Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, deep in Richmond, Virginia, a converted warehouse known as Libby Prison held more than 1,200 Union officers during the Civil War. Prisoners survived on rotting cornbread, slept on bare floors, and shared the space with rats that outnumbered both guards and captives. Escape or death were the only ways out. Historian Robert P. Watson, author of Escape! , shar...

On this episode of Our American Stories, few pop songs sound like nothing that came before them. Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” is one of them, a hypnotic blend of rhythm, repetition, and existential wonder that has puzzled and inspired listeners for decades. Music critics and musicians alike have called it a perfect song, praising its strange power and its lyrics, which fee...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the lawn began as a practical patch of grass, a village common, and even a defensive buffer around medieval castles. Over time it became a status symbol on European estates, then a centerpiece of suburban life and a marker of the American Dream. The History Guy tells how one invention changed everything, the lawn mower, and traces the lawn’s evolution...

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, for decades, Black athletes were welcomed in nearly every position in professional football, except one. Quarterback was considered a “thinking man’s” role, and many coaches and owners believed Black players did not belong there. That belief collapsed in 1988 when Doug Williams, a backup QB who had been out of the leauge for a few years, l...

On this episode of Our American Stories, he was a saxophonist for one of the world’s great touring bands, Marcus King Band, but felt called to create something entirely his own. What started as a playful persona became a bold leap into creative freedom. Saxsquatch  himself  shares his story of leaving life as a sideman behind, building a new identity, writing original music, and co...

On this episode of Our American Stories, legend says that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a Mississippi crossroads in exchange for his musical talent. It is one of the most enduring myths in American music history. Johnson’s grandson Steven Johnson shares the story and sets the record straight, tracing Robert Johnson’s life from Hazlehurst to the Mississippi Delta, explain...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for Stephen Rusiniak, one of the most influential people in his life was his Cub Scout leader. Long before Stephen found his calling and built his career, this leader saw potential in him and took the time to invest in it. Rusiniak shares how the guidance, discipline, and encouragement he received through Boy Scouts of America shaped his character, changed...

On this episode of Our American Stories, that old windmill along the highway may look like a relic, but without it, westward expansion would have been nearly impossible. Before electricity and diesel engines, windmills pumped water for farms, ranches, railroads, and growing towns across the American frontier. Our regular contributor, Jesse Edwards, shares the story of how windmills helped power se...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on May 1, 1960, American spy pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down while flying a secret U-2 reconnaissance mission over the Soviet Union, setting off one of the most controversial moments of the Cold War. Questions followed immediately. Did his plane fail or was it hit by a missile? Did he defect? Did he reveal American secrets while imprisoned by the KG...

On this episode of Our American Stories, it took empty store shelves and a toilet paper shortage for many Americans to finally take the bidet seriously. Long dismissed as unnecessary or foreign, the 18th-century bathroom invention saw a surprising surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, and unlike many pandemic fads, it never faded. Bidet sales exploded, inventories vanished, and companies like Bidet...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on January 9, 2007, Steve Jobs stepped onto the stage at Macworld and unveiled a device that would change how the world communicates. What looked like a flawless presentation was actually a high-wire act, with hidden risks, backup devices, and engineers bracing for disaster behind the scenes. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of the iPhone launch that r...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Colin Powell was a four-star general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. But behind the titles was a man defined by humility, discipline, humor, and deep loyalty to those around him. Leslie Lautenslager, who worked alongside Powell for more than 25 years, shares personal stories that reveal the man few saw publicly, from his quie...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Antonin Scalia could not have disagreed more about the Constitution, yet they shared a deep and lasting friendship. Speaking at the dedication of the Antonin Scalia Law School, Justice Kagan reflects on Scalia’s influence on American law, his love of ideas and students, and the personal bond they formed across sh...

On this episode of Our American Stories, he played villains, soldiers, and tough guys on screen, but Sterling Hayden lived an even more dangerous life off camera. Best remembered as Captain McCluskey in  The Godfather  and General Jack Ripper in  Dr. Strangelove , Hayden walked away from Hollywood during World War II to serve as a Marine officer and covert operative with the OSS. As...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for nearly fifty years, Josephine Marcus Earp stood beside one of the most famous lawmen of the Old West. But she was more than Wyatt Earp’s wife. She helped shape how his story would be told. Historian Ann Kirschner, author of  Lady at the O.K. Corral , shares the story of a Jewish immigrant who chased adventure across the frontier and worked qu...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Morton always felt called to serve, but the path there was anything but straight. After trying college twice and walking away both times, he made a decision that put him on a bus to Parris Island and onto the yellow footprints of Marine Corps boot camp. Our American Stories  listener Tom Morton takes us inside the physical and mental grind of Marin...

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the French and Indian War, Britain emerged victorious, but deeply in debt. Parliament believed the colonies should help pay the bill. Many colonists believed that demand crossed a line. In Episode 4 of our ongoing  Story of America Series , Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of  Land of Hope , explains how new taxes, imperial co...

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Civil War, Boston’s Fort Warren held more than 2,000 Confederate prisoners of war. Unlike many prison camps of the era, it was not a place of cruelty or mass death. That was largely due to its commander, Union Colonel Justin Dimick. A career Army officer with deep Christian convictions, Dimick insisted that prisoners be treated with dignity...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brent Evanoff thought he had life figured out until one phone call changed everything. He learned he had a son he never knew, conceived during his time in the Army and now serving overseas in the U.S. Navy. What followed was more than a reunion. A journey through Southeast Asia brought a family together, led Brent deep into the jungles of Vietnam, and set t...

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before texts, emails, or instant messaging, Abraham Lincoln found a new way to lead a nation at war. By embracing the telegraph, Lincoln became the first “wired” president, using near real-time communication to track battles, direct generals, issue orders, and project presidential authority in ways no American leader ever had before. He spe...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Greg Giltner spent nearly three decades with the Oklahoma City Police Department and later served as a police chaplain. His role was not to preach or persuade, but to show up. On the worst days of an officer’s life, and on the worst day in Oklahoma City’s history. Giltner shares how a mentor known simply as Chaplain Poe taught him that real mini...

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people know the story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Fewer know what happened next. After flames destroyed the heart of the city and left more than 100,000 people homeless, Chicago didn’t collapse. It rebuilt faster and bigger than anyone thought possible. Businesses reopened while the rubble was still smoking. New buildings rose within month...

On this episode of Our American Stories, beards may feel like a modern trend, but they’ve been shaping ideas about manhood for thousands of years. In some eras, a clean-shaven face signaled order, discipline, and respectability. In others, a beard stood for strength, rebellion, or independence. Christopher Oldstone-Moore, the author of  Of Beards and Men ,  and a history teacher at...

On this episode of Our American Stories, growing up in rural Alabama, Edie Hand shared an idyllic childhood with her three younger brothers, known as the Blackburn boys. Days were filled with horses, imagination, and dreams of the futures they would one day live. Those dreams were cut short by tragedy. One by one, Edie lost all three brothers, each death arriving in a different season of her life...