Our American Stories

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. But the story of how he actually became the author we know and love is far from short and simple. Brian Jay Jones, author of  Becoming Dr. Seuss , is here with the full story of the man behind the pen name. Support the show ( htt...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Huff built a career in the nursing home and home healthcare industry. After 3 months of retirement, Bob decided to enter a new line of work… doggy daycare! Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during some of the tensest moments of the Cold War, President Kennedy on July 4th, 1962 visited Independence Hall to give a motivating speech highlighting the importance of democracy and free enterprise around the world. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.c...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Winchester name carries weight in American history, especially when it comes to rifles and repeating firearms. But brands are not built by products alone. They are built by people who understand how to grow them. Thomas Bennett worked alongside John Moses Browning during a defining period for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. His leadership helped...

On this episode of Our American Stories, there was a moment when the future of home entertainment was uncertain. VHS and Betamax were locked in a format war, and the VCR you bought determined which tapes you could play. VHS eventually became the dominant video cassette system, reshaping movie rentals, television recording, and 1980s pop culture. Engineer Guy Bill Hammack explains how VHS won the f...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became known worldwide as B.B. King, he was Riley B. King, a young musician working the radio circuit in Memphis. Over time, his blues style, marked by precise bends and expressive vibrato, influenced rock, jazz, and rhythm and blues artists alike. With his guitar Lucille in hand, B.B. King developed a tone and phrasing that set him apart from oth...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sophia and Deshaun Olds were married in 2004 but didn’t immediately think about starting a family. They were busy serving overseas and pursuing their education. That all changed when, after 13 years without children, they became a family of nine—literally overnight. Here they are with their story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstorie...

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you have ever ordered at Chick-fil-A, you know the reply almost by heart: “My pleasure.” But this chicken giant didn't come up with its famous catchphrase. The phrase traces back to a visit founder Truett Cathy made to the Ritz-Carlton, where he noticed how consistently employees used those same two words with guests. The language was part of...

On this episode of Our American Stories, more than half a century after Mary Poppins  premiered in 1964, it still sits near the top of the list of most beloved family films. But getting it made took years of persistence and a long fight over rights, creative control, and what the story should look like on screen. Our own Greg Hengler shares how  Mary Poppins  came to life and the fi...

On this episode of Our American Stories, some competitions end when the plates are cleared. This one kept going in the form of a nickname. Lindsey Gallant shares the story of being challenged to an eating contest at church and walking away with a legendary nickname, “The Stomach.” Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericansto...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Age of Discovery launched European exploration across the Atlantic, but Columbus’s motivations were more complicated than simple curiosity or greed. He wrote about prophecy, Christian expansion, and the belief that history was moving toward a final reckoning. George Grant, author of  The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti was able to keep and drive a meaningful memorial of his son, Jared, who was killed in action while defending his comrades. Those experiences later inspired the song “I Drive Your Truck,” recorded by country artist Lee Brice. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Malin Burnham, a San Diego business leader, shares his story of community development and philanthropy, including how he helped bring the  USS Midway  to San Diego and transform the retired aircraft carrier into the USS Midway Museum, now one of the city’s most visited landmarks and a lasting civic legacy. Support the show ( https://www.oura...

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time the United States sent troops to Iceland, the war in Europe was already reshaping the Atlantic. Iceland declared neutrality, but its location placed it squarely inside the expanding European theater of World War II. Control of sea lanes, supply routes, and air coverage made the island too important to ignore. The History Guy walks through the ti...

On this episode of Our American Stories, loving a team that loses year after year certainly has a way of shaping character, and in Oxford, Mississippi, Ole Miss football has never been a safe bet. For generations, being a Rebels fan has meant learning how to hope carefully, endure long seasons, and keep showing up even when winning feels distant. Our American Stories  listener Nancy Ball shar...

On this episode of Our American Stories, today, Herman Melville sits firmly within the canon of American literature. His novel Moby-Dick  is assigned in classrooms, quoted in essays, and ranked among the greatest classic novels of all time. But when  Moby-Dick  was first published in 1851, it was a massive commercial failure. Our own Greg Hengler and others share the story of a man...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Mississippi native Madysen Acey was ten years old, an electrical accident led to the loss of both her arms. In a single day, her life shifted from school and friends to surgery, rehabilitation, and learning how to function without hands. Madysen reflects on what it meant to grow up as a bilateral amputee and how that experience shaped her sense of iden...

On this episode of Our American Stories, ask ten people what Spam is, and you will hear ten different answers. Some think of canned meat on a grocery shelf. Others think of World War II rations or Spam in Hawaii. A few still wonder what the word actually means. Dustin Black, the author of  The Book of Spam , explains where Spam came from, how it got its name, and why this canned meat outlaste...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in an age of viral marketing campaigns and carefully crafted advertising strategies, one Texas business owner took a very direct approach. Mitch Felderhoff, co-owner of Muenster Milling in Muenster, Texas, decided to eat nothing but his company’s dog food for 30 days. The goal was simple: prove confidence in the product and create a publicity stunt pe...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1898, the mysterious explosion of the  USS Maine  in Havana Harbor lit a fuse that had already been burning for months. The ensuing Spanish–American War lasted only a few months, but its consequences still shape American foreign policy. American forces defeated Spain in Cuba and in the Philippines, ending centuries of Spanish colonial rul...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kent Nerburn, author of  Letters to My Son , set out on a road trip through Alaska as a young man—and found himself facing far more than he expected. As a snowstorm closed in, his group pushed past the last checkpoint and onto a narrow gravel road carved for the Alaska Pipeline, with no guardrails, no shelter, and miles of wilderness in ever...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s rise to become the King of Rock and Roll did not happen in isolation. Behind the scenes stood his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who helped guide the career of a young Elvis during the explosive years of 1950s rock and roll. Greg McDonald met Elvis Presley as a teenager shortly after Colonel Parker began managing him. What followed were...

On this episode of Our American Stories, snowboarding grew from a niche winter activity into a global sport within a single generation. At the center of that transformation stood Jake Burton Carpenter. As founder of Burton Snowboards, he played a central role in shaping the sport’s growth, guiding it from informal gatherings to professional events and eventually Olympic competition. Our own...

On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III once said that if George Washington truly resigned his commission and returned to his farm, he would be the greatest man in the world. Washington did exactly that. Washington’s decision echoed the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman farmer and general who left his plow to defend the Roman Republic and then gave up power just...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitutional Convention opened in 1787, the United States was less than a decade old and already struggling. The Articles of Confederation had created a loose union of states with a Congress that lacked the power to tax, enforce laws, or stabilize the economy. By 1787, many leaders believed the country could not continue as it was. The men who me...