Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Brandon Burlsworth first stepped onto the University of Arkansas practice field, almost no one believed he belonged there. He had no scholarship, no athletic pedigree, and nothing to recommend him beyond an unshakable work ethic. Yet every morning, he showed up before the sun and stayed long after the lights went out. Over time, the kid from Harrison earned his place among the Razorbacks’ best. His discipline transformed him from an overlooked walk-on into an All-American lineman, respected by coaches, teammates, and fans who saw something rare in his character. Brandon’s family and coaches share the story of the man for whom the national award for the best walk-on player is named. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Led Zeppelin stormed onto the music scene, their sound felt untouchable. It was raw, electric, and entirely new. Yet beneath the roar of the guitars was a rhythm that didn’t begin in London. Its roots were planted in the American South, crafted by a bluesman whose work shaped the foundation of rock long before the world knew Jimmy Page or Robert Plant. Years later, echoes of that melody landed Led Zeppelin in a courtroom, where a judge had to decide whether the greatest band of its era had borrowed too much from the past. Stephen Davis and Kirby Ferguson share the story of how a single blues riff forced rock and roll to face its origins. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few thought a quiet cartoon about a sad little tree could work on television. But Charles Schulz believed that A Charlie Brown Christmas would speak to people in a way that noise and spectacle never could. The animation was rough, the dialogue understated, and the jazz soundtrack unlike anything audiences had heard before. But when it aired in December of 1965, families across the country sat down to something that felt simple and true. Lee Habeeb shares the story of how the now-famous festive cartoon special was made. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, only weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Prime Minister Winston Churchill made an all-important stop in the United States to meet with President Roosevelt and address Congress about the difficult road ahead. He knew better than anyone what that path looked like—he had been walking it alone for some time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Nancy "3" Hoffman has spent her life chasing delight in the unexpected. A professional accordionist and world traveler, she built a museum that no one else in the world had thought to create: a home for umbrella covers. On Peaks Island, Maine, her collection began as a joke among friends and grew into a destination that celebrates the overlooked details of everyday life. Visitors come from across the country to laugh, browse, and rethink what it means to find meaning in small things. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, along the shores of Lake Michigan sits a story stranger than fiction: a man preserved in a glass coffin. He was part of the House of David, a communal religious group whose followers built amusement parks, baseball teams, and their own legends. Visitors came from across the country to see him—but not all came with good intentions. Thieves once tried to steal the diamond necklace that lay inside the coffin. For decades, the figure has fascinated locals and outsiders alike, raising questions about faith, spectacle, and how we remember the dead. Chris Siriano of the House of David Museum shares the story of America’s man in the glass coffin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 16-year-old Hector Boiardi stepped off the ship at Ellis Island, he carried more ambition than belongings. Trained as a chef, he brought Old World recipes to his new country and eventually opened a restaurant that made his pasta sauce famous. Soon, his name—changed to Boyardee so Americans could pronounce it—appeared on canned foods across the nation. Our own Greg Hengler shares the remarkable story of a man you know, but whose story you don’t. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Taylor Dooley’s breakout role as Lava Girl launched her into sudden fame, but it also came with pressures few young actors are prepared to handle. By her late teens, she stepped away from Hollywood to live life outside the spotlight. Years later, Dooley returned to reprise the role that defined her childhood in Netflix’s We Can Be Heroes. Here, Taylor opens up about the challenges of child stardom and the joy of reconnecting with her character as an adult. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tommy Emmanuel grew up in Australia with a guitar in his hands and a dream in his heart. Inspired by country guitar legend Chet Atkins, he taught himself to play with a style and energy that amazed audiences. That dream eventually led him to America, where he found a home for both his music and his talent. Here, Emmanuel reflects on how his music continues to bridge the gap between passion and perseverance—and why he believes America is the best country on Earth for musicians. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, escaping war-torn, Nazi-occupied Croatia during World War II, Tony Maglica started over in the United States with nothing but ambition and skill. He worked tirelessly, built his own tools, and eventually invented the Maglite: a flashlight that redefined quality and reliability. For decades, Maglite has been proudly made in America, carried by first responders, explorers, and anyone who needed a light they could trust. Here’s Tony with his remarkable story of survival and the fulfillment of his American Dream. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1961, a group of young men and women boarded buses to test whether the Supreme Court’s desegregation rulings would be honored in the South. They became known as the Freedom Riders. Their mission was met with brutal violence as mobs and members of the Ku Klux Klan attacked them for daring to sit as equals. But they refused to turn back. Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the story of one of the most dangerous journeys of the Civil Rights Movement and the courage that carried the Freedom Riders through. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1846, a group of pioneers set out for California with dreams of a better life. Known as the Donner Party, they fell behind on the trail, took a disastrous shortcut, and became trapped in the Sierra Nevada as winter storms closed in. With supplies gone and snow piling up, survival came at a great cost. Here’s their remarkable and tragic story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2003, Ford marked its 100th anniversary with something more than a celebration. The company decided to build a supercar that would honor its legendary Le Mans victories while proving it could still compete at the highest level of performance. The result was the Ford GT: a car that blended heritage and innovation in a way few vehicles ever have. Through the voices of industry leaders Neil Ressler, Scott Ahlman, and Mark McGowan, Jon Elfner tells the story of how the GT was designed, tested, and unleashed as America’s answer to Ferrari. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, picture a crowded parlor in the 1800s. The air is heavy, the fire is roaring, and the women are laced into corsets that leave little room to breathe. In moments like these, fainting became common—so common that homes often had special couches set aside for recovery. What we now think of as a Victorian cliché was, for many women, an ordinary interruption to daily life. Simon Whistler, host of Today I Found Out, explains how fainting reflected the health, fashion, and culture of the nineteenth century. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pat Boone was at the height of his career when television executives told him to cancel a guest. That guest was Harry Belafonte, the singer whose hit “Day-O” had made him famous around the world. Boone was warned that audiences in some parts of the country wouldn’t accept a Black artist on stage beside him. His answer was simple: if Belafonte wasn’t welcome, neither was he. Boone recalls the night he chose integrity over career security and why that moment meant more than the show itself. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Neil White thought his life was defined by success and appearances—until a white-collar crime sent him to prison in Carville, Louisiana. What he didn’t know was that this prison also housed one of the last leprosy colonies in the United States. Living side by side with patients who had been exiled from the world forced White to confront his own pride, his failures, and the meaning of dignity. He shares how his time in Carville reshaped everything he believed about life and self-worth. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a small Oklahoma town, one man’s toy collection grew into something nobody had ever seen before: the world’s first action figure museum. Thousands of superheroes, robots, and childhood icons now fill the shelves, turning a private passion into a public treasure. What began as one person’s love of action figures has become a place where visitors can step back into their own childhood and rediscover the wonder of play. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on June 6, 1944, as Allied troops fought through the waves at Normandy, Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to a nation holding its breath. Rather than delivering a speech, Roosevelt led the nation in prayer for the men fighting overseas. For six minutes, more than 100 million Americans bowed their heads as FDR called for faith in the face of war. Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story of Roosevelt’s D-Day prayer—and explains why it remains one of the most powerful moments of his presidency. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he shared the screen with John Wayne in Rio Bravo, John Russell was fighting on Guadalcanal as a decorated Marine. He returned from WWII with a battlefield commission, a reputation for valor, and a rugged presence that caught Hollywood’s eye. Soon, he was cast in films and television, rising to fame as the star of Lawman and earning a place among Western legends like Clint Eastwood. As part of our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Roger McGrath shares the story of the Marine who came home and made his mark on the screen Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 35th episode of our Story of America series, Hillsdale College professor and Land of Hope author Bill McClay tells the story of how America shifted from the rhythms of the countryside to the pace of the city. Factories, streetcars, and crowded neighborhoods brought both opportunity and hardship, reshaping daily life for millions. As McClay explains, immigration and industry created a faster, less familiar America—one that still shapes the way we live today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.