Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, born in rural Missouri in 1934, Rebecca "Cubby" Hall grew up without electricity, joined the Women's Army Corps, learned to ride a Harley-Davidson, taught in a one-room schoolhouse, served as mayor of Neosho, owned a liquor store, worked as a garbage collector, and never stopped finding ways to serve her community. In her own words, Cubby looks back on a li...

On this episode of Our American Stories, few decisions in American history remain as controversial as the choice to drop atomic bombs on Japan in the final days of World War II. Supporters argue the attacks hastened the war’s end and saved lives. Critics say they crossed a moral line that reshaped warfare forever. Ken LaCorte, host of the YouTube channel  Elephants in Rooms , examines t...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard "Dick" Bong was a farm boy who learned to fly and never stopped pushing the limits of what a pilot could do. Flying the P-38 Lightning, he downed 40 enemy aircraft, making him the nation's Ace of Aces and one of the most decorated World War II aviators in history. Yet behind the record was a quiet Midwestern pilot who wrote letters home, worried abo...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the summer of 1787, the United States was deeply in debt, politically divided, and struggling to survive under the weak Articles of Confederation. Behind closed doors in a sweltering room in Philadelphia, a remarkable group of Americans spent three months debating, compromising, and ultimately creating the United States Constitution. At a Constitution Da...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Golisano didn't build Paychex by creating a joyless workplace. He believed people did their best work when they enjoyed coming to the office, and that meant making room for laughter, practical jokes, and a culture where even the CEO wasn't off limits. The Paychex founder shares some of the company's most legendary office pranks and explains why fun, tru...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early days of hip-hop, the music grew out of Black and Latino communities in New York City. It was local, raw, and deeply rooted in the neighborhoods where it began. So when three white, Jewish kids from New York entered that world, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of the Beastie Boys, how they found their pla...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Yogi Berra became one of the greatest catchers in baseball history, he was an 18-year-old U.S. Navy sailor headed toward Omaha Beach on D-Day. After World War II, the son of Italian immigrants from St. Louis helped build one of the greatest careers in American sports, winning 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees and becoming one of...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lance Cpl. Tom Morton deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, he found much more than a squad leader in Sgt. Joe L. Wrightsman. He found a mentor whose hardnosed training and leadership prepared a young Marine for the realities of combat. Then, during a mission across the Helmand River, Wrightsman gave his life trying to save an Afghan police office...

On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of his ongoing series on the origins of everyday expressions, Andrew Thompson, author of  Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red , shares the fascinating backstories behind the phrases "take the cake," "the third degree," and others. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.co...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1956, Elvis Presley bombed in Las Vegas. Thirteen years later, he returned to a city that was struggling to attract a new generation, and together they changed each other's future. Author Richard Zoglin shares the story of Elvis's legendary 1969 comeback at the International Hotel and explains how the King of Rock 'n' Roll reinvented the Las Vegas stage...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before  American Sniper  introduced millions to Chris Kyle, there was Carlos Hathcock, the legendary U.S. Marine sniper known throughout Vietnam as "White Feather." Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Hathcock grew up hunting to help feed his family before becoming one of the greatest marksmen in American military history. Military veterans Colin D. He...

On this episode of Our American Stories, we all know the look and taste of bubblegum, but few people know where it came from. The first bubblegum was invented in 1928 by Walter Diemer, who used the only food dye available: pink. That color stuck, and so did the flavor, a blend of fruit notes now simply called "bubblegum." Simon Whistler, from the  Today I Found Out  YouTube channel and i...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Indiana did not choose its nickname so much as grow into it. The term Hoosier appeared in jokes, travel accounts, and frontier banter, yet no one ever agreed on where it started. Despite the uncertainty, the name kept rising to the surface until it became part of the state's character. What survives is a word tied closely to the people who shaped Indiana in...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Olympian, World War II airman, Pacific castaway, and prisoner of war, Louis Zamperini lived one of the most extraordinary lives in American history. In this rare recording, he tells his own remarkable story—from his troubled childhood and the 1936 Berlin Olympics to surviving 47 days adrift at sea, enduring brutal captivity in Japan, and ultimately fi...

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the end of the Revolutionary War, with soldiers restless and unpaid, whispers spread about replacing Congress with a monarchy. Some even suggested that George Washington take the throne. In what became known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, Washington faced a decision that could have reshaped America’s future. Instead of seizing power, he delivered word...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Hiram Percy Maxim grew up in the shadow of firepower. His father invented the machine gun, a weapon that changed modern warfare. But when that same weapon left his father deaf, Hiram took a different path. In 1902, he invented the first commercial gun silencer and later applied the same technology to early automobile engines. His work shaped not only the fu...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Steve Rakeman was young, his father gave him a simple instruction: “I’m giving you my name. There’s nothing wrong with it. Make sure you pass it on as clean as I gave it to you.” Steve and his son, Mike, share how that lesson shaped three generations of their family, guiding them through dangerous work, tempting opportunities, c...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Bill Corum lived as an enforcer in the Kansas City underworld, surrounded by violence, drugs, money, and power. He smuggled guns, dealt cocaine, spent time in prison, and admits he was willing to kill for money. None of it brought him peace. In his remarkable story, Bill shares how a dramatic encounter with God changed his life, leading him from...

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 phrase “put a sox in it” 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...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, author Leslie Leyland Fields believed the best stories belonged to other people. Then her literary agent challenged her to write the one book she never wanted to write: her own memoir. Leslie, a regular contributor to  Our American Stories , shares how writing  Surviving the Island of Grace  forced her to confront the deeper story...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became America's 16th president, Abraham Lincoln had another claim to fame: he was one of the toughest men on the Illinois frontier. When a local champion named Jack Armstrong challenged the young Lincoln to a wrestling match, the showdown became the stuff of legend. Wrestling historian Mike Chapman, author of  The Sport of Lincoln , shares t...

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager, Jim Johnson landed what he thought was a dream job selling hot dogs at Minnesota Twins games in Metropolitan Stadium. But between spilled hot dogs, difficult customers, colorful coworkers, and unforgettable moments with baseball's biggest stars, he discovered that the biggest lessons had nothing to do with baseball. The longtime Minnesota pas...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Brent Timmons' son was involved in a motorcycle accident on his way to work, a frightening phone call sent his family racing to the scene, unsure of what they would find. Thankfully, the crash was minor, but it became a powerful reminder of how quickly life can change. Brent reflects on what the accident taught his family about balancing caution with c...

On this episode of Our American Stories, many people remember Pat Boone as one of the biggest pop stars of the 1950s and '60s, but his story began in a church choir. He grew up learning how to hold a melody, lead voices in harmony, and carry a room without a single instrument behind him. Those simple lessons in discipline and presence became the foundation for a career that lasted longer on the ch...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Fugitive Slave Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, the Dred Scott decision, and John Brown’s raid pushed the United States ever closer to civil war. As the nation fractured over slavery, a little-known Illinois lawyer emerged with the words, principles, and political skill to meet the crisis. In Episode 27 of our ongoing  Story of...