Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, on May 2, 1968, Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez voluntarily boarded a helicopter and flew into one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War to rescue a trapped Special Forces team. He endured dozens of wounds, saved at least eight lives, and refused to quit. Hear President Ronald Reagan's Medal of Honor presentation alongside Roy's own remarkable account of the...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ray "Bubba" Sorensen set out to thank America's veterans with a single painted rock outside a quarry in rural Iowa. More than two decades later, the Freedom Rocks have spread to all 99 Iowa counties, becoming places of remembrance, reflection, and healing for veterans and their families. Ray shares the remarkable stories behind the project and why honoring...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dennis Peterson's father built his own home, hated debt, and believed almost anything could be repaired, reused, or repurposed. Years of bricklaying alongside his dad taught Dennis that a "make do" attitude could save money, create lasting memories, and occasionally lead to spectacular close calls. Our American Stories listener and regular contributor...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Steve Trice spent years chasing success, often leaving home before sunrise and returning long after his children were asleep. Then one conversation with his wife forced him to face a hard truth: if nothing changed, he was going to lose the people he loved most. The founder of Jasco Products shares how stepping away from work helped him build something far m...

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Great Depression, a simple sewing accident turned into a month-long ordeal for Joy Neal Kidney's grandmother. A broken needle lodged in her hand led to multiple trips to the doctor, surgery, and weeks of recovery at a time when money was scarce, transportation was limited, and even getting medical care was a challenge.Joy Neal Kidney shares the s...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Winnie the Pooh became a Disney character, he was the creation of A.A. Milne, first brought to life in the Evening News on Christmas Eve, 1925. Inspired by his son, Christopher Robin, and a teddy bear named Edward, Milne wrote stories that blended the innocence of childhood with the timeless appeal of friendship. Illustrated by E.H. Shepard...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 25th episode of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, answers a simple question: When did the South become the South? The answer lies in the rise of King Cotton, the expansion of slavery, and the transformation of an entire region. As cotton made the South the wealthiest part of...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Nike became one of the world's most recognizable brands, it was a small company founded by a track coach and one of his former runners. Steve Bence was there. As a teammate of Steve Prefontaine at the University of Oregon, he learned from legendary coach Bill Bowerman, met Phil Knight before Nike became a household name, and watched the company grow...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the weeks after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, authorities hunted not only John Wilkes Booth but also anyone suspected of aiding him. Among the accused was Mary Surratt, a widowed boardinghouse owner in Washington. Investigators claimed her home was the meeting place where the plot to kill the president took shape. The evidence was thin, the public moo...

On this episode of Our American Stories, born to a teenage mother in one of Jacksonville's toughest neighborhoods, Denisha Allen spent much of her childhood moving between homes, failing in school, and believing she had no future. By the fifth grade, she had repeated third grade twice and was on the path toward becoming another dropout.Then a remarkable godmother, a scholarship to a small Christia...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Harvard became one of the world's most prestigious universities, it was founded with a very different purpose: to educate ministers and ensure that future generations could read, understand, and teach the Bible. Scripture shaped the school's earliest curriculum, its mission, and even its student handbook.As part of our ongoing 100 Bible Verses T...

On this episode of Our American Stories, what began as one boy's love of action figures grew into a career designing toys for some of the world's biggest brands, and eventually into the world's first museum dedicated entirely to action figures. Today, more than 13,000 figures fill the shelves, from superheroes and movie icons to historic military displays, each one telling a story of imagination a...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before John Marshall, the Supreme Court was still finding its place in the new American government. By the time he was done, it had the power to declare laws unconstitutional, and entrepreneurs had the legal framework they needed to help build a nation. Marshall's landmark decision in Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, forever changing the role...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tammy Harris always dreamed of making a living as an artist. After becoming a single mother, she traded that dream for factory work to support her daughter. Years later, she found her calling in an unlikely place: a tattoo shop.Today, Tammy and her husband run their business with one guiding principle: people come first. Whether it's talking young customers...

On this episode of Our American Stories, most Americans know Jackie Robinson as the man who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. Few know the story of Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers executive whose Christian faith convinced him that segregation in baseball was morally wrong and that he had a responsibility to do something about it.Inspired by Abraham Lincoln and the teachings of Chris...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before We Were Soldiers became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed Vietnam War films, Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and journalist Joseph Galloway refused to let anyone adapt their bestselling book. After years of watching Hollywood get the Vietnam War wrong, they had no interest in seeing their soldiers' story distorted once again.Writer and director Randall...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on July 4, 1986, moments before the largest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan gave a rousing speech from the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy in New York Harbor. Standing beneath the Statue of Liberty, he reminded the country and the world what freedom really means. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/d...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Declaration of Independence is one of the most famous documents ever written. Its words helped launch a revolution and have inspired independence movements around the world ever since.But the parchment signed in 1776 faded badly over time. By the early twentieth century, it was nearly impossible to reproduce clearly. The version most Americans recognize...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1790, George Washington answered a letter from the Hebrew congregation of Newport, Rhode Island. His reply carried words that still echo today: America would give "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance." It was a radical promise for its time, a vision of a nation where faith and government would remain separate and all people would be free...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the bald eagle has appeared on America's Great Seal, coins, flags, and official emblems for more than two centuries. But the bird's journey to becoming the nation's symbol was anything but straightforward. The Founding Fathers couldn't agree on a design for the Great Seal, and after the bald eagle was finally chosen, Americans spent generations hunting and...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, on the 150th anniversary of American independence, Calvin Coolidge delivered a Fourth of July address that went far beyond celebration. Speaking in Philadelphia, he argued that America's prosperity did not create its founding ideals, but that its founding ideals created America's prosperity.Coolidge warned that abandoning the principles of the Decl...

On this episode of Our American Stories, after leading the colonies to victory in the American Revolution, George Washington shocked the world by refusing to become king. Instead, he laid the foundation for the American presidency and helped define the future of our republic. Dr. Larry Arnn of Hillsdale College and bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick share the remarkable story. Support the show...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rick Monday's career spanned more than a decade in Major League Baseball, but one defining moment had nothing to do with a bat or a glove. In the spring of 1976, at Dodger Stadium, he intervened when protesters tried to set fire to the American flag in the middle of a game. His quick reaction, caught on camera, made him an unlikely national hero and turned...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late historian David McCullough explains why America's Founding Fathers cannot be understood as ordinary people living modern lives. Drawing on his deep study of figures like John and Abigail Adams, McCullough describes a world shaped by slow communication, constant risk, and immense personal responsibility. Decisions were made without instant news, qui...

On this episode of Our American Stories, at 14, Peter Cancro took a summer job making sandwiches at a tiny sub shop on the Jersey Shore. Three years later, when the business went up for sale, his mother asked a simple question: "Why don't you buy it?" At just 17 years old, Cancro borrowed the money, skipped high school classes to run the shop, and bet his future on a single sandwich store.Peter Ca...