Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Estel Myers joined the military after an argument with his father and found himself on the frontlines of the Phillipines—and captured by the Japanese. His children tell the story of the man they knew after the war...and why they consider him their hero.

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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 generations. Then came playwright Arthur Miller, who made off with the story, or at least his version of it. Since 1953, The Crucible has become the culturally-accepted storyline that has come to define American Puritans and the city of Salem itself. Dr. Stephen Nichols is president of Reformation Bible College, chief academic officer for Ligonier Ministries. He’s here to tell the story of the Puritans and the Salem Witch Trials.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Iowa listener Joy Neal Kidney's church took in refugees from war torn Bosnia, her family took it upon themselves to provide one of the families in the group with their first American Thanksgiving.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—both Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan who is the author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from African musical craftsmanship to the American South - and to the sounds of every animal in Minecraft - the story of the Kazoo will amaze you. Sarah Barnwell from the Kazoobie Kazoo Factory shares the story behind the kazoo, one of the few American-made instruments.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross tells the stories about the lessons in ethics that changed his life.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our series with music legend Pat Boone goes off the rails into his Heavy Metal classics. It appeared to many, at first, that the Christian and American music stalwart was no longer straight-laced - though there were still laces. Lots of laces.

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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, Nike was an underdog then - took a bet on him. But the turning point came when they zeroed in on a fledgling director - Spike Lee. The rest is history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Milton Nadler probably accumulated more stories by the time he was 30 than most people do in a lifetime. Here's Milt telling his extraordinary story of fighting against Hitler's army as a Jewish man in an American uniform. 

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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.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 32nd episode of our Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of how Lincoln's assassination derailed the rebirth of a more free and radically different nation—and explains why his successor wasn't up to the massive job at hand.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Leuliette began his career at Ford Motor Company under the leadership of Lee Iacocca and Henry Ford II. He got more than he bargained for... and was thankful for it.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Ric Mixter of Lake Fury tells the story of the historic 1913 storm on the Great Lakes

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Burt Young is an immediately recognizable character actor whose half-muttered voice and flinty gaze made him the perfect fit for "Rocky" as Sylvester Stallone's ill-mannered brother-in-law, Paulie. Here’s Burt Young with his story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the Civil War soldier, William Scott, fell asleep at his post, at the time a transgression punishable by execution. What happened next changed military history.

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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 Amendment.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, where would our photos go if our house were to be hit by a tornado? The answer is everywhere. But for Thad Beeler's neighbors, that question wasn't a hypothetical...it was grounded in harsh reality after the deadly May 2011 Joplin Tornado...and Thad decided to do something about it.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, we’ve all heard of gunslingers “Wild” Bill Hickok, Doc Holliday, and Billy The Kid. These quick-draw legends had nothing on Bob Munden.

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

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Thanksgiving used to be one of many days—"If you planned your itinerary carefully, you could have a good Thanksgiving dinner every day between Election Day and Christmas Day." That all changed when a songwriter worked long and hard to crystallize American culture as distinct from that of Britain - including by a new official holiday in the midst of the Civil War.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Donald Sturm tells his story of growing up during The Great Depression without knowing it because of the powerful influence of his parents...here's his remarkable story.

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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. The book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story is about a Founding Father who wrote the most famous seven words in American history: “We the People of the United States.” Professor of political science at Syracuse, Dennis C. Rasmussen is also the author of The Constitution's Penman: Gouverneur Morris and the Creation of America's Basic Charter—he is also a Jack Miller Center Fellow.

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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 all time—a legend in his business. He is also what you would call a “wise man.” Here’s Mike with a story about how he learned to put his customers in charge.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, 400 million pounds of cranberries are consumed by Americans each year. Twenty percent of that is during the week of Thanksgiving. That's 80 million pounds! And 5,062,500 gallons of jellied cranberry sauce are consumed by Americans every holiday season. Here’s the History Guy to share the story of the Great Cranberry Scare of 1959.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Jimmy Neary was an Irish immigrant who boarded a ship to America in the 1950s and went on to open a namesake restaurant in Manhattan that has for more than a half century been a famed canteen in the heart of New York City. Here to tell his story is Jimmy’s daughter, Una.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, all in all, it is estimated that around 800 Jews were saved by Corrie ten Boom and her family. Hear Corrie tell her story!

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers the Birkenhead Disaster and explains where the protocol "women and children first" was first used.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Thanksgiving is the only American holiday that has actually remained relatively innocent—it’s not something that we have been able to commercialize. But there’s something going on here more than feasting, family, and football. Robert Tracy McKenzie is a professor of history at Wheaton College and is the author of The First Thanksgiving. He’s here to tell us the story of this quintessentially American holiday.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, George Washington led America's army to independence. He needed help to avoid leading it into our first civil war.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, popular social media influencer and mother Tiffany Jenkins talks about her secret to being a mother.... (hint: it's not what you post on social media!)

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On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of how two country boys rose to the highest heights of Harvard Yard, yet their lives would have two dramatically different fates. Here to tell the story Andrew Porwancher. He is a professor at Arizona State University and is also a Jack Miller Center Fellow.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Peter Braxton brings an eye-opening perspective on service to America in war-torn skies.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, one of the most successful blackjack teams in America is made up entirely of Christians. Here to tell the story are two of the winningest players, Colin Jones, founder of BlackJackApprenticeship.com. And the player dubbed “the most notorious card counter in America,” David Drury.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Larry Spencer tells the story of being one of the first POWs of the Vietnam war and surviving until war's end in both "The Zoo" prison and in the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti drives his son Jared's truck, an act which inspired the hit country song "I Drive Your Truck" by Lee Brice...but the story is much more than that of a song. Here's the story of Jared Monti, a true hero who died in service of our country trying to save a fellow soldier in the mountains of Afghanistan.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in the late 1960s, Karl Marlantes was presented with a choice. Serve in a war that he saw as unjust, desert to Algeria or Sweden, or stay at Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship and hide behind that privilege as his high school friends fought and died in the jungle of Vietnam. Marlantes chose to serve. But why?

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Vince Benedetto delivers the awe-inspiring story of our first president.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney shares her uncle, Donald Wilson's, war story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as big freighters go, she was bigger than most with a crew and captain well-seasoned...but on November 10th, 1975, she and her 29-man crew were sent to the bottom of Lake Superior. Ric Mixter of Lake Fury tells the story.

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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 all time—a legend in his business. He is also what you would call a “wise man.” Here’s Mike with a story about what he learned from an uncaring college law professor.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Annie Oakley was a shooting star. In her personal life she was a sharpshooter as well. She was devoted to her marriage and to her faith. It’s no wonder that Annie Oakley inspired scores of books and movies and the Broadway musical Annie Get Your Gun.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Adam Jortner, the author of A Promised Land: Jewish Patriots, the American Revolution, and the Birth of Religious Freedom, sits down with Lee Habeeb to discuss the vital role Jews played in the fight for religious freedom in the formative years of the United States. 

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On this episode of Our American Stories, we are about to hear the untold story of Hollywood legend Steve McQueen told by a McQueen expert, Marshall Terrill. Steve McQueen died this day in history in 1980.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Ralphie’s fantasy encounter with Black Bart in A Christmas Story leads one to believe that Black Bart was some desperado. In the 1870′s there was a dime novel that was loosely based on the true story. A Christmas Story author Jean Shepherd read this novel as a kid and included Ralphie’s reincarnation of Black Bart as a desperado. But Black Bart’s real story is far more fantastical than Ralphie’s imagination. Here to tell the story of America’s most successful and eccentric stagecoach robber is one of America’s greatest Old West storytellers, Roger McGrath.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—both Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan, who is the author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Douglas was the greatest debater of his day. Lincoln was an unknown trial lawyer from Illinois. Allen Guelzo tells the story of how the days-long debates between them would lead Lincoln to the Presidency and make America what it is today. Allen is the author of Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America. A special thanks to the Bill of Rights Institute for allowing us to use this audio, originally part of their Scholar Talks series.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the team broke hearts and left its city under the cover of night in moving vans - but the memory of the Baltimore Colts, and legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas, burns bright in the hearts of its fans.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Matt Parker, a comedian and mathematician from Australia, tells the story of the time Michael Larson surprisingly beat the game show, Press Your Luck, and gives a look into why computers can’t be random.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Gatling hoped that the tremendous power of his new Civil War weapon would discourage large-scale battles and show the folly of war. Here to tell the story is Ashley Hlebinsky.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after the fall of the Philippines, over 70,000 Americans and Filipinos were taken captive by Japanese forces on the Bataan Peninsula. The death rate of these POWs was well over 30 percent. By contrast, the allies' POWs endured a death rate of three percent. Here to tell his harrowing story of surviving Japanese military savagery is Dr. Lester Tenney, author of My Hitch In Hell. A special thanks to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans for allowing us to use this audio.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1966, an SR-71 "Blackbird" disintegrated at 78,000 feet. The pilot's first thought was "No one could live through what just happened". Therefore, I must be dead."

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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 the story of an extreme case of mistaken identity that led them down a long road to achieve justice.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers the 16th President’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. Because of his father, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Todd's life has been largely forgotten—but it deserves to be remembered.

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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 to President Richard Nixon. This was the last interview Chuck Colson granted before passing at 80 years of age in 2012.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on June 6, 1944, FDR delivered a prayer to the nation at 9:57PM ET. It would last 6 minutes long and be heard by over 100 million Americans—and millions more in Europe. Written with help from his daughter and his daughter's husband, it was the largest mass prayer in American (and world) history.

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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.

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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 have forgotten the woman who had become a sensation during the Cold War. The History Guy recalls the extraordinary life of the woman whose defection to the United States represented a seminal moment in history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Donna’s daughter, Cassie, was diagnosed with Chronic Paranoid Schizophrenia as a teenager, their daily jobs became more difficult. So they dropped everything and opened a resale shop.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Heather McPherson became the Curator of History at the South Carolina Military Museum. Hear her inspiring reason for her career.ReplyReply allForward

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On this episode of Our American Stories, sometimes it's the principle of the thing. When you experience fraud, you can "wine" about it - or you can get the grapes of wrath involved.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the story is Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist, Scott Shane. Shane is the author of "Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland."

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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 of her dying husband were the best 7 months of her life.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Harford, author of the bestselling book 50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy, shares the stories of three inventions that changed the way we live today.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, many Americans have heard of the famous Navajo Code Talkers who used their traditional language to transmit secret Allied messages in the Pacific Theater of combat during World War II. Our next story is told to us by one of these Marines. Peter MacDonald is the President at Navajo Code Talkers Association.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the director was a renegade filmmaker who'd never made a profitable picture. The producer was hired because he could stay below 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.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Elisabeth Elliot was a missionary who returned to Ecuador with her toddler daughter to preach the Gospel to the Indian tribe that had killed her husband. Here's Elisabeth Elliot to tell us her story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Bennett was a master salesman and businessman who helped, along with John Moses Browning, create the iconic American firearms brand Winchester.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, a former high-powered media executive shares the story of how the 37-year horse racing Triple Crown drought broken in 2015 brought back a flood of memories of Sundays at the track with his Dad.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, “Wild Bill" Donovan was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals—the man President Franklin Roosevelt made his top spy in World War II. “Wild” Bill was the director of the Office of Strategic Services (the country’s first national intelligence agency). He is known as the founding father of both the CIA and the military's Special Operations Forces—along with being credited as the father of psychological and cyber warfare. Here to tell the story is Douglas Waller. He is the author of the bestseller, Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, King Solomon was a gravedigger who may have saved the town of Lexington during the Cholera epidemic of 1833. Kentucky journalist Sam Terry tells the story of the man they called “King Solomon.”

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the brutal double-murder that happened in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892 has long been considered an unsolved mystery. Cara Robertson, author of the The Trial Of Lizzie Borden, tells the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the origin of this conflict flowed from a deceptively simple question—a riddle of sorts that a Catholic monk named Martin Luther wrestled with for years. The question he asked himself was this: Am I a good person? Here to tell the story is Eric Metaxas, bestselling author of Martin Luther.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin is in a glass coffin...but so is an American man along the shores of Lake Michigan. Chris Siriano tells this curious story about the coffin, the man inside of it, and the harebrained scheme to steal his diamond necklace.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Halloween expert Lisa Morton is going to be unpacking the history of the Halloween Haunted House, which is directly tied into today’s practice of Trick-or-Treating. Lisa is the author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween. By the turn of the 20th century, Halloween in America was nothing more than a day of pranking—kind of like April Fools' Day.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, with its classic “old country” theme, Cracker Barrel has been an American favorite for many decades. But many people don’t know that the decor you find on the walls and throughout the stores are all authentic pieces of American history.

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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 Twin Towers. It was his first day on the job. Not long after that, he flew multiple combat tours in the Middle East and then retired from the Air Force. Here’s Peter with the story about the phone call he received shortly after his retirement: "Do You Still Have Your Uniform?

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from Nosferatu and Dracula to Friday the 13th and Saw, Matt Castro brings us the full history of all your favorite horror films. Check out his YouTube channel for more.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Montgomery was one of the first movie stars to volunteer for service in World War II and when Dwight D. Eisenhower ran for the Presidency in 1952, Montgomery was his television coach. When General Eisenhower became President, Montgomery stayed on in his role as television advisor to become the first show-business professional to occupy an office in the White House. Here to tell another Hollywood Goes to War story is Roger McGrath.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2017, Rhode Islander Joe Jutras broke the record for the largest giant green squash ever grown- it came in at 2,118 lbs. Today Joe shares all that goes into growing these giant fruits.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, why do we participate in these strange celebrations every Halloween? Lesley Bannatyne is the author of Halloween: An American Holiday, An American History, and Lisa Morton is the author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from Nosferatu and Dracula to Friday the 13th and Saw, Matt Castro brings us the full history of all your favorite horror films. Check out his YouTube channel for more.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Westhead, former coach of the L.A. Lakers, shares his life story with Lee.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of America's first two responses to Pearl Harbor: The Doolittle Raids and the Battle of the Coral Sea.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, escaping the horrors of World War II in Croatia, Tony Maglica's flashlights are proudly made in America—and his dreams were too.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, uncover the true story of Alexander Hamilton, a man of brilliance, contradictions, and enduring influence on American history. Here to tell the story is Ron Chernow, author of Alexander Hamilton.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in a thrilling, moment-by-moment narrative based on a wealth of recently declassified documents and in-depth interviews, authors Bob Drury and Tom Clavin tell the remarkable story of the evacuation of Saigon in Last Men Out: The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam. This closing chapter of the war would become the largest-scale evacuation ever carried out, as improvised by a small unit of Marines. Bob Drury is here to tell the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, regular contributor Stephen Rusiniak has a special story written by his daughter. She shares how helping those in need can help bring a little perspective to our lives.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, territorial ambition as old as the ages gave us the complicated history of North Carolina and Tennessee. In fairness, the grass and trees are remarkably green on both sides. Hear deep insight into what matters to people, and the lengths to which leaders have gone to effect their designs.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, dueling was close to Andrew Jackson's heart. Here to tell us just how close is Keith Hardison, former director of Interpretation at The Hermitage in Nashville, TN - Jackson's home. Keith starts by explaining a code of honor that culminated from 1750 to 1850.

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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 Bunyan in the realms of folklore and legend. The History Guy remembers Bass Reeves, John Reynolds Hughes, and forgotten history of the Wild West.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Native Americans of the inhabitants of Manhattan served with George Washington at Valley Forge, and many battles besides. Hear stories of family, and of historic valor. Here is Craig Du Mez, president of the Grateful Nation Project.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, has your neighbor ever had a crazy idea? John Deere did. Let's dig right into it.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes from our regular contributor, Christopher Klein. Klein is the author of four books and is a frequent contributor to the History Channel. Here’s Christopher Klein with the story of when the American Irish invaded Canada.

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

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On this episode of Our American Stories, King Solomon was a gravedigger who may have saved the town of Lexington during the Cholera epidemic of 1833. Kentucky journalist Sam Terry tells the story of the man they called “King Solomon.”

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in Our 31st episode of The Story of America Series, Professor Bill McClay conveys in mercifully short order the brutal fight, and the haunting pronouncements, of the American Civil War.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, America's mascot has always been specific, and always evolving. The common themes are provision and a call to serve.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, s a part of its 100th anniversary celebration, Ford wanted a new supercar to showcase its heritage and future. Jon Elfner brings us this new Faerrari-slayer's story through the eyes of industry legends Neil Ressler, Scott Ahlman, and Mark McGowan.

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