Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories , American history hasn't been kind to our last king. He's viewed as a tyrant, the Declaration of Independence claims that he was unfit to lead a free people, and the musical Hamilton paints him as a brute. The truth is anything but this. English historian Andrew Roberts tells the story of King George III, and why he isn't the man he's often portrayed to be....

On this episode of Our American Stories , Pinball is an iconic American game. But how did it reach its iconic status? How did pinball develop? Why flippers? Listen to Jeremy Saucier of the Strong Museum of Play as he shares the long, and sometimes surprising, history of pinball--from its origins in French parlor games, to its prohibition, and then to its emergence as the immersive and popular game...

On this episode of Our American Stories , "America's most influential energy pundit," Daniel Yergin, is a bestselling author and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. The master storyteller sat down with Lee to share his newest book,  The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/don...

On this episode of Our American Stories , John Mooy had never before practiced his art of storytelling - for a jury. But to tell the story of Terry Nichols' cooperation with Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, John worked with prosecutors to map the entire bitter journey. This Day in History, 1995: The Oklahoma City Bombing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support th...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Jason Porter shares with us the story of how he met WWII veteran Forrest Johnson and how “Forrie” became his best friend. 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 , Lawson Bader pays tribute to his late German teacher Erika for our "Final Thoughts" series. 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 , Johnsonville Sausage founder Ralph Stayer's incredible faith journey 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 , Lilly Dancyger opens up about living with a father addicted to heroin. 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 , here’s Stephen Ambrose telling the story of America’s payback for Pearl Harbor—Jimmy Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo—and the Japanese response, the Battle of Midway. 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 , Barry Meguiar tells the compelling story of his rare 1901 Duryea car. 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 , Dolphins owner Stephen Ross tells the stories about the lessons in ethics that changed his life. 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 , even though the community around Eric often couldn’t read or write, they could tell a story like no one else. To Eric, there was no honor higher than having the stories he would learn retold by the men around him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/list...

On this episode of Our American Stories , David LaBelle's last memory of his mother was seeing her washed away in a raging flood when he was a senior in high school. She would never be found. It took David years to wrestle with the loss, and eventually he decided to write a semi-fictional book about the event called Bridges & Angels as a therapeutic exercise.   David's books (and photos) can b...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Broughton Coburn tells the harrowing story of the time America reached the highest peak in the world, not once, but twice, on their first expedition to it in 1963. 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 , Ruger is the biggest gun manufacturer in the U.S., and it’s not by accident. Here to tell this story is Logan Metesh. Logan is a firearms historian and museum professional who runs High Caliber History LLC. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

On this episode of Our American Stories , (This Day in History: Titanic sank in 1912) - Lowell Lytle has been one of the privileged few who has seen Titanic first-hand. Lowell has played the part of Captain Smith at Titanic events all over the globe and has been entertaining guests at the Titanic Museum for more than fifteen years. He is also the author of the inspiring read, Diving Into The Deep....

On this episode of Our American Stories , (This Day in History: President Lincoln Died April 15) - John Wilkes Booth did not act alone; eight people were eventually indicted as co-conspirators in Lincoln's murder. One of them was a woman, Mary Surratt. Here to tell the story is Kate Clifford Larson, author of The Assassin’s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln. Support the...

On this episode of Our American Stories , since its start in 1972, Nike has employed nearly half a million people. Only four have outlasted our next storyteller, Steve Bence. Bence is Nike's Program Director in Global Sourcing and Manufacturing—and was an All-American runner under legendary track coach at Oregon, Bill Bowerman (who became the co-founder of Nike). Steve Bence is the author of 1972:...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Neil Young has "Old Black", Willie Nelson plays "Trigger", and Elvis worked with "The Dove", but perhaps the most famous nickname for a guitar is what B.B. King named his Gibson ES-355...Lucille. Here to tell the fiery story of how she got her name is B.B. King's longtime friend, Myron Johnson, and Daniel de Vicé, author of King of The Blues. Support the s...

On this episode of Our American Stories , little has been known of one of the most important figures in early American history, Dr. Joseph Warren, an architect of the colonial rebellion, and a man who would have led the country as Washington or Jefferson did had he not been martyred at Bunker Hill in 1775. Warren was involved in almost every major insurrectionary act in the Boston area for a decad...

On this episode of Our American Stories , much of what’s known about legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been kept between the goal posts. So Greg Hengler took the three and a half hour long drive south from here in Oxford, Mississippi—where we broadcast our show—and sat down with Brett Favre in his Hattiesburg, Mississippi home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) S...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Audie Murphy's story is one of the quintessential American stories; yet, chances are, many Americans have never even heard of his name. 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 , The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She was the only woman in United States history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. 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 , this is the story of the men known as “The Big Four,” who incorporated the Central Pacific Railroad and helped build the transcontinental railroad. These four individuals risked their businesses, money, time and talent in order to achieve an unprecedented feat of engineering, vision, and courage. Here to tell the story is Roger McGrath. McGrath is the auth...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the History Guy remembers the Birkenhead Disaster and explains where the protocol "women and children first" was first used. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.