Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories , Brett Favre's father coached the legendary QB on many subjects - most of which informed his training, practice, and play. The passing game, not so much; but life itself? Absolutely. 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 , "If We Get Called Back..." Mike Gonzalez tells this story of his family escaping the clutches of Castro's communist dictatorship. 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 , born in small-town Oklahoma in 1918—Oklahoma had only been a state for 10 years—his rural roots would shape his career as would the murder of his father, a police officer. 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 , George Will tells the story of Ted Williams. He also tells the story of a San Francisco fisherman, Joe DiMaggio, his “Streak” of a hit in 56 consecutive games, and his steely determination. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Nicholas Biddle died broke, never received a pension, and was never officially a soldier for the Union Army because of his age and the color of his skin—but he was treated by his company as a soldier and was the first to shed blood in the Civil War days after the first shots were fired at Fort Sumter. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/do...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Thomas Jefferson is often known for championing religious freedom in our nation's infancy, but not many people know about how a preacher thanked him in the most unusual way. 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 , Walter Gretzky died at the age of 82. His death prompted an avalanche of tributes for a genuine, approachable, authentic person who nurtured the unsurpassed hockey talents of his son, Wayne Gretzky, on the family's famed backyard rink in Brantford, Ontario. The 60-year-old NHL legend-turned-American citizen spoke shortly after laying his father to rest. Su...

On this episode of Our American Stories , here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases author, Andrew Thompson, as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini mysteries of the English language. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)...

On this episode of Our American Stories , here's the story of why Paul Kotz hopped into a dumpster with a homeless man to play cards with him. 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 , at the turn of the twenty-first century, the tornado was one of the last true mysteries of the modern world. It was a monster that ravaged the American heartland a thousand times each year, yet science’s every effort to divine its inner workings had ended in failure. Researchers all but gave up, until the arrival of an outsider. Brantley Hargrove is the au...

On this episode of Our American Stories , James Ward, author of Zero Victim: Overcoming Injustice With A New Attitude, tells the story of two other black men in American history who have inspired his zero victim mentality. 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 , to Bat Masterson, gunslingers were hoodlums who killed for fun. He used guns to enforce the law or defend a friend. In the end, he’d achieved a feat almost none of the Old West legends had attained: he lived to see old age. Here to tell the story of Bat Masterson is the best Old West storyteller in the country, Dr. Roger McGrath. Support the show (https://...

On this episode of Our American Stories , in our 25th Episode of The Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay tells the story of how the South became beholden to a system that brought massive wealth to a select few and enormous suffering to many others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listen...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Our American Stories listener Jocelyn Green tells the story of what she learned about faith and friendship after coming in contact with the devastation at the Pentagon—not far from her home. 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 , born in Australia, Tommy Emmanuel fell in love with American country guitar legend, Chet Atkins. The rest, as they say, is history—Tommy explains. We'll be playing his music throughout this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

On this episode of Our American Stories , our next story comes to us from a listener in West Virginia. Here’s Joe Quinn with his story. 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 , a former high-powered media executive shares the story of how the 37-year horse racing Triple Crown drought 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 inf...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the man who stirred the conscience of the world to see the evil of slavery was William Wilberforce. His efforts helped bring liberty to untold millions, and changed the history of the world. Eric Metaxas is the New York Times best-selling author of Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce. He's here to tell the story! Support the show (https://www.ouramericansto...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the Constitution didn't just become the law of the land overnight—it took some convincing. Here to tell the story of the work that most influenced the Founders - The Federalist Papers - is Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystu...

On this episode of Our American Stories , honoring her colleague's legal integrity and effectiveness as well as his personal kindness and dynamism, Justice Elena Kagan speaks about her friend, Justice Antonin "Nino" Scalia. 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 , Paul Monti was able to keep - and drive - a meaningful memorial of his son Jared, who was killed in action defending his comrades. Hear the true experiences that became a powerful song. 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 , formerly enslaved people in Charleston, SC decided to honor the Union soldiers who had perished at a racecourse converted into a POW camp. Then, as Dan Welch of the Gettysburg Foundation puts it: "A procession at a gravesite, a procession with 9,000 spectators - was all but forgotten in just two years." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Sergeant Ryan Pitts earned our nation’s highest award for valor for his extraordinary actions during one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan. Hear him celebrate his brothers in arms, because, as he says about the Medal: “It is ours, not mine.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories....

On this episode of Our American Stories , "For now I must take the responsibility for keeping his life entwined with yours." Carmen Gordon remembers her husband Gary for their two children, sharing with them who he was - a responsible father. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Robert Shaw's "Quint" told the world about what happened to the USS Indianapolis in the hit movie "Jaws." The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, tells the real-life story of that fateful day. It's a story you won't soon forget. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ourame...