Overview
2313 Episodes
On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor Jeff Bloodworth tells the story of John McCormack, who rose from humble beginnings in South Boston to become a masterful legislator and the first Catholic Speaker of the House. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, when a stadium full of excited sports fans pressed downhill against inadequate crowd control, tragedy struck in an instant. Michael Brin—a player on the field that day and now an emergency physician—shares his harrowing story of the infamous University of Wisconsin stampede and its aftermath. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Marovich, a writer for the Journal of Gospel Music, shares the story of Thomas A. Dorsey and how the tragic loss of his wife and newborn child in 1932 led him to write the gospel classic "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"—a hymn that would later become a favorite of Martin Luther King Jr. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Theodore Schwartz, a neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine and best-selling author of Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, shares how he approaches the difficult task of delivering bad news to patients with terminal and late-stage brain cancer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in part three of our five-part series, Brett Favre gets very personal about his miraculous Monday Night Football game, which occurred immediately after his father’s passing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, we all have a Billy Graham story—Ruth Graham, Billy's daughter, shares hers in the touching eulogy she gave at her father's funeral as part of our ongoing Final Thoughts series. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, today, the Super Bowl is the most-watched event on television—between 90 and 110 million people tune in to the "big game" each year. Americans consume 1.45 billion chicken wings (enough to circle the Earth three times), eat 28 million slices of pizza, and drink 325 million gallons of beer on this unofficial holiday. But it wasn’t always this way. Dennis Deninger, author of The Football Game That Changed America, tells the story of how the Super Bowl as we know it came to be—from nothing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Latin is the dead language of the Romans—but to David P. Hardy, it was exactly what inner-city kids needed to thrive in school and become good citizens. Here's David with the story of how he founded Boys' Latin—and fell in love with being an educator in the worst neighborhood Philadelphia had to offer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She is the only woman in U.S. history to receive the Medal of Honor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library share the story of how Ulysses S. Grant went from selling firewood on a street corner to leading the U.S. Army to victory in the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor David Babcock shares his inspiring and quirky story of how he earned a Guinness World Record for knitting the longest scarf while running a marathon. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, from bifocals and the cotton gin to the automobile and the iPhone, America has a long history of inventions that changed the world. But not every invention was born from necessity—some were created simply for fun. In this episode, author Natascha Biebow joins us to share the colorful true story of Edwin Binney, the inventor of Crayola crayons, as told in her children's book The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells the story of his life—from growing up in the tumult of the ’60s, to finding God, and ultimately making peace with his family Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Caleb Bailey's father wanted nothing more than to be a firefighter. But just 10 days after Caleb was born, his father died in the line of duty while responding to a structure fire at a pet food factory in Los Angeles in 1998, leaving behind a young wife and two sons. It was the first line-of-duty fatality the L.A. Fire Department had seen in decades. Here's Caleb with his family’s story of hope and redemption after such a devastating loss. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, "White Christmas" and "God Bless America" are both standards of American popular music, and both were written by an immigrant. An astonishing fact—but more astonishing is that they were written by the same man: Irving Berlin. Here to tell Berlin’s story is bestselling author Laurence Bergreen, who wrote the definitive biography As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General James Mukoyama rose from his blue-collar Chicago neighborhood to become the first Asian American to command a U.S. Army division. General “Mook” is the author of Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader. Here he is with the story of the Japanese Americans who fought for the United States in WWII. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, the river town of Hannibal, Missouri, spared Mark Twain from nothing, exposing him to poverty, death, racism, and the need to make decisions for himself. Here's Richard Garey, a Mark Twain aficionado, with the story of this all-important town. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, OAS listener from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the spellbinding story of his grandfather, "Paw" Summers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, many countries have mascots. Canada has Johnny Canuck, Israel has Srulik, the U.K. has John Bull—and the United States has Uncle Sam. But how did he come to be? It turns out it wasn’t the work of an intrepid cartoonist or a government initiative, but barrels full of meat during the War of 1812 that gave the USA its persona. Here’s the story of everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the man in red, white, and blue. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, for the longest time, the NBA was a financially unstable, mostly regional, and hard-to-sell property—at one point, they were nearly forced off of CBS. But thanks to business-savvy individuals like David Stern, the NBA became a money-making machine. The question was: would CBS re-up with them or cut them loose? David Stern decided to draw a hard line. Pete Croatto, author of From Hang Time to Prime Time, tells the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, working remotely meant she could live remotely, too... so Emma decided to buy a sailboat and go to Florida. Here she is to explain why she made the unorthodox decision to set her sights on the high seas. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in July 1945, a U.S. B-25 Mitchell bomber got lost in heavy fog over Manhattan. Here’s The History Guy with the forgotten—and astonishing—story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, “Smokin’” Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder and the founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Company. He’s best known for creating the world’s hottest chili peppers—the Carolina Reaper and now Pepper X—as recognized by Guinness World Records. A former addict, Ed is now a man of strong faith. Here’s Ed sharing a story about him and his wife. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp.—one of the great hoteliers of all time and a legend in his business. He’s also what you might call a “wise man.” Here’s Mike telling the story of how he—a Jew—helped start the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler—and others—tell the splinter-free story of the toilet and its many accessories. You're going to want to be sitting down for this one! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. His book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 18 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sgt. William H. Carney became the first Black American to earn the Medal of Honor after protecting one of the United States' greatest symbols during the Civil War—the American flag. Here to tell the story is Elliott Drago, historian and editorial officer at the Jack Miller Center. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Braveheart continues to capture the hearts of moviegoers around the world. The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won five. Writer/director Randall Wallace (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, The Man in the Iron Mask, Heaven Is for Real, Pearl Harbor, and more) shares the story of his journey that began in rural Tennessee—and led him to become one of the bravest men in Hollywood. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Fugitive Slave Act made all Americans accomplices in the practice of slavery. Here's the story of how its end began. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Tony Dolan, President Ronald Reagan's chief speechwriter and a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, pays tribute to America's fallen soldiers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in a big and memorable way, P.T. Barnum changed how all Americans lived. He gave them something to talk about—and dream about. Our movies, television, and entertainment-saturated culture are what they are today because of what he started. He seems almost like a fable now—but then again, he did in his own time as well. Here to tell the story is Kathy Maher, Executive Director of the P.T. Barnum Museum. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, for most of his life, James Armistead Lafayette was known simply as James—not Lafayette. That last name came later, and from none other than the Marquis de Lafayette of the American Revolution. But why would an enslaved man take the last name of a French military officer? Here's Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute with the story of one of America's most important, underappreciated, and little-known spies during the American Revolution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler tells the story of a worship band on a mission trip to Thailand—where an impromptu gig at a brothel led to one of the most recognizable songs in Contemporary Christian Music. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks exhibited strength and conviction throughout her life, but it all started with an affair, a stolen baby, and her Catholic Faith. Here's Mary's son, Sparky, to recount his mother's tale—and the story of his family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, The 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, was dominated by Mark Spitz, a Jewish American swimmer who won seven gold medals for the United States. It was also the Olympics where Palestinian terrorists massacred 11 Israeli athletes. This incident was televised across America and prompted President Nixon to establish plans to avert terrorism in the United States. Here's the story of the attacks, Israel's response to them, and the world's reaction. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Faith and sports go hand in hand. Quarterbacks quote Bible verses in interviews, star players host team Bible studies, and a last-ditch attempt to win a game is called a “Hail Mary.” But it isn’t just the players who are indebted to faith—sometimes, the sports themselves are. Paul Putz, author of The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports, shares the unusual origin story of basketball: a game initially designed to bring people to Christ that took on a life of its own. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, sergeant Bob Alaniz, formerly of the LAPD and the cop who helped catch the infamous “Night Stalker,” explains how our two coasts developed entirely different styles of police work. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Titanic was a marvel of her time—883 feet long, 175 feet tall, and over 52,000 tons. She stood at the cutting edge of naval architecture and symbolized British national pride. Technologically advanced, she carried a Marconi wireless set for near-instant ship-to-shore communication, run by two young "computer nerds" of their day. Their job? Send passengers’ personal messages to land. But on the night of April 14, 1912, that changed. They were suddenly tasked with something unimaginable: trying to save over 2,000 lives in the middle of the North Atlantic. William Hazelgrove, author of One Hundred and Sixty Minutes: The Race to Save the Titanic, tells the story of the Titanic’s sinking through the eyes of the men behind the wireless. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, President Calvin Coolidge strongly encouraged Americans to remember and rekindle the moral foundation behind 150 years of freedom and prosperity. Here's Vince Benedetto and Coolidge interpreter Tracy Messer with the story of an Independence Day speech for the ages. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, it may be hard to believe today, but Catholics faced widespread discrimination and persecution in colonial America. Many future states barred Catholics from holding office—some even went so far as to ban Catholics altogether. Yet Charles Carroll defied the odds. He became one of the wealthiest men in America, helped secure American independence, and became not only the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence, but also the only Catholic to sign the document. Dr. Bradley J. Birzer, author of American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll, shares the story of this overlooked and underappreciated Founding Father. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ritz-Carlton founder Horst Schulze reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business. Here's Horst with a short story on how great service wins, excellence prevails, and bad service can ruin a business. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Lee Marvin made a name for himself as a Hollywood "tough guy"—starring in films such as The Professionals, The Dirty Dozen, and The Killers. He was initially typecast in imposing roles, but Marvin's tough character wasn't just a product of the silver screen. He was, fundamentally, a Marine—taking part in over 21 assaults on Japanese-held islands in the Pacific and receiving the Purple Heart, Navy Commendation Medal, and a Presidential Unit Citation for his service to his country. Here to tell Lee's story, as part of our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, is Roger McGrath. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 31st episode of the Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of the nadir of our nation's worst man-made disaster—and takes us through to its somber conclusion at a courthouse in Virginia.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet, but no one man did either. Critically acclaimed biographer and author of The Innovators, Walter Issacson, shares how the internet came to be with his audience at a book talk at the U.S. Library of Congress.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Winston Churchill earned his reputation on the battlefield long before he became the man who led Britain through the darkest days of World War II. He dodged bullets, willingly put himself in harm’s way time and again, and even escaped from a prison camp far from British shores. Churchill understood the brutal realities of war—and he despised it. Churchill scholar and Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn tells the story of how that hard-won understanding shaped Britain’s stand against Nazi tyranny. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson is America’s “everyman” because he has been embraced at one time or another by nearly everyone. Historian and acclaimed author of American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, Joseph E. Ellis, shared the story of Jefferson’s journey through American history at the U.S. Library of Congress. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz, our regular contributor from Colorado, shares the story of a coffee incident aboard the USS Enterprise. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, Benjamin Franklin was a printer, an inventor, a politician, and an all-around Renaissance man—but did he believe in God? Dr. D.G. Hart, author of Benjamin Franklin: Cultural Protestant, alongside Dr. Thomas Kidd, courtesy of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, tells the story of this remarkably complicated man—and why he may have also invented the most common form of religiosity in the Western world today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Harrier jet might be the pride of the U.S. Marine Corps, but in the 1990s, it became the crux of one of the most bizarre lawsuits in American history. What had started as a joke in an ad turned into a serious battle over fine print. Journalist Sean Kernan shares the wild story of John Leonard vs. Pepsi—and explains why the court's findings still matter today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025
On this episode of Our American Stories, in honor of Coppola's birthday, we tell the story of how The Godfather came to be—against all odds. At the time, Coppola was just a renegade filmmaker who had never made a profitable picture. The producer was hired because he could stay under budget. The star had a reputation for being difficult. A formula for disaster? No—the makings of one of the greatest films of all time. Here to tell the story is Harlan Lebo, author of The Godfather Legacy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025
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