Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Mississippi native Madysen Acey was ten years old, an electrical accident led to the loss of both her arms. In a single day, her life shifted from school and friends to surgery, rehabilitation, and learning how to function without hands. Madysen reflects on what it meant to grow up as a bilateral amputee and how that experience shaped her sense of iden...

On this episode of Our American Stories, ask ten people what Spam is, and you will hear ten different answers. Some think of canned meat on a grocery shelf. Others think of World War II rations or Spam in Hawaii. A few still wonder what the word actually means. Dustin Black, the author of  The Book of Spam , explains where Spam came from, how it got its name, and why this canned meat outlaste...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in an age of viral marketing campaigns and carefully crafted advertising strategies, one Texas business owner took a very direct approach. Mitch Felderhoff, co-owner of Muenster Milling in Muenster, Texas, decided to eat nothing but his company’s dog food for 30 days. The goal was simple: prove confidence in the product and create a publicity stunt pe...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1898, the mysterious explosion of the  USS Maine  in Havana Harbor lit a fuse that had already been burning for months. The ensuing Spanish–American War lasted only a few months, but its consequences still shape American foreign policy. American forces defeated Spain in Cuba and in the Philippines, ending centuries of Spanish colonial rul...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kent Nerburn, author of  Letters to My Son , set out on a road trip through Alaska as a young man—and found himself facing far more than he expected. As a snowstorm closed in, his group pushed past the last checkpoint and onto a narrow gravel road carved for the Alaska Pipeline, with no guardrails, no shelter, and miles of wilderness in ever...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s rise to become the King of Rock and Roll did not happen in isolation. Behind the scenes stood his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who helped guide the career of a young Elvis during the explosive years of 1950s rock and roll. Greg McDonald met Elvis Presley as a teenager shortly after Colonel Parker began managing him. What followed were...

On this episode of Our American Stories, snowboarding grew from a niche winter activity into a global sport within a single generation. At the center of that transformation stood Jake Burton Carpenter. As founder of Burton Snowboards, he played a central role in shaping the sport’s growth, guiding it from informal gatherings to professional events and eventually Olympic competition. Our own...

On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III once said that if George Washington truly resigned his commission and returned to his farm, he would be the greatest man in the world. Washington did exactly that. Washington’s decision echoed the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman farmer and general who left his plow to defend the Roman Republic and then gave up power just...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitutional Convention opened in 1787, the United States was less than a decade old and already struggling. The Articles of Confederation had created a loose union of states with a Congress that lacked the power to tax, enforce laws, or stabilize the economy. By 1787, many leaders believed the country could not continue as it was. The men who me...

On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures shaped modern American Christianity like Billy Graham. His sermons reached across denominations and generations, and his ministry left a lasting mark on the country’s religious life. When Billy Graham passed away, tributes poured in from around the world. At his funeral, however, the most personal reflection came from his daughter, Ruth Gr...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1941,  Captain America Comics No. 1  hit newsstands with an unforgettable image: Captain America punching Adolf Hitler. The cover appeared nearly a year before Pearl Harbor, at a time when much of the country was still divided over entering World War II. Joe Parrott of Ohio State University explains how Captain America’s first appearance...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories  regular contributor, Joy Neal Kidney, shares the forgotten stories of Union soldiers from Iowa whose sacrifices rippled far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from her family's letters, Joy tells the intertwined tales of Colonel James Redfield and Lieutenant Colin Marshall: farmers, fathers, brothers, and sons who left Iowa to fight...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on July 4, 1986, moments before the largest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan gave a rousing speech from the deck of the  USS John F. Kennedy  in New York Harbor. Standing beneath the Statue of Liberty, he reminded the country and the world what freedom really means. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.co...

On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet. And neither did one single engineer working alone in a lab. The creation of the internet was a decades-long effort involving programmers, scientists, and visionaries who believed computers could talk to one another. From early network experiments to the first web browser and the first website, the internet story is o...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in American history when he took office in 1901. He is remembered for trust-busting, conservation, and the phrase “carry a big stick.” But before all of that, he was a young man in mourning. After the sudden death of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, Roosevelt fled west to the Dakota Terri...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before the United States Constitution, there were the Articles of Confederation. Written during the American Revolution, the Articles created a national government built on a “firm league of friendship” among the states. The Articles of Confederation limited federal power but reflected deep fears of centralized authority, leaving the founders' f...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Clarksdale, Mississippi is known for blues music and Delta history. It is also home to one of the most beloved barbecue restaurants in the state. Abe’s BBQ has been serving smoked meat for generations, drawing locals and travelers who come looking for Mississippi barbecue done right.  Our American Stories  regular contributor, Jesse Edwards,...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1990s, Pepsi ran a commercial that joked a teenager could earn a Harrier jump jet, the pride of the Marine Corps, through Pepsi Points. The ad listed the jet at seven million points. Most viewers laughed and moved on. One college student did not. John Leonard gathered investors, calculated the math, and tried to claim the jet. When Pepsi refused, the...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The First Amendment promised freedom of religion, but the reality in America was not always simple. In the nineteenth century, Catholics faced discrimination in politics, education, and public life. Archbishop John Hughes emerged as one of the most forceful defenders of American Catholics. Called “Dagger John” for the cross he signed before his...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the American flag carries deep meaning for millions of families, often shaped by service, sacrifice, and memory. For Our American Stories  listener Joy Neal Kidney of Des Moines, Iowa, that meaning is deeply personal. Joy is the niece of the Wilson Brothers—young men from Iowa who served during World War II and whose lives and sacrifices left a l...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson is remembered as a Founding Father, the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the nation’s third president. He is also one of the most important historical figures when it comes to religious freedom in America. In 1802, that commitment to religious liberty inspired one of the strangest thank-you gifts in presidential history....

On this episode of Our American Stories, when American troops left for war, they carried reminders of home that came in the simplest form: food. Spam and Hershey’s chocolate became symbols of comfort in a world that had lost its sense of safety. Spam filled mess kits and fueled long marches through mud and heat. Hershey’s chocolate brought a quick burst of sweetness that could steady a...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Holiday Inn began with one frustrated family road trip and grew into one of the largest hotel chains in the world. At the center of that growth was Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn and a salesman at heart. His son, Kemmons Wilson Jr., joins us with stories of his father's relationships with some of the greats: Muhammad Ali, Sam Walton, and Sam Phi...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Vietnam War changed a generation of American men. For many of them, survival depended less on strategy and more on friendship. Camelo Venegaz was the kind of guy you could talk to about anything, and he became someone his fellow soldiers trusted with their fears and, at times, their final words. He joins us to tell his story. Support the show ( https://...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Josh and Lauren Manning did not expect to end up in Noel, Missouri. After years in retail management, Josh felt pulled toward ministry and accepted a role at a struggling rural church. What they walked into was something unexpected: a congregation that spanned multiple cultures and languages. Noel had become home to refugees and immigrant families drawn to...