Our American Stories
Episodes
How the USA Almost Went to War Over a Pig
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor, Anne Claire, tells the story of the time the United States almost went to war with t...
The American Surgeon Who Escaped the Viet Cong
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Hoat Hoang's childhood in South Vietnam was filled with family and fun times... Until the North Vietnamese co...
The Confederate Mystery Ship
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Confederates didn't have the industrial might to build their own ships. As a result, cash crops proved ki...
Shot Down Over Belgium, This American Pilot Joined the European Resistance Against the Nazis
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, being in the Army Air Corps in WWII was dangerous but necessary work, and Steve Snyder's father Howard faced ...
Reconnecting With My Absent Father Who Was Presumed Dead
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, meet Ron Brown, a man who grew up in a rough area of Chicago, was practically abandoned by his father, and wo...
The Fire of Genius: How Lincoln Overcame Poverty and Gained an Education
15 Jun 2023
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...
“Put A Sock In It” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 18)
15 Jun 2023
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 Whittaker Chambers Story: From Soviet Spy to American Cold War Hero
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the book Witness: A True Story of Soviet Spies in America and the Trial That Captivated the Nation is one o...
How a Hollywood Blockbuster Inspired America’s Most Famous Robbery and Shootout—in North Hollywood
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, often, art imitates life; this time, life imitated art. Two of America's most famous actors (Robert DeNiro an...
The Shocking History of PEZ Candy: Smoking Alternative for Adults?
14 Jun 2023
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 Unlikely WWII B-24 Combat Pilot-Hero
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, historian Stephen Ambrose tells us the unlikely World War II story of George McGovern, the antiwar Democratic...
He Bought A Sub Shop At 17… Jersey Mike’s Now Has Nearly 2,000 Locations!
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the backstory of Jersey Mike's Subs, with founder Peter Cancro and his remarkable journey. Support the show (...
"The Mechanical Horse": How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, from the modernization of medicine to the development of our country’s road systems, the bicycle has had a ...
A Media Titan Shares Stories of Mentors Who Impacted His Life
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Citadel Communications President and former ABC Board of Governors Director Ray Cole shares the stories of th...
Slavery Slayer: The Story of William Wilberforce
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the man who stirred the conscience of the world to see the evil of slavery was William Wilberforce. His effor...
The Race that Forever Sealed Secretariat's Legacy: The Story of the 1973 Belmont Stakes
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, no horse had won the Triple Crown in horse racing in a quarter of a century. Heading into the third race of t...
Brett Favre (Pt. 5 of 5): Playing in Green Bay, Rehab, and the Shocking Thing That Happed to Him Twice—Which Nobody Ever Knew!
12 Jun 2023
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...
"Hunky Dory" & "Hedge Your Bets" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 9)
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson, the author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Saying...
Bankrupt and Dying from Cancer, Ulysses S. Grant Waged His Greatest Battle
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, aided by Mark Twain, the former president and Civil War hero raced to complete a literary masterpiece that sa...
One Mother’s Escape From A Sudanese Death Sentence... to America
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from Mariam Ibrahim, who lives in Virginia. But the story begins far from there. S...
The Silver Rush Kings and the "Big Bonanza"
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, straight out of a Horatio Alger novel, the Silver Kings (John Mackay, James Fair, William O'Brien, and James ...
"How Old Would You Be If You Didn't Know How Old You Were?": The Life of Satchel Paige
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leauges Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, tells the story of per...
Wayne Gretzky Eulogizes His Father
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Walter Gretzky died at the age of 82. His death prompted an avalanche of tributes for a genuine, approachable...
A Black Cowboy is the Inspiration for the Lone Ranger?
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Lone Ranger, with his cry of “Hi-Ho Silver!” has become an American institution ranking with Paul Bun...
The Story of How One Bad Employee Harmed a Bank's Reputation (Told by the Ritz-Carlton Founder)
09 Jun 2023
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 in...
Bite the Bullet to Bless You: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson, the author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings...
The Greatest Tank Duel of World War II
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Nazi war machine was attacking St. Vith, Belgium to support their last-ditch offensive - The Battle of th...
Brett Favre on His Miraculous Monday Night Game after His Father Died (Pt. 3)
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, legendary NFL Quarterback Brett Favre gets very personal about his miraculous Monday Night Football game imme...
A 12-Year-Old Girl's 8-Hour Car Chase to Get Elvis's Photo at a Gas Station
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a listener from Colorado tells her remarkable Elvis story about the time she met the King not once, but twic...
The Superhero - An American Invention
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the comic book superhero is an American invention. Here to tell the story is WWII historian Jeffrey Johnson, ...
From Hangtime to Primetime
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 50s and 60s, the NBA was barely a professional league. Today it is a powerhouse worth billions. Here i...
How George Washington's Bible Survived 9/11: 100 Bible Verses That Made America
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, George Washington’s Bible was on loan to a famous Revolutionary War tavern just blocks from the World Trade...
How The City of Boston Embraced the Booth Brothers Following Lincoln’s Assassination
07 Jun 2023
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...
The Story of How Chick-fil-A Borrowed “My Pleasure” from a Luxury Hotel
07 Jun 2023
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’...
Big Nose Kate, More than Doc Holliday's Woman
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, she is remembered in history as Doc Holliday’s on-and-off girlfriend-turned wife. But Big Nose Kate was muc...
The “LA Speed Check”: A Story from a Pilot of the Fastest Plane in the World
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Major Shul with his legendary story known today as the “LA Speed Check.” Support the show (https...
The Marine-Turned-Saturday Morning Cartoonist: "My Calling from God is to be an Animator"
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story about Mike Joens, a Marine-turned-cartoon animator—and so much more. Support the show (ht...
The Story of Chuck Taylor, the Billy Graham of Basketball
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, he wasn't an NBA star: He was a sneaker salesman that helped popularize the sport of basketball, and the snea...
Did You Know Stalin’s Daughter Became an American Citizen?
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when 85-year-old Lana Peters died in a rural Wisconsin village in 2011, Americans learned that one of their f...
Adolph Coors: The German Immigrant Who Brought Us Banquet Beer
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Coors Banquet is really good...no, really good, and its story began with a German immigrant living in a Color...
"If You Act Like a Lady, Men Will Always Treat You As One:" Gold Rush Queen, Nellie Cashman
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, relatively few women went with the initial stampedes to new mineral discoveries throughout the American front...
The First Real Time Tragedy: The Sinking of the RMS Titanic
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in April of 1912, a ship that previously mattered very little to Guglielmo Marconi pulled up to a crowd of th...
The B-25 In My Dad's Backyard
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Wally Soplata tells the story of his eccentric union carpenter father who collected rare and vintage WWII air...
From Shackles to Salvation: The Story of The Slave Who Founded The First Black Baptist Church in America
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Woody Holton of the University of South Carolina tells the story about David George, a man who would escape h...
From Idi Amin's Uganda to America: One Man's Journey of Faith and Joy
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, this is a story of how faith propelled Dr. Dennis Sempebwa from war-torn Uganda to America... and beyond. Sup...
The Government Wouldn't Let Her Sell Her House for Over a Decade - So She Fought Back
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Story of Paula Smith, who Challenged North Carolina's Unconstitutional Map Act - with help from the Insti...
A Short History of the Big Apple
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Writer Bill Bryk briefly recounts how New York City became the city it is today, as well as his love for its ...
Ralph Cox: Last Guy Cut from 1980 U.S. Olympic "Miracle" Hockey Team
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Cox is a former college hockey star who was squeezed out of arguably the greatest moment in sports hist...
The Man From Independence: The Harry S. Truman Story
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Doug Richardson of the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site in Independence, Missouri shares the story of h...
The White Baseball Team Fought for Equality Before Jackie Robinson Hit the Majors
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Chris Soriano tells the story of a baseball team formed out of a religious commune in Benton Harbor, Michigan...
Andrew Jackson’s Cursing Parrot
01 Jun 2023
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...
An Aussie Discovers an American Delicacy - Buffalo Wings
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Colin Bettles, an Australian exchange student visiting a restaurant in Buffalo, discovered the passion of h...
When People Sent Their Children Through the Mail
31 May 2023
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 the U.S...
James King's Story: A Case of Mistaken Identity and a Long Road to Justice
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in this "Rule of Law" Story, James King and his lawyer Patrick Jaicomo from the Institute for Justice tell th...
Sunk at Pearl Harbor: The Story of the U.S.S. Utah and Oklahoma, and the Men Aboard who Died
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of two ships sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Support the show (https://ww...
The Short, Happy Life of Abraham Lincoln: His Final Days
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, after the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was able to begin to live and heal with his wife. At his last cabinet me...
The Origins of America's Religious Liberty... Birthed in Queens, NYC
31 May 2023
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
31 May 2023
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, to create th...
A Former German Soldier... Who Helped Build America's Arsenal of Democracy in WWII
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of one man's grandfather who fought for Germany in World War I, and helped America to victory in Wo...
The Story of Speaker of the House Carl Albert: The Watergate Democrat Who Put the Nation and the Constitution Above His Party
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Carl Albert served courageously in World War II... but he had already decided, in high school, to ultimately ...
How Did this Vegas Hotel Executive Use His Power to Serve His Employees and Customers? (Mike Leven)
30 May 2023
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...
Brett Favre on Aging, Humility and Faith (Pt. 4)
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Brett Favre reflects on familial love, sudden loss, and the importance of every day and opportunity. Support ...
The Founding Fathers Said, No Bible—No America: 100 Bible Verses That Made America
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, whatever their individual beliefs, all of America's founders studied the Bible. For many, it was their foremo...
Valley Forge: Cold, Hard Taining and the Key to America's Independence
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, bestselling authors Bob Drury and Tom Clavin are back with Valley Forge, the story of the Continental Army’...
William Lenard A Marine's Journey of Loss and Grief in Fallujah
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, William Lenard led Marines in combat - including in Fallujah. Hear stories of loss, of service... and even sp...
"Black Hawk Down" Letter: I Shall Not Fail Those With Whom I Serve
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a dramatic reading of a letter penned by a widow of the fatal Black Hawk Down Mission to her daughters. Suppo...
Remembering the Worst Naval Disaster In American History—A Story Featured in the Movie "Jaws"
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Shaw's "Quint" told the world about what happened to the USS Indianapolis in the hit movie "Jaws." The...
Killed on Independence Day
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Des Moines WHO listener Joy Neal Kidney, the recipient of our 2021 Great American Storyteller Award, tells th...
Why Memorial Day Matters to Me: The Story of the Uncle Lee Habeeb Never Met
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our host recounts his mother's memory of learning her brother, who would have been Lee's uncle, had died in t...
A Medal of Honor Recipient Through The Eyes of His Father
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti, father of Medal of Honor recipient Jared Monti, tells his son's story. Support the show (https://...
The Missionary Who Returned with Her Toddler to the Tribe That Killed Her Husband
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Elisabeth Elliot waited for a radio report from her husband and four other missionaries. The call never came,...
Nostalgia Awakens: The Star Wars Toy Empire Revolution (Part 2)
26 May 2023
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. ...
Belinda Mulrooney: The Richest, Toughest Woman of the Klondike Gold Rush
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, no woman figured more prominently on the Yukon and Alaskan frontiers than Belinda Mulrooney. She gained inter...
Nostalgia Awakens: The Star Wars Toy Empire Revolution (Part 1)
26 May 2023
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. ...
Porn to Reborn: Crissy's Story
25 May 2023
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 Story of the Brooklyn Bridge—The Eighth Wonder of The World
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, from engineering ambition to The Bends, fraud, and ultimately one of the most beautiful walks in New York, th...
How Spam and Chocolate Served American Troops Well in WWII
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of Spam and Hershey, and how those two companies fed the spirit and morale of Ame...
An Empty Nester Helps a Lonely Lost Senior In a Nursing Home Find His Purpose
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Wilber's lifetime companion, his wife, had died... 26 years ago. Wilber was 89, his farm and money long gone,...
The Highest-Ranking Female Marine and First Female Annapolis Graduate to be Killed in Action
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the word "hero" has been much misused in our present culture, but not when it comes to Megan McClung. You are...
“Propose a Toast” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 17)
24 May 2023
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 Behind FDR's Day of Infamy Speech
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, FDR's speechwriting team wasn't in Washington. Roosevelt, with the help...
Africatown: The Last Slave Ship To America and The Community It Created
24 May 2023
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...
A Young Officer's Wife Delivers His Heartbreaking Eulogy
23 May 2023
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...
Heroes of the Second World War: Reflections of a Tailgunner
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Harold E Nelson shares a poem he wrote about his experience as a tailgunner on a bomber crew in the US Army A...
The Turning Point in Abe's Life: A Wrestling Match
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln was very nearly without equal as he grappled with malcontents and men disrespectful of ladies...
Road Trips to Remember: An American Businessman's Night on the Town with a Chinese Communist Party Official
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a worldwide voyage leads to a chance encounter with a high-ranking communist - and, very nearly, to an extend...
The Town of Joplin was Destroyed by an EF-5 Tornado in 2011: This is Joplin's Story—a Story of Loss, Love, and Hope
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the media came and left with the wind after Joplin was struck by an EF-5 tornado. Our American Stories came b...
The Story of Superman vs. the Ku Klux Klan
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, how an undercover agent infiltrated the KKK and, with the help of Superman, exposed them to the world. Suppor...
How The Tow Truck Came To Be
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Nyle Vincent from the International Towing Museum shares with us the fascinating story of the tow truck. Supp...
When A Missouri County Decided to Become Their Own State
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1961, McDonald County, Missouri, found a unique way to protest its state government--seceding. Support the...
He Was A Black Man Man Who Hated Cops Until He Became One—On LA's Notorious Skid Row
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Deon Joseph transformed his thinking one time after another on his journey to serve and protect on Skid Row. ...
Have Pool Cue, Will Travel
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Mark O'Brian tells the story of St. Louie, Louie...one of the best pool players to ever grace the scene. Supp...
How a California Nonprofit Saved This Police Officer's Life
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, after several self-defense shootings and the death of his son, it took a nonprofit to keep officer Charles Sc...
I Didn't Want To Have Kids; Then I Met Officer Damon Gutzwiller
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, for National Police Week, Fabi Gutzwiller’s powerful eulogy to her husband, Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, who was ...
The Best Lawyer In a One-Lawyer Town
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk knows when to start a case on behalf of others... and has learned when to rest. Support the show (h...
The Civil War Solider Who Risked His Life to Give Water To His Enemies
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, listener Richard Hood takes us to the Battle of Fredericksburg and tells a story about compassion in the mids...
The Most Famous Abolitionist You Never Heard Of: The Story of Thomas Shipley
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Shipley always sprang into action to defend black men and women from abuses and professional kidnapper...
California Softens Criminality—Skid Row Officer Deon Responds with "Ladies Night"
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, resources could not match the Skid Row crisis of sexual violence and chronic abuse. Deon Joseph led the effor...
Auto CEO Guts Gulfstream And Flies Across The World To Deliver An Apology to Mercedes
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Auto CEO Roger Penske ripped the seats out of his private jet to give Mercedes Benz a personal apology becaus...
A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness and Friendship
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, it all went down in the city of Benton Harbor, Michigan, in 2006. Andrew Collins was a narcotics officer. Jam...