Our American Stories
Episodes
Dennis Peterson: Makin' Do
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dennis Peterson's father had an interesting way of saving money. He called it 'Makin' Do'. Dennis tells the s...
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes: A Police Officer's Wife Delivers His Heartbreaking Eulogy
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dominique Rivera eulogizes her husband, Detective Jason Rivera, with raw emotion and compelling everyday deta...
Robert Redford's "Jeremiah Johnson”: The Real Story of a Hollywood Mountain Man
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the lore and legend of the American Mountain Man is a story that seems to only grow with time. In 2015, Leona...
The “LA Speed Check”: A Story from a Pilot of the Fastest Plane in the World
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Major Brian Shul with his legendary story known today as the “LA Speed Check.” Support the show ...
True Love Has No Limit: The Eulogy of Officer Jonathan Diller
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, "My husband died a hero, but he also lived as one." Stephanie Diller remembers her husband Jonathan as a conn...
General Colin Powell: The Story of the Man Behind the Stars
16 May 2024
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, the...
"High and Dry" & "Let the Cat Out of the Bag" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions
16 May 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...
I Didn't Want To Have Kids... Then I Met Police Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, for National Police Week, Favi Gutzwiller’s powerful eulogy to her husband who was killed in the line of du...
The 1913 Storm
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ric Mixter of Lake Fury tells the story of the historic 1913 storm on the Great Lakes. Support the show (http...
The Story of the American Japanese Who Fought Against the Japanese in WWII
15 May 2024
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 Mennonite Who Won the Tour de France
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Floyd Landis grew up in Farmersville, Pennsylvania, in a Mennonite family. Like the Amish, some Mennonites av...
How Samuel Clemens Headed West and Became Mark Twain
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Old West historian Roger McGrath is here to tell the story of a time before the world knew Samuel Clemons by ...
"It's Me or The Guest": How Pat Boone Stood Up For Henry Belafonte and Challenged Apartheid
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, hear major occasions to which Pat Boone rose, to do something more important than his television show, and pe...
The Story of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's American Descendants
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy unpacks the largely forgotten saga of the Bonapartes who came to America. The story illustrat...
Sgt. Richard Mendez Eulogy
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, hear the legacy of a Philadelphia police officer killed in the line of duty - a call to overcome fear and rem...
Abercrombie & Fitch: The Story Behind the Story of an Iconic American Brand
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Abercrombie and Fitch stores conquered malls in the late '90s and early '00s with gorgeous models, pulsing da...
The First Pilot At Ground Zero Recalls His First Jobs
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, on the morning of September 11, 2001, Peter Braxton was the first military pilot in the air over the burning ...
Why They Forgave the Drunk Driver Who Killed Their Daughter
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Laura Treppendahl’s life was one worth remembering. After she was killed in a drunk driving accident, Laura...
How VHS Beat Betamax
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Bill “Engineer Guy” Hammack telling the story of how Betamax was defeated by the VHS tape. Suppo...
Winston Churchill: He Hated War, But He Was Great At It
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, tells the story of how Winston Churchill, despite hating w...
Churchill: Walking With Destiny
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sir Andrew Roberts' landmark biography of Winston Churchill is a brilliant feat of storytelling that is enjoy...
Winter Prosapio "Curls" and Dennis Peterson "Mother's Crafting Hands"
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dennis Peterson of South Carolina shares the story of his crafty mother, and Winter Prosapio of Texas shares ...
Mother's Day Means More When You Don't Know If You'll See Her Again
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Scott Jones, the author of Growing Up Rural, shares the story of a boy named Leo and some special letters fr...
My Mother Had Me At 16: She's My Superhero
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener Alan Brown shares the story of him and his mother. Support the show (https://ww...
A Son Discovers His Deceased Mother's Hidden Talent
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Texas boys don’t write poetry, and certainly don’t cry. Roger Latham did, though, after discovering a poe...
The Eulogy Lee Never Gave For His Mother
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Lee Habeeb opens up about his mother's life and legacy in the patch of earth in Northern New Jersey she cared...
The Story of a Mother Who Destroys the Perfect Mom Myth
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, popular social media influencer and mother Tiffany Jenkins talks about her secret to being a mother....(hint:...
How Faith, Infidelity, and Forgiveness Grew a Family Not Once, but Twice
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in a 30-year span, a family confronts its sins twice and tells a story of role reversal and forgiveness. Supp...
Why It Took One Man 7 Years to Get His Car Back (From The Government)
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Elyia Somin tells the story of Timbs v. Indiana and the 7 year game of court pingpong it took for one man t...
Lightning in a Bottle: The Early Years of Coke
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, why were Coke bottles green? How do Delta Airlines and Coca-Cola relate? How did a syrup that was originally ...
A Dad's Gift to His Children with Down Syndrome: An Ice Cream Truck?
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Joel Wegener and his wife are blessed with 10 children, 2 of which were diagnosed with Down Syndrome. In his ...
The True Story Of The Invention of Crayola Crayons
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, from the bifocals to the cotton gin to the automobile to the iPhone, this country has produced creations that...
From Steel Town to Tinsel Town: The Life of Composer Henry Mancini
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, Henry Mancini is recognized as one of Hollywood's greatest composers, creating the 'Pink Panther Theme' and 'Moon River' from Breakfast at Tiff...
Caring For My Dying Husband Made Life Worth Living
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tracy Grant, the former managing editor at the Washington Post, shares the story of why the days taking care ...
ILLEGAL: Shooting Bunnies From A Motorboat
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Winter Prosapio dives into some of the strange laws we have....and why we have them. Support the show (https:...
The Story of Sergeant York: The Religious Pacifist Who Became One of America’s Greatest War Heroes
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sgt. Alvin York— the reluctant World War I infantryman who became an American legend—has stood as a symbo...
The Story of America: The Declaration of Cultural Independence
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 24th episode of our Story of America series with Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, Bill tells the s...
The Story of a Mob and the KKK vs. the Freedom Riders of 1961
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Kirk Higgins, the Senior Director of Content at the Bill of Rights Institute, tells the story of one of the m...
“On Skid Row” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 15)
07 May 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...
A Listener's Touching Story On His Father—and Jack Kerouac
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Kotz gives a touching tribute to his father. At a time when Paul needed a great deal of encouragement, h...
Rattlesnakes and Vinegar: A Journey to the General Store
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Cecil Wax grew up in a different age. Listen to his and his brother's journey into town which will transport ...
Cy Walter: The Art Tatum of Cocktail Pianists
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our storyteller's father was more than a virtuoso of the American Songbook. He was a circumspect, gentle, and...
The Short, Happy Life of Abraham Lincoln: His Final Days
06 May 2024
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 Religious Magna Carta of the New World
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Larry Reed tells the story of the Flushing Remonstrance, an all important document that helped inform the 1st...
Thomas Bennett: The Man Behind the Winchester Brand
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Bennett was a master salesman and businessman who helped, along with John Moses Browning, create the i...
A Former German Soldier...Who Helped Build America's Arsenal of Democracy In WWII
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Frohlich tells the story of his grandfather, a German-born immigrant who handled warhorses as a World ...
Satchel Paige: The Story of One of The Greatest Pitchers of All Time
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, tells the story of a man who became bigger than...
Batman Through the Years
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Batman is a household name. His list of comic issues, let alone live-action movies, animated films, and TV sh...
The Tone Deaf, Bad Poet Who Wrote The National Anthem
03 May 2024
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… but he di...
The Untold Story of a Civil War Cemetery
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Nancy Bro of the GAR Cemetery in Miami, Oklahoma shares the stories of the unique and colorful characters bur...
A Young Lady's Run-in with Frank Sinatra
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Colorado listener Patty Kingsbaker shares this "knock out" Frank Sinatra story. Support the show (https://www...
The South Vietnamese Pilot Who Stole a Plane to Save His Family
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Major Buang-Ly worked as a pilot with the United States military during the Vietnam War. When the US began ev...
Phillis Wheatley: The Enslaved Poet Who Met with George Washington
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Phillis Wheatley, the first published black poet, has the remarkable distinction of being invited to meet wit...
How Boston Embraced The Brothers of John Wilkes Booth Following Lincoln's Assassination
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, 26-year-old actor John Wilkes Booth was killed just 12 days after assassinating Abraham Lincoln. Here’s Chr...
"Bring Home the Bacon" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 5)
02 May 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 Surprising History of PEZ Candy
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, PEZ had great success where it was invented, but changed its course after initially failing in America. Shawn...
The Story of Why "The Wild, Wild West" Wasn't Actually Wild
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of our rule of law series, P.J. Hill, rancher and co-author of “The Not So Wild, Wild West: Propert...
Life Lessons From A Dairy Farm
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, listener and Contributor Katrina Hine shares a personal story from one of her first jobs out of high school, ...
America's Comeback: The Battle of Midway
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of the Battle of Midway, America's "make or break" moment in World War II. Suppor...
John Clem, Civil War Boy-Soldier
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the story of John Lincoln Clem—the youngest non-commissioned officer in Army history—is Kris...
The Man Who Rescued Over 10,000 Stranded Motorists
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Weller, also known as 'The San Diego Highwayman,' shares the story of why he dedicated his time to hel...
The Only Woman to be Awarded the Medal of Honor
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She was the only woma...
The First Real-Time Tragedy: The Sinking of the RMS Titanic
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, William Hazelgrove tells the story of one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century-the sinking of the RM...
My First Job: Being Groucho Marx's Assistant
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in college, Steve Stoliar’s dad wanted him to get a job, but Steve didn’t want to work at Taco Bell… so...
The 1926 Race to the South Pole
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers when explorers raced to go where no one had gone before, Amundsen, Byrd, and the fu...
"You're Getting Shot At"—The Story of My First Combat Mission in Afghanistan
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Peter Braxton brings an eye-opening perspective on service to America in war-torn skies. Support the show (ht...
He Broke His Father's Heart When He Reached The Highest Levels of Street Life—But Rescued It Through His Fall
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Brewel Curry tells us the story of how he was saved from gang culture just days before his father's death. ...
Chuck Colson’s (Watergate’s “Evil Genius”) Fall From the Center of Power into Prison... and His Redemption
29 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of Chuck Colson's Watergate fallout—told by Chuck himself, who served as Special Counsel ...
JFK’s 1962 Fourth of July Speech
29 Apr 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...
The Story of How Star Wars Toys Revolutionized Movie Merchandising (Part 1)
29 Apr 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. ...
John Adams and the Boston Massacre Trial: The Moment That Defined A Man And A Nation
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, what we are about to do now is precise. Instead of telling the all-encompassing story of John Adams, we are g...
Moral Injury: the Invisible Epidemic Affecting American Veterans
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General "Mook" Mukoyama volunteered and served in Korea and Vietnam. In 1986, he became the youngest Ge...
The Story of a Woman Who Found Her Long Lost (And Presumed Dead) Father Just Blocks From Her Home
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, it wasn't until Karen Olson's school was holding a father-daughter dance that the question entered her mind: ...
Indians, a Jew, and a Hotel Partnership
26 Apr 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...
50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy: The iPhone, Radar, and TV Dinners
26 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, did you know "radar" is actually an acronym? It stands for RAdio, Detection, And Ranging—created in 1940 by...
Hollywood's Golden Era Movie Star Had It All, But Left It All To Fight In WWII
25 Apr 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...
"Cat Got Your Tongue?" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions
25 Apr 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...
One of the Most Decorated Veterans of All Time: The Col. David Hackworth Story
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, General Mukoyama served as a company commander under Colonel David Hackworth in Vietnam. Hackworth was one of...
Benedict Arnold: Both the Greatest of Heroes and the Darkest of Villains
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, few stories are as compelling, as complex, or as mystifying as that of Benedict Arnold. After all, it is a st...
JJ's Story: From Homelessness to Helping Build and Design Home Furniture
25 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a story from our hometown, Oxford, Mississippi—and one that's near and dear to our hearts. J.J. Jones tell...
The Story of America: The Frenchman Who Wrote About America Better Than Any American
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 23rd episode of our ongoing 'Story of America' Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tell...
Dwayne “The Rock" Johnson's Eulogy to His Father
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson was a WWE Professional Wrestling Hall of Famer and the father of Dwayne 'The Rock' Jo...
My Hero-Father Needed No Star and No Cape
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a son's story about his father, from our regular listener/contributor Roger Latham, from Fort Worth, Texas. ...
Valerie Habeeb's Story: From Sexual Abuse to Salvation
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our host, Lee Habeeb, tells his wife's story. Decades after years of sexual abuse and crisis, Valerie leaned ...
The Story of The Horse Racing Buffalo: Harvey Wallbanger
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever seen a buffalo race horses and win? Harvey Wallbanger did—and on real race tracks against ...
As Watergate Separated Americans, This Speaker of The House United Them
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Carl Albert was known as the Little Giant from Little Dixie. He would rise to become the Speaker of the House...
Legendary Founder of The Ritz Carlton: My Employees Are My Closest Neighbor
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a legend and leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze has reshaped how service and hospitality are defined i...
The "Slap Shot" Story with Dave Hanson
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the choice of three then-minor league hockey players to play the Hanson Brothers in "Slap Shot" starring Paul...
How Nike Took A Bet On A College Basketball Player From North Carolina and Won
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, no one knew for sure just how great Michael Jordan would be in the NBA. One underdog sneaker company - yes, N...
The Story of the First Asian American To Control an Army Division
23 Apr 2024
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...
G-Man: The Life and Times of J. Edgar Hoover
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Beverly Gage, author of the new definitive biography on J. Edgar Hoover, "G-Man, J. Edgar Hoover and The Maki...
When "Neutral" America Occupied "Neutral" Iceland During WWII
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Iceland's strategic location made it difficult to remain neutral during World War II. Here’s the History Gu...
The Story of Alvin York: The Tennessee Farm Boy Who Went From Pacifist to One of America's Greatest War Heroes
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of Sgt. Alvin York is a celebrated chapter in American history. Though he tried to avoid war for re...
A Presidential-Sized Comeback: The Story of Ulysses S. Grant
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library tell the story about how Grant went fro...
The World's First Action Figure Museum
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em - you've just got to love them. Here is a story of a unique American dream - and unexpecte...
Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1898, the chemical element that glows in the dark was discovered. Years later, young women began working i...
What I Learned From A Dying Patient
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. E. Wesley Ely of Vanderbilt University Medical Center shares intensely meaningful experiences, spiritual ...
1776: The Antidote to Boring American History
19 Apr 2024
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...
The Woman Who Stood Up To George Washington
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Revolutionary War, Esther Reed decided the Patriot troops needed a morale boost. Reed, along with ...
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our storyteller is James Swanson, the NYT Bestseller of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer Supp...