Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrase "cat got your tongue" came to be. His book,  Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions  and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Sup...

On this episode of Our American Stories, some family stories fade with time, but others are told again and again until they become part of the fabric of memory. For Joy Neal Kidney’s grandmother, one such story involved an ordinary sewing needle and an extraordinary mishap. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/dona...

On this episode of Our American Stories, life in law enforcement is filled with long nights, constant stress, and moments that never leave you. For Richard Muniz, one of those moments came during his time as a deputy in the Conejos County Sheriff’s Department. A wreck he responded to on duty became a turning point in his career and his life, leaving him to grapple with the unseen weight of p...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Eddie Willis grew up knowing he was adopted and never questioned it until he became a father himself. The birth of his own children sparked a need to understand his origins, leading him on a journey through closed adoption records and uncertainty. What he discovered was far more surprising than he ever imagined. Eddie shares his powerful story of identity,...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on Christmas night in 1776, George Washington crossed the Delaware River and launched a daring surprise attack at Trenton that changed the course of the American Revolution. Against all odds, his army defeated the Hessian forces and revived the cause of independence when hope was at its lowest. Dr. Larry Arnn of Hillsdale College shares how Washington&rsquo...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before cars ruled the roads, the bicycle was America’s great innovation. Known in its early years as the “mechanical horse,” it gave ordinary people freedom of movement and reshaped everything from medicine to road building. Margaret Guroff, author of The Mechanical Horse: How the Bicycle Reshaped American Life , shares the story of how tw...

On this episode of Our American Stories, few instruments are as iconic as B.B. King’s guitar Lucille, a Gibson ES-355 that carried the voice of the blues across the world. But the story of how Lucille got her name begins in a crowded dance hall, with a fire that nearly claimed B.B. King’s life. From that moment on, every guitar he played bore the same name, a reminder of that night and...

On this episode of Our American Stories, on June 4, 1974, the Cleveland Indians hosted the Texas Rangers in what began as a regular MLB game and ended as one of the most infamous promotions in baseball history. Known as “Ten Cent Beer Night,” the evening promised cheap drinks to boost attendance. What followed was a riot on the field, a forfeit, and a chapter of baseball history that s...

On this episode of Our American Stories, “Smokin’” Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder and the founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Company. He’s best known for creating the world’s hottest chili peppers—the Carolina Reaper and now Pepper X—as recognized by Guinness World Records. A former addict, Ed is now a man of strong faith. Here&r...

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, U.S. leaders feared German bombers could strike American soil. To protect the nation’s most important treasures—the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and the Magna Carta, Britain’s most important document, which was on loan at the time—they were secretly moved to Fort Knox. Au...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brian “Head” Welch seemed to have it all. As co-founder and guitarist of the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band KoRn, he was at the center of the nu-metal movement—living in mansions, selling millions of records, and playing for legions of fans around the world—but it was all a lie. Beneath the fame and fortune, his life was unravel...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sarah Gonzalez’s childhood was filled with warmth and love until the sudden loss of her father changed everything. Overwhelmed by grief, she spiraled into drugs and other destructive escapes that left her feeling more broken than before. Years later in New York City, she reached a breaking point that marked the beginning of something new. In her own w...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Woodstock 1969 has gone down in history as the festival that defined a generation. Nearly half a million people gathered on a quiet New York farm, creating what briefly became the third-largest city in the state. Fears of chaos and violence never came true; instead, it was three days of music, peace, and unexpected harmony. Author Harlan Lebo revisits Woods...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Before Randall Wallace wrote  Braveheart , he was a son taking notes from the way his father lived. His dad never chased the spotlight, but he modeled the kind of character Wallace would later write into heroes on the screen. Looking back, Wallace traces how his father’s example gave him not only a sense of direction, but also the values that anc...

On this episode of Our American Stories, of all the so-called “robber barons,” J.P. Morgan ranks as one of the most maligned. After all, he was one of the most powerful men in American history. At the height of the Gilded Age, he built a financial empire that made the Morgan family a dynasty. Twice, when the federal government faced collapse, it was Morgan who stepped in to stabilize t...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sue Thomas’s life became the inspiration for the TV drama Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, but the real story is far more powerful than anything Hollywood put on screen. Born profoundly deaf, she grew up learning to read lips and pushed past low expectations to earn a place inside the FBI. There, she became the Bureau’s first deaf agent and proved that disa...

On this episode of Our American Stories, shortly after the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which guaranteed the right to vote regardless of race, Thomas Mundy Peterson walked into a polling place in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and made history as the first Black voter in the United States. His ballot was cast at a time when the meaning of the Constitution was still being tested and when many stat...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brett Favre's father coached the legendary QB on many subjects—most of which shaped his training, practice, and play. The passing game? Not so much. But life itself? Absolutely. Here's Brett himself with the story. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.c...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rich Wingo’s football journey began under legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, whose tough, uncompromising style forged players into men prepared for more than just Saturdays in Tuscaloosa. Bryant’s influence followed Wingo beyond his college years and into the NFL, where he suited up for the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. His book is  Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases . This time, Andrew explores the backstories of phrases like “tie the knot” and “blackballed,” among o...

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the end of the Revolutionary War, with soldiers restless and unpaid, whispers spread about replacing Congress with a monarchy. Some even suggested that George Washington take the throne. In what became known as the Newburgh Conspiracy, Washington faced a decision that could have reshaped America’s future. Instead of seizing power, he delivered word...

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Kathy Cooley’s young son Christopher was diagnosed with cancer, life turned into a series of questions, hospital visits, and prayers. Yet in the middle of the struggle, Christopher’s spirit guided his family toward a deeper faith. His courage in the face of pediatric cancer became the foundation for a legacy that lives on through The Christ...

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he was a billionaire businessman and America’s Cup champion, Bill Koch was a student-athlete at MIT learning lessons that would shape his leadership. Told he wasn’t smart or skilled enough, he worked relentlessly and discovered the power of teamwork, accountability, and focus. Koch shares how a coach, one play, and a group of “nerds...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dwight D. Eisenhower carried many influences into his role as Supreme Allied Commander, but none mattered more than his deep respect for Abraham Lincoln. Before ordering the D-Day invasion, Eisenhower often reflected on the Civil War and the leadership shown at Gettysburg. National Park Service Ranger Daniel Vermilya shares the story of how Lincoln’s...

On this episode of Our American Stories, City Grazing started with a simple idea: goats are natural landscapers. Today, the San Francisco non-profit provides goat grazing services across the Bay Area, using herds to reduce fire risk, cut down invasive weeds, and clear land in ways machines can’t. Executive director Genevieve Church, sometimes called the third “Goat Lady of San Francisc...