Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sports Illustrated called him the greatest offensive lineman of all time, but he certainly wasn't born with that title—it took a lot of hard work. Here's John Hannah himself sharing the story of the two moments in his life that pushed him toward excellence: one with his dad, the other with legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant. Support the show...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the differing fates of the Robertson and Phillips-head screwdrivers demonstrate that innovation is intimately tied to historical events. Here’s the History Guy with the story of the screwdriver wars. 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, The Fugitive Slave Act made all Americans accomplices in the practice of slavery. Here's the story of how its end began. 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 late Tony Dolan, President Ronald Reagan's chief speechwriter and a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, pays tribute to America's fallen soldiers. 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, if you want to understand the history of America, it's imperative to recognize the role the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—both Christian and non-Christian—were deeply influenced by its teachings. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan, author of  100 Bible Verses That Made America . Support the show ( https...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a big and memorable way, P.T. Barnum changed how all Americans lived. He gave them something to talk about—and dream about. Our movies, television, and entertainment-saturated culture are what they are today because of what he started. He seems almost like a fable now—but then again, he did in his own time as well. Here to tell the story is K...

On this episode of Our American Stories, for most of his life, James Armistead Lafayette was known simply as James—not Lafayette. That last name came later, and from none other than the Marquis de Lafayette of the American Revolution. But why would an enslaved man take the last name of a French military officer? Here's Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute  with the story of one...

On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler tells the story of a worship band on a mission trip to Thailand—where an impromptu gig at a brothel led to one of the most recognizable songs in Contemporary Christian Music. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks exhibited strength and conviction throughout her life, but it all started with an affair, a stolen baby, and her Catholic Faith. Here's Mary's son, Sparky, to recount his mother's tale—and the story of his family.  Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donat...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, was dominated by Mark Spitz, a Jewish American swimmer who won seven gold medals for the United States. It was also the Olympics where Palestinian terrorists massacred 11 Israeli athletes. This incident was televised across America and prompted President Nixon to establish plans to avert terrorism in the United States....

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you think of the quintessential American fruit, it’s probably the apple. But apples aren’t our cheapest fruit—bananas are! Here’s the History Guy with the story of the banana. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Faith and sports go hand in hand. Quarterbacks quote Bible verses in interviews, star players host team Bible studies, and a last-ditch attempt to win a game is called a “Hail Mary.” But it isn’t just the players who are indebted to faith—sometimes, the sports themselves are. Paul Putz, author of  The Spirit of the Game: America...

On this episode of Our American Stories, sergeant Bob Alaniz, formerly of the LAPD and the cop who helped catch the infamous “Night Stalker,” explains how our two coasts developed entirely different styles of police work.  Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Titanic  was a marvel of her time—883 feet long, 175 feet tall, and over 52,000 tons. She stood at the cutting edge of naval architecture and symbolized British national pride. Technologically advanced, she carried a Marconi wireless set for near-instant ship-to-shore communication, run by two young "computer nerds" of their day. Their job? S...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, President Calvin Coolidge strongly encouraged Americans to remember and rekindle the moral foundation behind 150 years of freedom and prosperity. Here's Vince Benedetto and Coolidge interpreter Tracy Messer with the story of an Independence Day speech for the ages. Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: htt...

On this episode of Our American Stories, it may be hard to believe today, but Catholics faced widespread discrimination and persecution in colonial America. Many future states barred Catholics from holding office—some even went so far as to ban Catholics altogether. Yet Charles Carroll defied the odds. He became one of the wealthiest men in America, helped secure American independence, and b...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ritz-Carlton founder Horst Schulze reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business. Here's Horst with a short story on how great service wins, excellence prevails, and bad service can ruin a business.  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, Lee Marvin made a name for himself as a Hollywood "tough guy"—starring in films such as  The Professionals ,  The Dirty Dozen , and  The Killers . He was initially typecast in imposing roles, but Marvin's tough character wasn't just a product of the silver screen. He was, fundamentally, a Marine—taking part in over 21 assaults on...

On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 31st episode of the Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of  Land of Hope,  tells the story of the nadir of our nation's worst man-made disaster—and takes us through to its somber conclusion at a courthouse in Virginia.   Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https://www.oura...

On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet, but no one  man did either. Critically acclaimed biographer and author of  The Innovators,  Walter Issacson, shares how the internet came to be with his audience at a book talk at the U.S. Library of Congress.   Support the show ( https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate ) Support the show: https...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Winston Churchill earned his reputation on the battlefield long before he became the man who led Britain through the darkest days of World War II. He dodged bullets, willingly put himself in harm’s way time and again, and even escaped from a prison camp far from British shores. Churchill understood the brutal realities of war—and he despised it....

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson is America’s “everyman” because he has been embraced at one time or another by nearly everyone. Historian and acclaimed author of  American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson , Joseph E. Ellis, shared the story of Jefferson’s journey through American history at the U.S. Library of Congress. Support the sh...

On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz, our regular contributor from Colorado, shares the story of a coffee incident aboard the  USS Enterprise . 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, Benjamin Franklin was a printer, an inventor, a politician, and an all-around Renaissance man—but did he believe in God? Dr. D.G. Hart, author of  Benjamin Franklin: Cultural Protestant , alongside Dr. Thomas Kidd, courtesy of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University, tells the story of this remarkably complicated man—and w...

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Harrier jet might be the pride of the U.S. Marine Corps, but in the 1990s, it became the crux of one of the most bizarre lawsuits in American history. What had started as a joke in an ad turned into a serious battle over fine print. Journalist Sean Kernan shares the wild story of John Leonard vs. Pepsi—and explains why the court's findings still m...