Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Michael Lella shares the incredible true story of his father, Pino Lella—a teenage hero of the Italian resistance during World War II who helped Jews escape Nazi-occupied Italy and later infiltrated the German High Command. We'd like to thank FEE.org for turning us onto this story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in just a few centuries, the lawn went from being a status symbol for kings and nobles to a hallmark of the American Dream—and eventually, to something many of us barely think about, aside from when it’s time to mow. The History Guy tells the story of how lawn care came to be. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Suppor...

On this episode of Our American Stories, George Bryan pays tribute to his older brother, John Bryan, a business leader who ran the Sara Lee Corporation and played a key role in creating Chicago’s Millennium Park. 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, Saje Hellstern was the fastest runner on his cross-country team and consistently finished near the top. After doctors discovered a tumor in his brain, he endured over a year of radiation and chemotherapy. But that didn’t stop him from running—or finishing his races. Here to share Saje’s story is his stepfather, Roger — a regular...

On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of our "This Week in History" series, we tell the story of an immigrant whose name you probably know—but whose story you likely don't. Levi Strauss left Germany in 1847 in pursuit of the American Dream—and stitched that dream into a pair of blue jeans that changed American culture and fashion forever. Lynn Downey, the official historian...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mitch Felderhoff, co-owner of Muenster Milling in Muenster, Texas, decided to put his mouth where his money is eating nothing but dog food for 30 days to raise awareness for his brand. It worked. Here's Mitch with the story of his wild PR stunt. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.c...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen shares the story behind his “Freedom Rocks”—giant, unique, hand-painted boulders honoring veterans in all 99 counties across Iowa. 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, after moving from the bright lights of Tampa, Florida, to a farm in the small college town of Oxford, Mississippi, Jake Keiser didn’t know what to expect. Thankfully, her neighbors had her back. Here's Jake with her story of recovery in small-town America. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.our...

On this episode of Our American Stories, some interesting facts about the typewriter: The QWERTY layout was originally designed to slow typists down. Mark Twain was the first author to submit a manuscript written on a typewriter. Tom Hanks is a collector of typewriters—and yes, there is indeed a list of 99 reasons why a typewriter is better than a computer. Our American Stories listener Bert...

On this episode of Our American Stories, a wrench slipped. A rocket leaked, lost fuel pressure, collapsed, and exploded. A nuclear warhead was launched out of its silo and landed in a ditch—at the intersection of fate and American journalism. Randy Dixon, a young journalist at the time, shares the story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https:/...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in honor of Jackie Kennedy, who died this week in history in 1994, we tell the story of the preservation of an American icon. Before becoming the face of "Camelot" and a fashion icon of the ’60s, former First Lady Jackie Kennedy was a born-and-raised New Yorker. In 1975, after returning to live full-time in Manhattan, she took on a new cause: saving G...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Pearl Harbor was attacked, FDR's speechwriting team was out of town. So Roosevelt, with the help of a few aides, penned the most important speech of his presidency—and one of the most important in American history. Here's the story behind the story of a speech that defined an era. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Sup...

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree— but Appleton Oaksmith landed on another planet. His mother was a feminist who knew top abolitionists; his father, a cartoonist admired across party lines. Appleton? He was hunted internationally for presumed slave trading and a failed kidnapping in Cuba that may have threatened Lincoln&rsqu...

On this episode of Our American Stories, a former high-powered media executive shares how the 37-year Triple Crown drought, finally broken in 2015, brought back a flood of memories of Sundays at the track with his dad 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, when German guilds told him they didn’t need another piano manufacturer, Henry Steinway moved to America and founded Steinway & Sons, establishing a global standard of excellence embraced by everyone from Irving Berlin to Billy Joel. Here’s the story of how one man’s pursuit of the American Dream reshaped the sound of music forever. Su...

On this episode of Our American Stories, oftentimes, when the topic of professional wrestling (think Hulk Hogan) comes up, it’s almost guaranteed that someone will scoff and say it’s “fake.” Here’s Riley Evans, sportswriter and CEO of RealPodcasting.com, with the real story behind professional wrestling. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) S...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” catchphrase trace back to 2001. According to Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, it began when he visited a Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel, co-founded by his friend Horst Schulze. Here's Horst with the story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.our...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy shares the remarkable story of Robert Smalls, an escaped slave who stole a Confederate ship, rescued his family, and delivered freedom to many others. 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, Professor Christopher Oldstone-Moore makes the case that today’s bearded renaissance is part of a centuries-long cycle in which facial hairstyles have shifted in response to changing ideals of masculinity. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/liste...

On this episode of Our American Stories, aside from the cherry tree legend, which, of course, isn't true, most of us don't know much about George Washington. To many, he's just a man peering at us from a dollar bill or a figure carved in marble. Here's the definitive story of the most important man in American history. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show...

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, fetching $1.8 million at auction in 2018. Here to tell the story of the legendary Colt Walker revolver is Logan Metesh. Logan is the founder of High Caliber History LLC and has over a decade of experience working for the Smithsonian Institution and the Nation...

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was one of the oddest—and best—musical collaborations of the 20th century. Old-school pop crooner Bing Crosby partnered with British glam rocker David Bowie to create one of the most cherished Christmas songs of all time. But it almost didn’t happen. Here's the story of what went on behind the scenes to make sure it did. Support the sho...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Abercrombie & Fitch clothing stores conquered malls in the late ’90s and early ’00s with gorgeous models, pulsing dance beats, and a fierce scent. What most people don’t know is that the company was founded in 1892 in New York City as an outfitter for elite outdoorsmen. Here to tell the full story is Ashley Hlebinsky, former co-host of...

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 ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/don...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Margie Siegal was a teenager, she had a boyfriend with a motorcycle. The boyfriend was forgettable—the motorcycle wasn’t. Since then, she has written extensively about motorcycle history and is the author of Harley-Davidson: A History of the World’s Most Famous Motorcycle . Here she is with the story of Harley-Davidson. Support the sh...