Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories , Laura Sangster shares her love story between her and her husband. All was well until her husband, Fred, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. 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 85-year-old Lana Peters passed away in 2011 from complications due to colon cancer, the nation seemed to have forgotten the woman who had become a sensation during the Cold War.  The History Guy recalls the extraordinary life of the woman whose defection to the United States represented a seminal moment in history. Support the show (https://www.ourame...

On this episode of Our American Stories , years after finding out she was adopted, Traci Huguley discovered she was not the only child adopted out. She then made it her mission to find her siblings. 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 , you’ve heard Christopher Klein tell the story of “How Johnny Carson Saved Twister” and how Mark Twain helped Ulysses S. Grant complete his memoir that saved his wife from destitution. Here’s Chris with the story of how Abraham Lincoln used the telegraph to help win the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show...

On this episode of Our American Stories , in the 1950's and 60's the NBA could hardly be considered a professional sports league. Players held second jobs, played in small arenas, and no team existed west of Saint Louis. Today it's an 8.3 billion dollar entertainment and cultural icon. Pete Croatto, author of From Hang Time to Prime Time, explains how that happened. Support the show (https://www.o...

On this episode of Our American Stories , in 2020 Gary Ginsberg retired as the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Communications at SoftBank Group Corp and he served at the highest levels at both Time Warner and News Corp. He’s here to share how the 37-year Triple Crown drought that was broken in 2015 brought with it a flood of memories of Sundays at the race track with his Dad. Support the...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Kemmons Wilson Jr. tells the story of how his father (Kemmons Wilson) created a hotel chain that established the modern hotel industry. 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 , much was at stake in this first race to space. Nations and top scientists across the globe pursued the elusive goal of powered flight, but two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio - brothers with their own scant resources - made it happen. This is their story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramer...

On this episode of Our American Stories , a legend and leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze has reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business—standards that have become world famous. Throughout the years he worked for both Hilton Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation before becoming one of the founding members of the luxury hotel chain, The Ritz Carlton in 1983. Here’s Horst Schul...

On this episode of Our American Stories , former Olympic gold medalist Tyler Hamilton rocked the world of professional cycling—and exposed the doping culture surrounding the sport and its most iconic rider, Lance Armstrong. As one of the world’s top-ranked cyclists—and a member of Lance Armstrong’s inner circle, Hamilton has quite an amazing story and is here to share it with us.  Support the show...

On this episode of Our American Stories , you’ve heard Christopher Klein tell the story of “How Johnny Carson Saved Twister.” He’s back with another one. Aided by Mark Twain, the former president and Civil War hero raced to complete a literary masterpiece that saved his wife from destitution.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericansto...

On this episode of Our American Stories , here’s historian extraordinaire Stephen Ambrose to tell us a very unlikely World War II story about George McGovern, the liberal, antiwar Democratic presidential candidate from South Dakota who was soundly defeated by President Nixon in the 1972 election. This story is from The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys who Flew the B-24s over Germany. Support the show (...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Hoat Hoang's childhood in South Vietnam was filled with family and fun times... Until the North Vietnamese communists began to ambush his village. Once Saigon fell to the communists' troops, Hoat and his family fled. Hoat tells the story of their escape and his journey to becoming a surgeon in the U.S. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/d...

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 , from Green Eggs and Ham to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re all familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss. But the story of how he actually became the author we know and love is far from short and simple. Brain Jay Jones , author of “Becoming Dr. Seuss,” is here with the full story of the man behind this pen name. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanst...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Dr. Martin Couney carried a secret with him, but the results are unimpeachable. It was Coney Island in the early 1900’s. Beyond the Four-Legged Woman, the sword swallowers, and “Lionel the Lion-Faced Man,” was an entirely different exhibit: rows of tiny, premature human babies living in glass incubators. Here to tell the story is Dawn Raffel, author of The...

On this episode of Our American Stories , retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Michael Schlitz was born in Milan, IL. He enlisted in March 1996 and served in several positions including Rifleman and Platoon Sergeant. While in Baghdad, Iraq on February 27, 2007, Mike and his crew were on a road-clearing mission when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Support the sho...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Tommy Dew’s Walking Tour of Charleston, SC, has been praised and recommended by the likes of the Wall Street Journal to TripAdvisor. Tommy is here to share the story of Charleston—from the American Revolution to today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the story of United States’ Olympic legend Jesse Owens and Nazi long jumper Luz Long’s friendship demonstrates how sports can unite people even in the toughest circumstances. Here to tell the story is the Jack Miller Center's Editorial Officer and historian, Elliott Drago. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Patty from Colorado not only has a great Elvis story, but she is very good at telling it! 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 , today we know asbestos to be a health hazard. But the natural mineral was not simply an artifact of the industrial age. Here’s the History Guy telling the story of asbestos. 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 Joe Quinn, a listener from West Virginia, 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 , 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 , the great Stephen Ambrose tells the story of 1941—the year that would bring the United States into WWII after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. 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 Chuck Colson's Watergate fallout—told by Chuck himself who served as Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon . We’d like to thank Chuck’s dear friends at the Acton Institute who graciously provided us with this September 2011 interview. It was the last interview Chuck Colson granted before passing at 80-years of age in 2012. Support...