Our American Stories

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.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Joplin tornado struck in 2011, entire neighborhoods disappeared in minutes. Among the debris were family photographs, wedding portraits, baby pictures, graduation snapshots, carried by the wind and dropped miles from home. Thad Beeler began collecting the photos he found and searching for the people in them. What started as a small act of kindness became a mission to return memories that the storm had nearly taken forever. Beeler joins us to tell the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, many people remember Pat Boone as one of the biggest pop stars of the 1950s and '60s, but his story began in a church choir. He grew up learning how to hold a melody, lead voices in harmony, and carry a room without a single instrument behind him. Those simple lessons in discipline and presence became the foundation for a career that lasted longer on the charts than even Elvis Presley. Boone looks back on those early days in the choir loft and reflects on how they shaped his voice, his confidence, and his path into music. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, what would you do if armed guards ordered you to give up your men? In a Nazi POW camp, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds stood before his captors and refused. When they demanded the Jewish soldiers step forward, he told his men to stay in line and answered, “We are all Jews here.” With those words, he saved more than 200 American soldiers from being singled out. Edmonds never spoke of it after the war, and his family only learned the truth years later. Here's Roddie's son with the story of a quiet hero whose courage might have been forgotten had it not been for a class assignment given to his daughters. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever heard of a Puritan pastor who learned a new language so he could preach the Bible to Native Americans in their own words? In the 1600s, John Eliot did exactly that. He became known as the “Apostle to the Indians” for translating Scripture into Algonquian and sharing it across New England, leaving behind the first Bible printed in North America. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of John Eliot’s mission and its place in America’s early history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, what began as one handmade wooden bat for his son grew into the most popular and respected bat company in America. Today, Marucci Sports is trusted by players at every level, from Little League to the majors. Jack Marucci shares how a backyard project for his boy turned into a brand that changed the game. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Art Rooney, Sr., the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, believed that the measure of a man was often found in the quiet things he chose to do. Jim O'Brien, who came to see Rooney as the grandfather he had been missing, remembers one moment that revealed exactly who Rooney was. Rooney attended the funeral of a man he hardly knew because he believed showing respect in times of loss mattered more than anything else. O’Brien joins us to share how that simple act left a lasting impression on his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Navy pilot Larry Spencer was captured in North Vietnam, he entered a world that few Americans would ever see. He spent years as a prisoner of war, first in a camp called “The Zoo” and later in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Survival meant finding strength in small moments and holding on to hope that freedom would come again. Spencer tells his story in his own words, offering a rare and personal account of what it meant to live and survive inside North Vietnam’s most notorious prison. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Thomas Weller was a familiar sight along San Diego’s highways. Drivers with flat tires, empty gas tanks, or broken-down cars often saw him pull over to help, expecting nothing in return. Known as “The San Diego Highwayman,” he lived by a simple rule: if you can help, you should. Now, Weller joins us to share his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever imagined a buffalo running on a racetrack against thoroughbred horses? In the 1960s, Harvey Wallbanger did exactly that. This larger-than-life buffalo stunned crowds as he thundered past racehorses, turning a novelty act into an unforgettable chapter of racing history. Francie Berg of Buffalo Tales and Trails shares the unlikely but true story of how one buffalo captured America’s attention and proved just how wild the frontier spirit could still be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, few commercials have left a mark like Coca-Cola’s “Hey Kid, Catch!” starring "Mean" Joe Greene. Greene, already one of the greatest defensive players in the NFL, gained a new kind of fame as the spot played during football broadcasts nationwide. Our own Greg Hengler (and others) shares the story of how a 60-second spot became one of the most memorable moments in sports and advertising history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.