Our American Stories

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, this time exploring the term “Peeping Tom” and others. His book,  Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases , uncovers the quirky roots behind the words we use eve...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the NBA became a media powerhouse, it was fighting to stay relevant. Ratings were low, games were shown on tape delay, and advertisers kept their distance. When CBS considered cutting ties with the league, a young David Stern made a calculated move that would change the direction of professional basketball. Pete Croatto, author of  From Hang Tim...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jackie Robinson didn’t plan to make history. He only wanted to play ball. But in a country that had barred Black baseball players for more than sixty years, that simple dream came with impossible expectations. After a short stint in the Negro Leagues in Kansas City, he became the first to cross into the majors, carrying not only a bat, but the burden...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Civil War took more American lives than any other conflict in the nation’s history, but few families endured loss like the Littletons of Iowa. When the war broke out, all six brothers enlisted to serve in the Union Army. One by one, they were lost to battle, disease, captivity, and accidents, leaving behind four grieving sisters and no surviv...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jameel McGee had just become a father when his life was derailed by a lie. In 2006, in Benton Harbor, Michigan, he was falsely arrested by narcotics officer Andrew Collins, whose fabricated reports and planted evidence led to a wrongful conviction and satisfied an internal push for arrest numbers. Although the truth eventually came out, Collins was sentence...

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, this time exploring the terms “nest egg,” “no dice,” and others. His book,  Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases , uncovers the quirky roots behin...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Paychex founder and entrepreneur Tom Golisano shares why having fun at work matters and how humor helped shape the culture of one of America’s most successful payroll companies. Known for his legendary office pranks and unconventional leadership style, Golisano explains how playfulness, trust, and creativity can coexist with discipline and hard work....

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1800s, an impossible idea was born: to lay a wire under the ocean and send messages between continents in minutes. The result was the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable, a feat of engineering and endurance that rewired the world forever. Historian John Steele Gordon tells the gripping story of the people, ships, and setbacks that connected North America a...

On this episode of Our American Stories, it was the Cold War on ice, and no one expected Team USA to win. But in 1980, a ragtag group of college kids stunned the world when they beat the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics. Mike Eruzione, captain of the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team and the man who scored the game-winning goal, tells the inside story of one of the g...

On this episode of Our American Stories, what does it take to stop the cycle? Jason Wolfe knows. As a child, he lived through abandonment, poverty, and the kind of instability no kid should endure. As an adult, he became a tech pioneer, a single father, and a man determined to rewrite his family story. His journey is a powerful testament to resilience, healing, and what real fatherhood looks like...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Major Brian Shul shares his legendary “LA Speed Check” story, an absurd and unforgettable moment from the cockpit of the fastest plane in the world, the SR-71 Blackbird. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Jim Keyes took the helm of 7-Eleven, he thought he was simply turning around a struggling convenience store chain. What he discovered instead was the human story behind the brand: a nationwide network of franchise owners, many of them immigrants, working long hours behind the counter while building businesses, supporting families, and living out the Am...

On this episode of Our American Stories, according to Russ Jones, his mother telling him to get out of the house and get a job in his teenage years was the best thing that ever happened to him. Russ shares the story of how a mother’s intervention and persistence led him to a lifetime of good, hard work. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://w...

On this episode of Our American Stories, often, art imitates life. This time, life imitated art. A crime inspired by the 1995 film Heat , starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, would become one of the most infamous bank robberies in American history. The movie’s meticulous depiction of professional criminals, tactical planning, and high-stakes escape scenes provided a blueprint that real-wor...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the introductory episode of our series tracing America’s rich history and cultural foundations, Wilfred M. McClay, a professor at Hillsdale College and author of the acclaimed book  Land of Hope , shares the surprising story of how America’s beginnings were shaped by religious conflict, political power, and sheer chance. From a group of...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joel Wegener’s family had already learned what it meant to navigate the challenges and blessings of raising two children with Down syndrome. Then came a new idea: why not launch a small business they could run together? That idea became Special Neat Treats, a Cincinnati-based ice cream truck serving up more than just sweets. Support the show ( ht...

On this episode of Our American Stories, a soda company with submarines? In a bizarre twist of Cold War diplomacy, Pepsi brokered a trade deal with the Soviet Union that landed it an actual naval fleet, briefly making it the world’s sixth-largest navy by ship count. The History Guy shares the unbelievable true story of how American capitalism, Soviet politics, and global tensions collided in...

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Pritchard spent his career running toward danger as a firefighter and fire captain, responding to car wrecks, house fires, and emergencies most people spend their lives hoping never to see. What he did not expect was how much of that job would follow him home. James reflects on the life of a firefighter, the emotional toll of repeated trauma, and what...

On this episode of Our American Stories Miami Dolphins owner and billionaire real estate developer Stephen Ross shares how being fired twice early in his career led him to conclude he was unemployable. That realization pushed him toward entrepreneurship, ultimately shaping his path to building a global real estate empire and becoming one of the most influential owners in professional sports. Ross...

On this episode of Our American Stories, one was a future president, the other a Seneca warrior-turned-engineer. Together, Ulysses S. Grant and Ely S. Parker would shape the final chapter of the Civil War and the early years of Reconstruction. Parker, a brilliant mind and proud Native American, served as Grant’s personal military secretary and later became the first Native American to hold a...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Maggie Bailey started selling moonshine in the Appalachian hills at just 17 years old and kept her bootlegging business alive for the better part of a century. Known as the “Queen of the Mountain Moonshiners,” Maggie became a local legend not just for the quality of her shine, but for the way she used her profits. She paid college tuition for lo...

On this episode of Our American Stories, best-selling historian Stephen Ambrose brings the Lewis and Clark Expedition to life in vivid detail, sharing scenes from his acclaimed book Undaunted Courage . He retraces their journey across rivers, mountains, and tribal lands, following the Corps of Discovery from its quiet launch under Thomas Jefferson’s directive to its triumphant arrival at the...

On this episode of Our American Stories, one snowy night in 1984, a fleet of moving trucks pulled away from Baltimore carrying the Colts, their gear, and decades of history. The team was gone just like that. For fans who grew up idolizing Johnny Unitas and wearing the horseshoe with pride, it felt like a piece of the city had been ripped out. We look back at the legacy the Colts built in Baltimore...

On this episode of Our American Stories, most museums exist to showcase the finest achievements in art and culture. The Museum of Bad Art does the opposite. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, MOBA proudly collects paintings that miss the mark so completely they become unforgettable. From A Mariachi in Tiananmen Square  to  Self Portrait as a Bird , the museum celebrates art that tries hard,...

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say “Don’t Mess With Texas,” and Roger Latham proved it. In 1967, this skinny Texan found himself face-to-chest with a six-foot-two barracks bully who had been terrorizing smaller recruits during air traffic control training. What started as a shove turned into a full-blown brawl that ended with one perfect kick and a lesson that woul...