Our American Stories

After Losing His Son and Taking Two Lives, This Officer Nearly Lost Himself

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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&rsqu...

Why Shirley Chisolm Reached a Man Who Built His Career on Racism

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures in twentieth-century American politics stood farther apart than Shirley Chisholm and George Walla...

Story of a Song: The Real Story Behind “My Sharona”

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

She Took In Her Husband’s Affair Baby as Her Own

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks lived through heartbreak, secrecy, infidelity, and family scandal, but her Catholic faith shaped ...

The Memphis Business Leader Who Puts Business Last

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kemmons Wilson Jr. grew up in one of America’s most successful business families after his father found...

Don’t Tread On Me: The Origins of the Gadsden Flag

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Bald Eagle became America’s national symbol, the rattlesnake represented the spirit of the A...

She Didn’t Want to Hold Her Nephew at First

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was initially hard for Joleen Lievaart to embrace her newborn nephew. After years of struggling with infer...

The Final Conversation Between NYPD Officer Jason Rivera and His Wife

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Last Slave Ship to America and the Town Its Survivors Built

15 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, more than 50 years after the United States outlawed the international slave trade, the schooner Clotilda...

Diego Moreno: The Police Officer Everyone Called When They Needed Backup

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Why Hollywood Cowboy Tim McCoy Went to War Twice

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

“I Didn’t Want Children… Then I Met Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller”

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Before Hollywood, Danny Trejo Was Behind Bars

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Danny Trejo became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, known for films like Machet...

How B.B. King’s Guitar “Lucille” Got Her Name

14 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 juk...

Why a Young Black Man Became a Cop on Skid Row

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Deon Joseph grew up believing police officers were the enemy. Influenced by personal experiences, the Rodney ...

“My Husband Died a Hero, but He Also Lived as One”

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

He Thought Johnny Cakes Were Named After Him

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Oakland Raiders Were So Bad Fans Created Fantasy Football

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Fantasy football is now a multibillion-dollar industry played by millions of Americans every year. But it beg...

How George Washington's Bible Survived 9/11

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 A...

Why a Restaurant Cook Became a Police Officer

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener Jeff Shaw never planned on becoming a police officer. After drifting throu...

“Fatty Fatty Two by Four” to NFL Legend: John Hannah's Story

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 his...

Patty Hearst: From Kidnapping Victim to Bank Robber?

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1974, Patty Hearst, granddaughter of publishing giant William Randolph Hearst, was kidnapped by the radica...

“We Got This”: A Daughter Remembers Sgt. Richard Mendez

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, during his nearly 23 years with the Philadelphia Police Department, Sgt. Richard Mendez served his city, earn...

How the War of 1812 Changed America Forever | Story of America Ep. 19

12 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Englan...

We Live Through History Without Even Realizing It

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Before Hollywood, Young Ronald Reagan Worked as a Sports Broadcaster

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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, Iow...

How Chevy Chase’s Gerald Ford Impression Changed a Presidency

11 May 2026

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...

How Harry S. Truman Went from Shirt Salesman to President

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 rura...

Why the Best Time in History to Be Alive Might Be Right Now

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Norb...

Women in WWII: Ilene Hall Enlisted to Follow Her Husband to War

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, women entered the military and workforce in record numbers, taking on roles once occupie...

Learning to Ride a Horse at 60

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. N...

The Story of America: How Thomas Jefferson Doubled the United States in 1803 [Ep. 18]

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the United States expanded westward, the young nation ended at the banks of the Mississippi River. Fra...

A Gold Star Father on Loss, Service, and His Son’s Legacy

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

My Family Spent 4 Months Playing Battleship in a Cornfield

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Plan Was Simple. The Road Trip Was Not

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, volunteering seemed simple enough. Then the plan fell apart. What started as a group effort quickly turned in...

Orson Welles and the Night “War of the Worlds” Terrified America

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1938, radio was the voice Americans trusted. News from Europe was growing more serious, and listeners reli...

Dan Fogelberg and the Father Behind “Leader of the Band”

07 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Da...

Why Tyrone Power Left Hollywood to Fight in World War II

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 li...

A Marine’s Final Conversation with His Father

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of the Legendary Scam Artist

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1900s, Charles Ponzi arrived in the United States chasing opportunity but struggling to find ste...

JC Newman and America’s Oldest Family-Owned Cigar Company

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Abraham Lincoln’s Son: The Forgotten Story of Robert Todd Lincoln

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Matthew Carey: The Irish Immigrant Who Shaped Early America

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

When Oregon Blew Up a Beached Whale With Dynamite

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Zoro the Drummer's Career Started With Nothing

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...

How George Lucas Made the First Star Wars Against the Odds

05 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1970s, science fiction films were a tough sell in Hollywood. George Lucas set out to make S...

Into the Vast Unknown: The First American Ascent of Mount Everest

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Broughton Coburn, author of The Vast Unknown, shares the story of the first American expedition to Mount...

Locks of Love: How One Mother Built a Hair Donation Nonprofit

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Rediscovering My Dad Cy Walter: The Art Tatum of Cocktail Pianists

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

What Happened When Buck O’Neil Missed the Hall of Fame by One Vote

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2021, former Negro Leagues baseball player Buck O'Neil was finally inducted into the National Baseball Hal...

Before Billy Graham, There Was Billy Sunday

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became evangelist Billy Sunday, William Ashley Sunday played professional baseball in the major lea...

Paul Revere’s Ride: The Poem That Made a Legend

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 to...

George Washington: The Definitive Story of America’s First President

01 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 dol...

The SR-71 Blackbird Disaster at 78,000 Feet: How One Pilot Fell from Space and Survived

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

From Wall Street Workaholic to Foster Care Reformer: Paul Blavin's Mission

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

The South Vietnamese Pilot Who Stole a Plane to Save His Family

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, as Saigon fell during Operation Frequent Wind and thousands tried to escape, one South Vietnamese pilot refus...

The Kindness of Strangers: A Group Home’s Night Out Ends With a Surprise

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Story of America: Marbury v. Madison and the Power of the Court [Ep. 17]

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 e...

Inside Atlanta’s Breman Museum: Jewish Life in the American South

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 commu...

From Homelessness to Handcrafted Furniture: J.J. Jones’ Story

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 wit...

Thomas Jefferson: Brilliant, Flawed, but Still Deeply American

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson stood at the center of the American founding, writing the Declaration of Independence and la...

The Inspiring Story of Anne Beiler, Founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 wo...

St. Louie Louie: The Rise and Fall of a Pool Hall Legend

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 S...

A Presidential-Sized Comeback: The Story of Ulysses S. Grant

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 n...

The Streets Were My Father: A Chicago Gang Member’s Road to Redemption

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Big Nose Kate, and the Untold Story of the West’s Most Misunderstood Lady

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 lif...

Burger King vs. Burger King: The Lawsuit That Changed Fast Food Forever

28 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ma...

The True Story of How Curious George Escaped the Nazis

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Curious George became one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature, his creators ...

What the “Quiet Cowboy” Taught Me About Silent Service

27 Apr 2026

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 Goat Man: How Ches McCartney Traveled America to Lead People to God

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

What Would Happen If You Gave a Homeless Man $100,000?

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, on a city street in California, a man who had nothing discovered something unimaginable: a briefcase filled w...

Who Was the Oldest Man at D-Day? The Untold Story of Theodore Roosevelt Jr.

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 privi...

Who Invented the Barcode and How It Changed the World

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 19...

The Story of America: The Most Divided Election in American History [Ep. 16]

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 be...

The True Story of Eric Liddell: Faith, Running, and Chariots of Fire

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire introduced many people to Eric Liddell, the Scottis...

Why the Lincoln-Douglas Debates Made Abraham Lincoln a National Figure—Despite Losing

24 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

Tom Golisano and Paychex: How Small Business Payroll Became Big Business

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Paychex, small businesses had limited options for handling payroll. Many owners managed it themselves,...

I Grew Up Detached from My Jewish History. Then I Went to Buchenwald

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 o...

Facing Hyman G. Rickover: Inside the Toughest Interview in the Navy

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

How a Simple Jam Session Became Rock’s Greatest Supergroup

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

How the Great Vowel Shift Created Modern English

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Why Texas Became a Country Before It Became a State

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Samson and the Jewish Roots of American Rebellion

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 fo...

Thomas Edison vs. Hiram Maxim: Who Invented the Lightbulb?

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

The Story Behind 10cc’s “I’m Not in Love”

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 agai...

Burt Young, the Actor Behind Paulie in Rocky, Tells His Story

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Forgiving My Worthless Father

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Day California Beat France at Its Own Game: The Judgment of Paris

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 assu...

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

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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

Robert E. Lee: America's Most Controversial General

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Sweetheart of American Snacks: The Little Debbie Story

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 recove...

The Neon Museum in Las Vegas: Inside the Signs That Built the Strip

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. Tu...

Jay Van Andel and the Family Lessons Behind the Amway Founder’s Success

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 h...

Balloonfest ’86: The World Record That Went Wrong

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in September 1986, Cleveland set out to break a world record with Balloonfest ’86, a mass balloon relea...

Joseph Warren: The Forgotten Patriot Who Fell at Bunker Hill

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Declaration of Independence was signed, Joseph Warren was already at the center of the resistance ...

The First Black Naval Aviator: Jesse Brown

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 Kore...

Anorexia Recovery, Faith, and the Road to Motherhood

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, eating disorder recovery rarely moves in a straight line, and Randi Wilson’s story makes that clear. Af...

The Story of America: Washington’s Final Message to a Divided Nation [Ep. 15]

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

He Believed His Father Was Dead Until One Phone Call

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 p...

She Made Sure No One Was Buried Without Honor

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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. ...