Our American Stories

Why Are Bananas So Cheap?

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you think of the quintessential American fruit, it would probably have to be the apple. But apples are not...

"Gung-ho & Cheesy Smile" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Every...

Alzheimer's Caregiver: “I Will Remember For The Both Of Us”

08 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Laura Sangster shares her love story between her and her husband. All was well until her husband, Fred, was d...

Stalin’s Daughter: American Citizen, Wisconsin Cheesehead?!

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 85-year-old Lana Peters passed away in 2011 from complications due to colon cancer, the nation seemed to...

The 46 Year-Long Journey to Finding My Sisters

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, years after finding out she was adopted, Traci Huguley discovered she was not the only child adopted out. She...

Abraham Lincoln: Our First "Wired" President

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, you’ve heard Christopher Klein tell the story of “How Johnny Carson Saved Twister” and how Mark Twain h...

From Hangtime to Primetime: The Rise of the NBA

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1950's and 60's the NBA could hardly be considered a professional sports league. Players held second j...

Me, My Dad, and the 37-Year Triple Crown Drought

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2020 Gary Ginsberg retired as the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Communications at SoftBank Grou...

A Father Wanted A Clean Hotel For His Family... So He Created Holiday Inn

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kemmons Wilson Jr. tells the story of how his father (Kemmons Wilson) created a hotel chain that established ...

The Improbable Story of How the Wright Brothers Changed World History

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, much was at stake in this first race to space. Nations and top scientists across the globe pursued the elusiv...

The Bad Employee Who Defined Her Bank (Told by Ritz-Carlton Founder)

06 Mar 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...

Truth Wins: The Story of Lance Armstrong’s Former Teammate, Tyler Hamilton

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, former Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton rocked the world of professional cycling—and exposed the doping...

Bankrupt and Dying from Cancer, Ulysses S. Grant Waged His Greatest Battle

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, you’ve heard Christopher Klein tell the story of “How Johnny Carson Saved Twister.” He’s back with an...

The Unlikely WWII B-24 Combat Pilot-Hero, George McGovern

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s historian extraordinaire Stephen Ambrose to tell us a very unlikely World War II story about George ...

The American Surgeon Who Escaped the Viet Cong

03 Mar 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...

“Put A Sock In It” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 18)

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Every...

Becoming Dr. Seuss: The Making of an American Imagination (born 1904)

03 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, from Green Eggs and Ham to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re all familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss. B...

How a Fake Doctor Ran Carnival Sideshows, Saved Thousands of Infants, and Changed Medical History

02 Mar 2023

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...

Severely Wounded Army Ranger Michael Schlitz Now Inspires Other Men

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Michael Schlitz was born in Milan, IL. He enlisted in March 1996 and s...

The Story of Charleston: The Way Life Used to Be, And Perhaps, Is Supposed to Be

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tommy Dew’s Walking Tour of Charleston, SC, has been praised and recommended by the likes of the Wall Stree...

A Black Man (Jesse Owens) and a Nazi: A Friendship Forged in Competition & Courage

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of United States’ Olympic legend Jesse Owens and Nazi long jumper Luz Long’s friendship demonst...

Patty Kingsbaker's Elvis Encounter

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Patty from Colorado not only has a great Elvis story, but she is very good at telling it! Support the show (h...

The Story of Asbestos

01 Mar 2023

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...

Mr. 60s: A Baby-Boomer’s Triumph

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Joe Quinn, a listener from West Virginia, with his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericans...

“In a Nutshell & In the Doghouse” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 10)

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Every...

Stephen Ambrose: 1941 and the Path to Pearl Harbor

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the great Stephen Ambrose tells the story of 1941—the year that would bring the United States into WWII aft...

Chuck Colson’s (Watergate’s “Evil Genius”) Fall From the Center of Power into Prison...

28 Feb 2023

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 t...

No Star, No Cape

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, regular listener/contributor Roger Latham, from Fort Worth, Texas, shares a story about his father. Support t...

The "Slap Shot" Story with Dave Hanson

28 Feb 2023

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...

Roller Skating in the House

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, long time listener Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of her childhood home...and roller skating in it. Support...

Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Johnny Cash is an American original. And this story is an insider’s look at the man whose music sprang from...

Aaron Marques and the Modern American Dream

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of a kid who picked onions for 12-14 hours a day and went on to found a company that would ...

Going Postal: How The USPS Came To Be

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the United States Postal Service was established in 1792. It’s hard to believe that a service that was crea...

Dick Erickson: My Surreal Encounter in Vietnam

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of Dick Erickson, a Marine helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam. Support the show (https://www.ou...

Stephen Ambrose on Lewis and Clark

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Ambrose shares some stories from his #1 New York Times bestseller, Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewi...

Gang Leader Turned Death Row Chaplain

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Earl Smith is an unlikely gangbanger-turned chaplain at America's largest death row prison in San Quentin, CA...

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

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lee Habeeb with the story behind the story of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Support the show (https://www.our...

The MiG and the B-50 Bomber

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the height of the Cold War a Russian MiG and an American weather plane meet over the North Pole. Richard M...

How an Escaped Slave Hijacked a Confederate Ship and Sailed it to Freedom

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s The History Guy with the tale of an escaped slave-turned Civil War legend named Robert Smalls. Suppo...

Lost and Found in Alaska

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kent Nerburn shares the story of a harrowing journey into Alaska, and the lessons he learned along the way. S...

James Maguire on Ed Sullivan and the Ed Sullivan Show

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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

The Patch and the Stream Where The American Fell

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the remarkable story of an unbreakable brotherhood and one man's quest to return the remains of his fellow pi...

There's No Smell Like Home

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Randall Haley shares how the scents from So Delta Candle Company helped alleviate some of her homesickness. S...

The Woman Who Saved the Lewis and Clark Expedition

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College tells the story of Sacagawea, who was absolutely essential to the survi...

Community Before Self: Malin Burnham

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Malin Burnham has made San Diego his home, and one of the best places to work and play in America as well...b...

A Father's Note To Him "Timeless" Daughter Who Functions at a Toddler Level

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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

When Shooting Weddings and Shooting Storms Collide

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Olbinski is an Arizona based photographer. He takes family photos, shoots weddings and also... chases st...

Moonshine Runners and the Birth of NASCAR

22 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before NASCAR’s rampant commercialism lurks a distant history of dark secrets that have been carefully...

James Madison: The Lawgiver

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, tells the story of our fourth President. Support the show (ht...

America’s First Real Life Superhero: George Washington

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, former Air Force Captain and Air Force OSI Special Agent Vince Benedetto shares his story of going to a schoo...

George Washington At Princeton and Trenton

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Aristotle says that the highest thing we can see is beauty and that it involves moral acts, and acts of coura...

Sean Pronger: That Day I Was Gretzky’s Hungover Linemate

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sean Pronger always dreamed of being and playing with Wayne Gretzky. Find out what happens when his dream... ...

Ilene Hall Joined the Army to Search for Her Husband During WWII

20 Feb 2023

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...

The Intimidator: Dale Earnhardt's Life In The Fast Lane

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when one thinks of basketball, they might think of Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, and when one thinks of footba...

How The NBA Got to NBC

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1989 the NBA signed a $600 million contract with NBC to have the network air their games for four years. I...

After 50 Years of Silence, Korean War Pilot Shares His Top-Secret Mission

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, between the Korean and the Vietnam Wars, U.S. Navy Captain Royce Williams flew over 220 missions. The followi...

The Salem Witch Trials and the American Puritans

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, historical truths often emerge with time. Early on, a hush descended over 1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials for ge...

Robert Redford's "Jeremiah Johnson”: The Real Story of a Hollywood Mountain Man

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the lore and legend of the American Mountain Man is a story that only seems to grow with time. In 2015, Leona...

Leonard Vs. Pepsico Inc: The Time A Kid Sued Pepsi for A Harrier Jet

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, we learn about the law school classic Leonard v. PepsiCo Inc., which helps kids navigate the curious world of...

Bearing Witness: One Black Troop's Trip to Buchenwald

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rona Simmons, author of The Other Veterans Of World War II, Stories from Behind the Front Lines, tells the st...

Lavagirl: Why She Quit Childhood Acting

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, actress Taylor Dooley shares the story of when she played the role of Lavagirl at the age of 13. More than 15...

The Vincent van Gogh of Acting? HINT: He Played "Fredo"

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, it’s a well-known bit of movie trivia that all 5 films in which actor John Cazale appeared were nominated f...

My Life After Firefighting

16 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, James, a retired fire captain, shares his story of firefighting and the emotions that come along with it.  S...

From Steel Town to Tinsel Town: The Life of Composer Henry Mancini

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, today, Henry Mancini is recognized as one of Hollywood's greatest composers, creating the 'Pink Panther Theme...

Selling Her "RedHead" Wine to Walmart

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, we met Marisa Sergi at Walmart's "Open Call," where she pitched her RedHead Wine that is now in over 150 Walm...

The Secret History of Valentine's Day

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Valentine’s Day began as a feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr. So, how...

South Carolina's Revolutionary Heroine

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the story of Dicey Langston...an America...

The Car Repair Shop That's Changing Lives: Higher Power Garage

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Gideon was just a gear head who loved working on cars and restoring classics (something he thought he co...

The Secret History of Valentine's Day

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Valentine’s Day began as a feast to celebrate the decapitation of a third-century Christian martyr. So, how...

Life Lessons From A Dairy Farm

14 Feb 2023

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...

Lincoln's Greatest Speech Americans Have Never Heard: Cooper Union

14 Feb 2023

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...

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

14 Feb 2023

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. Sup...

Robert Todd Lincoln: In His Father's Shadow

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers the 16th President’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. Because of his father, Abraham Lin...

Love and Sacrifice: The Navy’s "Jackie Robinson" (Told by Granddaughter)

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of America's first Black Naval Aviator, Jesse Leroy Brown. There's a movie dedicated to him...

“Soft and Weak” Americans Try Stopping Nazis in 1943

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story from Stephen Ambrose begins in early 1943—America's first battle during the Second World War...

A Town After a Tornado

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, listener Paul Kotz shares about his service trip to Mayfield, Kentucky several months after a tornado devasta...

The Interrupted Odyssey of Ulysses S. Grant and Ely Parker

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Mary Stockwell, author of Interrupted Odyssey: Ulysses S. Grant  and the American Indians, tells the sto...

The Men Who Built the Most Expensive and Most Powerful Gun

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, for a time, a near-mint Colt Walker held the distinction of being the most expensive gun ever sold after it w...

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

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Every...

Snowflake Bentley (born on This Day in History 1865)

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Jerry Bergman’s here to tell us the story of a teenage boy who became interested in snow. On January 15...

Donald Wilson Humble Hero

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney Shares her Uncle Donald Wilson's war story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories....

"Wild Bill" Donovan, America’s Top Spymaster

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, “Wild Bill" Donovan was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals—the man President Frankli...

A Surprise Gift for a Widowed Husband

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom and Lillian Lyons married in 1946. They lived a long and loving life raising a family on the south side o...

A Brief History of Toilet Paper

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, how ironic it is that we’ve recently seen how a product that is disposable to be the product that is most i...

John Ford: Hollywood Goes to War

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Ford was arguably Hollywood’s greatest director. As WWII began, the 47-year-old Ford was at the top of...

Why She Chose to Celebrate Her Pregnancy With a 50% Chance of Survival

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lex Ginger was told from a young age that she probably would never be able to have children. So, she was extr...

The Angels of Bataan

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Clare tells the story of a nurse who served in the Philippines during World War II, and shares the exper...

The Henry Steinway Story

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Henry Steinway's story is about resiliency and the search for freedom. Support the show (https://www.ourameri...

Why Does Fighting Exist in Hockey?

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, as mysterious as it is sacred, the Code is an unwritten set of rules—the bible of hockey sportsmanship, if ...

Aaron Burr, The Opportunistic Patriot

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk tells the story of America's first practical politician, Aaron Burr, in a tale of skill, bravery, h...

"Dark Horse & Dead Ringer" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Every...

The Story of Chuck Taylor, the Billy Graham of Basketball

07 Feb 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...

America's Cowboy: The Story of Will Rogers

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Will Rogers' famous quotes ring as true today as they did in the Great Depression. "Congress opens with a pra...

My 48 Hours with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, while working for Dick Cavett, Steve Stoliar met not one but two of Hollywood’s greatest dance legends. Sup...

Virginia Hall: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, meet the woman the Gestapo once considered "the most dangerous of all Allied spies." Judy Pearson tells the t...

Ugandan Street Kid to American Foster Dad

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Peter Mutabazi was born on the border of Uganda and Rwanda. He escaped an abusive father by running away to t...

Trapped Inside a Tube: The Iron Lung Story

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Daryn Glassbrook of the Mobile Medical Museum tells the story of the iron lung, a device used to keep people ...

The Bible: The Best-Selling Book of All Time

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, take a listen to The History Guy as he tells the history of the Bible. Support the show (https://www.ourameri...

Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

03 Feb 2023

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...

The Atomic Marine

03 Feb 2023

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...