Who Showed Mercy on Confederate POWs During the Civil War

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Boston’s Fort Warren housed Confederate POWs during the Civil War, but it was no Andersonville. Only 13...

The Story of the Last Man to Die In WWI 

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, on the 11th hour of the 11th month of the 11th day in 1918, all guns fell silent across Europe...16.1 million...

The Story of How Star Wars Toys Revolutionized Movie Merchandising (Part 2)

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the "Nostalgia Awakens" is a Star Wars action figure exhibit from enthusiast and museum curator Jarrod Roll. ...

Rich Wingo shares the story of how his time under the legendary Alabama coach refashioned his character, and how his time with the Green Bay Packers redefined his faith.

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, as the great-granddaughter of Booker T. Washington, the former slave-turned-famous educator, and founder of T...

How Coach “Bear” Bryant, and the Packers, Transformed My Life

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rich Wingo shares the story of how his time under the legendary Alabama coach refashioned his character, and ...

President Kennedy's Greatest Speech You've Never Heard

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Forgotten Bond: A Story About a Father with Dementia—and His 100-Year-Old Girlfriend 

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Gina Ramsey tells the story of the highs—and lows—of managing her father's dementia...and tells t...

The Father Whose Life Story Inspired the Son Who Wrote "Braveheart"

22 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Randall Wallace is the writer/director of films such as "Braveheart", "We Were Soldiers", "The Man in the Iro...

The Short, Happy Life of Abraham Lincoln: His Final Days

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Civil War was over, the city of Washington was in celebration and President Lincoln's life was about to t...

The Con Man Who Managed to Get Pardoned by Abe Lincoln and Jeff Davis

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, he was so good that he got both the Union and the Confederate presidents to pardon him; yet, so bad...

Salmon and Salt: Remembering Fishing with Grandfather

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Karl Marlantes, author of What It Is Like to Go to War and Matterhorn, tells the story of...

Doug Williams—The First Black Quarterback to Win The Superbowl

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, African Americans could be running backs, wide receivers, linebackers...but in the eyes of many coaches and t...

The Story of the Richest Pirate in History: Black Sam Bellamy

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Samuel Bellamy was a pirate who operated off the coast of New England and throughout the Caribbean. Later kno...

I Invented the Modern Age: The Story of Henry Ford

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, while Henry Ford didn't invent the automobile, he fundamentally changed the world's relationship with the aut...

Al Capone: The Man in The Era [Born on This Week in History, 1899]

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, America’s fascination with mob boss Al Capone is a century old. Here to tell his story is the biographe...

A Father’s Note to His “Timeless” Daughter…Who Functions at a Toddler Level

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Richmond, VA radio host Jeff Katz shares a note that his daughter won't ever read, but will surely impact you...

Before Mary Kay, There Was Madam C.J. Walker—The First Self-Made Female Millionaire

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, born on the land of the former plantation where her parents were enslaved, Madam C.J. Walker married young, h...

Why Cincinnati is Named After George Washington...and a Roman Farmer

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III, upon hearing that George Washington planned to resign from his military commission and retur...

The Tone Deaf, Bad Poet Who Wrote the National Anthem

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Francis “Frank” Scott Key was not someone you would have picked to write our national anthem&hell...

Rosa Parks, In Her Own Words: The Woman Who Challenged Segregation and Changed the World

17 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of the woman who said "no" to giving up her seat on a segregated Alabama bus is widely known. But h...

Guitar Virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel: I Came To America Because Everything Here Is Better

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, born in Australia, Tommy Emmanuel fell in love with American country guitar legend, Chet Atkins. The rest, as...

The Pastor Who Tried To Kill Hitler: Bonhoeffer

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dietrich Bonhoeffer left the safety of American soil to oppose Hitler—at any cost. Eric Metaxas, the Ne...

When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi [TWIH Green Bay Wins First Superbowl]

16 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, during this week in 1967, the Green Bay Packers won the first NFL-AFL championship game (now called the Super...

Michael Powell’s Final Thoughts For His Father, General Colin Powell

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, a funeral service was held on Nov. 5, 2021, for General Colin Powell at the Washington National Cathedral in ...

Chef Boyardee: American Hero

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Chef “Hector” Boiardi was just 16 when he arrived at Ellis Island. What happens after his landing...

The Story Behind The Navy's Unofficial Motto: "Don't Give Up the Ship"

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, America’s Cup winner and entrepreneur Bill Koch tells the story of the intersection of America’s ...

The Story of a Saxophone Playing Sasquash Named...SAXSquatch

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, he was a sax player for one of the world's great touring bands, The Marcus King Band. But he was called to do...

The 1946 Escape from Alcatraz That Turned into a Battle With... Marines?

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy shares the story about an escape attempt in the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San...

The Great Emancipators: How The Civil War Openly Became About Slavery

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln is often referred to as "the Great Emancipator"... but that's not the entire truth. Our regul...

The Hairdresser Who Led Druglord/Dictator Manuel Noriega to God

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, she had no idea that her customer on that fateful day was the Panamanian dictator's daughter. Joe Garmen, fou...

When People Sent Their Children Through the Mail

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, taking an interesting twist on our “Rule of Law” series, Christopher Warren shares the history of...

Before There Was Rosa Parks There Was Elizabeth Jennings: The Story of America's First Freedom Rider

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Elizabeth Jennings refused to l...

The Patch and the Stream Where the American Fell: Finding POW Dave Dinan—Years After His Death in Vietnam 

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ed Sykes tells the remarkable story of his unbreakable bond with his compatriot Dave Dinan and the unrelentin...

The Green Beret That Other Green Berets Look Up To

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in six hours, Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez saved 8-plus men while enduring 7 major gunshot wounds, 28 shrapn...

The Story of Bad and Boring History Has Been Taught in Our Schools—and the Cure For It (w/ David McCullough)

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian David McCullough brings generational talent to those studying the wild realities of America's indep...

President Reagan's Greatest Speech You've Never Heard: His July 4 Speech in NY Harbor

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, just moments before the biggest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan spoke in front...

...My Love Could Kill Her—A Mother's Reflection on Her Kids (And A Baby Eagle)

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, ...and a reflection on the sparrow she tried to kill for tapping on her window. Our American Stories' regular...

John Moses Browning: The Mormon Inventor Whose Firearms Changed the World

10 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Moses Browning invented the mechanism used in virtually all modern pistols, created the most popular hun...

“Peeping Tom” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 14)

10 Jan 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...