Our American Stories
Episodes
Lincoln's Greatest Speech Americans Have Never Heard: Cooper Union
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Vince Benedetto, founder of Bold Gold Media Group, tells the story of the Cooper Union address-the greatest s...
The Fire of Genius: How Lincoln Overcame Poverty and Gained an Education
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lincoln was asked on a questionnaire to describe his education he only wrote one word: defective. That d...
Abraham Lincoln: Our First "Wired" President
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Christopher Klein with the story of how Abraham Lincoln used the telegraph to help win the Civil War...
Jack Poe on The Oklahoma City Bombing and 9/11
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, stories of survival and of loss echoed through communities and the world after the Oklahoma City bombing... a...
The Woman Who Snuck Into George Washington's Army
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Deborah Sampson became a hero of the American Revolution when she disguised herself as a man and joined the P...
The Story of How Railroads Created America's Time Zones
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, China runs on just a single time zone; in America, we have four: Pacific, Mountain, Central and Eastern, but ...
Meet The Foster Parent To Over 60 Children
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John DeGarmo has had over 60 foster children come through his home. Here he shares some of the joys and t...
What Is Spam? The Story of an American Meat Icon
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, author of The Book of Spam: A Most Glorious and Definitive Compendium of the World’s Favorite Canned Meat,...
Midnight at the Live Fire Exercise
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor Richard Muniz tells the story of an unforgettable accident at Ft. Irwin, California. ...
The Boys of Milo: Ted Godlove
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, remaining effective and calm under fire, from the undergrowth of the Vietnamese jungle to the rivers and skie...
This Log Cabin Led to the “Great Awakening”—Which Led to the American Revolution
17 Jul 2024
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 role that the Bible play...
The President Whose Greatness Came From His Restraint: The Story of President Calvin Coolidge
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, at 2:47 AM on August 3rd, 1923 Calvin Coolidge was administered the oath of office by his father in the light...
"All Hell Broke Loose" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 1)
17 Jul 2024
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...
How a Bad Christmas and Bad Parents Led Me Down a Bad Path
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of Carl Montgomery, a man who turned his life around after being part of a gang and spendin...
How The Pilsner Arrived, Survived, and Thrived in America
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Acitelli, author of "Pilsner: How The Beer of Kings Changed The World" tells the story of how an experime...
Abigail Adams and Her 7-Year-Old Son John Quincy Witnessed First-hand The Battle of Bunker Hill: 100 Bible Verses That Made America
16 Jul 2024
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 role that the Bible play...
The Story Behind the Story of the Lone Ranger
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty 'Hi-Yo Silver'... it's the story of the...
The Story of the Runaway Slave That Helped End the Fugitive Slave Act
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Fugitive Slave Act made all Americans accomplices in the practice of slavery. This story marks the beginn...
The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: More Americans Died in the Revolutionary War on this British Prison Ship Than in Combat
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert P. Watson, author of The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn, tells this untold story of the American Revolution....
The Father Whose Life Story Inspired the Son Who Wrote "Braveheart"
15 Jul 2024
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 Lincoln Assassination Conspirator Who Became The 1st Woman Ever Hanged By The U.S. Government
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, John Wilkes Booth did not act alone; eight people were eventually indicted as co-conspirators in Lincoln's mu...
The Story of Louis Armstrong
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Louis Armstrong was the founding father of jazz and one of this century's towering cultural figures who forev...
A Listener's Story: I Admit It, I Sew Quilts
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from a listener, Paul Bauer—a regular contributor out of the Great White North, ...
To Mow or Not to Mow: The History of Lawn Care
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy tells the story of how lawn care came to be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories...
The Story of How Star Wars Toys Revolutionized Movie Merchandising (Part 2)
12 Jul 2024
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. ...
Eli Whitney and His Fake Interchangeable Gun Parts Demo (Ashley Hlebinsky)
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Apple founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone to the public in 2007, he used multiple iPhones. If o...
“Knock on Wood" & "Kick the Bucket” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 11)
11 Jul 2024
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 Man Who Witnessed the Assassination of Abe Lincoln
11 Jul 2024
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...
Stephen Ambrose on 1942: The Doolittle Raid and Midway
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Stephen Ambrose telling the story of America’s payback for Pearl Harbor—Jimmy Doolittle’s raid...
Black Sam Bellamy: The Story of the Richest Pirate in History
11 Jul 2024
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...
Captain John Smith: American Hero
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, many people know John Smith as the man who was saved by Pocahontas. What you may not know is that he led a li...
Couple Adopts 7 Siblings Separated Throughout 4 Foster Homes
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of how one childless married couple of 13 years became a family of 9, literally overnight. Support ...
The Story of How Chick-fil-A Borrowed “My Pleasure” from a Luxury Hotel
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” catchphrase began in 2001. Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy’...
Brett Favre on Humility, Aging, and Faith (Pt. 4 of 5)
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, much of what’s known about legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been kept between the goal posts. So G...
The MLB Pitcher Who Survived a Lightning Strike and Finished the Game
10 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ray Caldwell put on a Cleveland Indian uniform for the first time—and none of the 20,000 fans at League Par...
Are Professional Wrestlers Athletes?
09 Jul 2024
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 guaranteed tha...
The Power of Encouraging Words To Save a Life
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, even though the working-class African-American community around Eric often couldn’t read or write, they cou...
The Story of an Escaped Slave Who Hijacked a Confederate Ship and Sailed it to Freedom
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s The History Guy with the story of Robert Smalls, an escaped slave-turned Civil War legend. Support t...
How Elvis Was Coaxed Into Recording a Christmas Album—As Told By a Man Who Was There
09 Jul 2024
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...
Valley Forge: Cold-Hard Training and the Key to America’s Independence
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, bestselling authors Bob Drury and Tom Clavin share the story of the Continental Army’s six-month transforma...
The Story of the White Union Commander of the All-Black Civil War Regiment—Made Famous by the Movie Glory
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw's life was permanently altered when he read Uncle Tom's Cabin, and he would soon ...
The Story of The Last Slave Ship To America
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the recently enslaved people on the last, law-defying slave ship to arrive in America would build their own t...
Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of the Legendary Scam Artist
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Ponzi may not have invented the Ponzi Scheme, but he certainly lent his name to it. Here to tell the ...
“He Was Closer To Death Than We Knew”
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, an Our American Stories listener, Stephen Rusiniak, tells the story of his brother’s close encounter with d...
She Was Carrying A Secret—Her Addiction to Alcohol— And Recovered By Charting Her Own Path
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, people worldwide have found sobriety through the AA program - but Roseanne Forte relied on faith and found a ...
President Reagan's Greatest Speech You've Never Heard: His July 4 Speech in NY Harbor
05 Jul 2024
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...
JFK’s 1962 Fourth of July Speech
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, during some of the most tense moments of the Cold War, President Kennedy on July 4th 1962 visited Independenc...
David McCullough: The Founding Fathers Were Not Like Us?
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, renowned historian David McCullough answers the question - about a most extraordinary group of men at a most ...
Pyromaniac's Paradise: Summer Adventures Running a Fireworks Tent
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Joel Wegener and his wife have 10 kids, and because he worked in education, they had to find ways during the ...
Calvin Coolidge on the Real Heart of American Government
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, In 1926, President Calvin Coolidge exhorted Americans to remember and rekindle the moral source o...
Independence Day, 1907
05 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of how Sherd and Laura Goff, and all ten of their children who survived into...
Ryan Stewart: Overcoming Addiction by Letting Others Help Me
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ryan Stewart struggled with addiction for a majority of his life, and it was only through the help of others ...
Gerald Ford, Willis Ward, & the Michigan-Georgia Tech Football Game of 1934
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Gerald Ford, an often-overlooked president, made a significant impact on civil rights. That story began while...
Billy The Kid: The Story Behind the Legend and the Myth
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1870s, the American West was a refuge for outcasts as the nation recovered from the Civil War. In fact...
From Mafia to Ministry
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Borelli wanted to be a gangster when he grew up. Thanks to the persistent faith of others across his m...
Lesson Learned: Clean Hog Manure Off Boots Before Going to School
03 Jul 2024
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 ti...
How Did Daisy Golf Balls End Up on the Moon?
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, although never publicly stated (the brands of anything brought to the moon were kept quiet), there is a good ...
He Created The Largest Museum In The World For...Small Electrical Appliances
03 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, from toasters to waffle irons to coffee pots, Richard Larrimore of Diamond, Missouri has a penchant for all t...
Swift Boat Vietnam Vet with a "Life Changing" Family Secret
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Oliver Halle shares stories from service in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and also about his family, who r...
Grant's Greatest Battle
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Louis Picone tells the story of how Grant's Memoirs came to be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstor...
His Mother Worked Miracles During the Holocaust
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Judah Samet tells the harrowing story of how he and his family managed to survive the Holocaust. Sup...
“Peeping Tom” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 14)
02 Jul 2024
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...
Hollywood's Golden Era Movie Star Had It All, But Left It All To Fight In WWII
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, he starred in “The Mark of Zorro” and many other movies, but his greatest role—at the height of his act...
The Turning Point in Abe’s Life: A Wrestling Match
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Lincoln is one of the greatest leaders in US history, but prior to his being elected the 16th President of th...
From Disgrace to Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, during his lifetime, John Newton’s story was renowned as one of the most sensational, sinful, spiritual, an...
From Porn to Reborn: Crissy's Story
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2006, Crissy Moran—who was, at the time, one of the biggest porn stars in the world—fled the industry....
The Bible: The Best-Selling Book of All Time
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, let’s take a listen to The History Guy as he tells the history of the Bible. Support the show (https://www....
"Back to Square One" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 3)
28 Jun 2024
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...
Ida B. Wells: Fighter for the Civil Rights of Blacks to Own Arms
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, born into slavery during the Civil War, Ida B. Wells is best remembered as an American journalist who fought ...
Asbestos: The Story of The Mineral That Used to Be In Everything
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, today we know asbestos to be a health hazard. But the natural mineral was not simply an artifact of the indus...
Andrew Jackson’s Cursing Parrot
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, history professor Mark Cheathem tells us why Andrew Jackson’s pet parrot had to be removed from his funeral...
Ilene Hall Joined the Army to Find Her Husband in the Middle of WWII
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Ilene Hall enlisted in the Army WAC in 1943, she was following her husband, Edward “Ken” Hall to war...
234 Marines vs. 10,000 Chinese Communists: The Last Stand of Fox Company
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the Fall of 1950 it looked as though the Korean War would be over. But shortly after General Douglas MacAr...
The Atomic Marine
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz tells the story of Toby Madrid and his experience of partaking in the testing of an atomic bomb...
The Story of the Pilot Who Fell from an SR-71 Blackbird—the Fastest Plane in History
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1966, an SR-71 "Blackbird" disintegrated at 78,000 feet. The pilot's first thought was "No one could live ...
The Story of Bing Crosby and David Bowie's "Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth"
26 Jun 2024
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 crooner Bing Cro...
Empathy is Not Optional: The Story of Mike Leven's Brutal Law Professor
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. One of the great hoteliers of a...
How a Fake Doctor Ran Carnival Sideshows, Saved Thousands of American Infants, and Changed Medical History
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Martin Couney carried a secret with him, but the results are unimpeachable. It was Coney Island in the ea...
Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America
26 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in his biography on George Armstrong Custer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, T.J. Stiles, casts surprising new...
The Story of Justice Scalia: From His Immigrant Roots to the Highest Court in the Land (Pt. 1)
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, author James Rosen tells the story of Antonin Scalia's unlikely but inevitable rise to the U.S. Supreme Court...
One Cop's Take on Mental Illness, Homelessness, and Crime
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph shares vivid, compelling stories of one constant struggle for police, and for...
The Hollywood Star That Left the Silver Screen to Become a Real-Life Spy in WWII
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story is about the man who played Captain McCluskey in “The Godfather,’’ the crooked cop who b...
The Great Vowel Shift and the Making of Modern English
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, “The Great Vowel Shift” was the single greatest change in the history of the English language that has no...
A Change in Seasons: Caring for Her Father the Way he Once Cared for Her
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Debra Freeberg joins us with an abridged version of the beautiful and heartwarming story she wrote about cari...
How Spam and Chocolate Moved American Troops in WWII
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the amazing story of Spam, Hershey, and how those two companies fed the spirit and morale of American G.I.s o...
How An Unlikely Alliance Between Thomas Jefferson and Christian Fundamentalists Brought About Religious Freedom
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, religious persecution had become the norm by the time of the American Revolution. It took the unorthodox Thom...
A Nephew Remembers His What His Vietnam Vet Uncle Couldn't Forget
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Michael Williams remembers his best friend and uncle (who was 1 year older than him) Dan Reeves—a "gun guy"...
Did Lizzie Borden Get Away With Murder?
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the brutal double-murder that happened in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892 has long been considered an unsol...
Sports Were Taken Away From Him in High School... So He Became a Coach
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Herzog tells how sports raised him from a heavy-handed home, constant fighting, and the complex cultu...
The Untold Story Charles Lindbergh
21 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Lindbergh got his start performing in aerial circuses—and as a glorified mailman. He also made the ...
How Elvis Invented Las Vegas
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Zoglin tells the story of how the "King of Rock & Roll" reinvented the Las Vegas show into what i...
1945 Empire State Building B-25 Crash
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in July 1945, a U.S. B-25 Mitchell got lost in heavy fog over Manhattan. Here’s The History Guy remembering...
The Story of America: Our Manifest Destiny
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 26th episode of our Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story...
"Separate, but Equal": The Story of Supreme Injustice
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1896, a case was brought before the Supreme Court that would solidify segregation for over five and a half...
Receiving Wylie: A High Risk Pregnancy Story
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Karla Duerson shares the story of what it was like being pregnant with and giving birth to her daughter Wylie...
Arm Wrestling: A Professional Sport
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dustin Tomlinson tells the story of how he discovered arm wrestling and decided to take his skill off of the ...
Ronald Reagan's D-Day Speech
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Young Army Rangers scaled Normandy cliffs under rifle fire and grenade blasts. Why did they do it? Hear Presi...
Final Thoughts: Cheering on My Dad's Life of Service
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, listener Russel Bitcon presents the eulogy he delivered for his father. Support the show (https://www.ouramer...
100 Bible Verses That Changed America: The Most Famous Prayer of The American Revolution
19 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, fear, and determination, filled the room as delegates to the first Continental Congress besought God for a sp...
The Amazon Army: Women Who Fought For Better Working Conditions
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, hear the story of American immigrants - men and women - who helped haul up standards of decent work from dark...