Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, before George McGovern became the Democratic presidential candidate in the 1972 election, he was a young pilot flying dangerous missions over Europe. Long before he spoke out against the Vietnam War, he risked his life in the skies of World War II, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage. Years later, the same man who had faced German gunfire would stand on a national stage, calling for an end to another war. His message of peace divided voters, and his campaign against President Richard Nixon ended in defeat. The late, great historian Stephen Ambrose shares the remarkable life of George McGovern — a man whose journey from bomber pilot to Democratic nominee challenged America to see war and leadership in a different light. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, the ocean was a battlefield few ever saw. Deep below the surface, American submarines hunted enemy ships in silence, their crews knowing that a single mistake could mean never coming home. Among them was Rear Admiral Frederick “Fearless Freddie” Warder, a U.S. Navy officer whose skill and steady command made him one of the most respected leaders in the fleet. Warder earned his nickname through acts of calm precision, leading his submarine into dangerous waters and striking with torpedo accuracy that seemed impossible. His courage and composure became legendary among Navy ranks, yet his name rarely appears in history books. He was one of the many unsung heroes of World War II whose quiet victories helped turn the tide of war. Here’s the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1990s, cable television was changing fast. Then came two boys who changed it even faster. Beavis and Butt-Head, created by Mike Judge, appeared on MTV without warning and instantly divided audiences. Parents complained while teenagers quoted every line. The show’s humor was crude, but its insight was sharp. Judge understood how television reflected the chaos of real life, and he built a world that made sense of it through laughter. Beneath the noise and nonsense was a surprisingly honest look at youth culture in the age of screens. Our own Greg Hengler — along with Mike Judge himself — shares the story of the creation of Beavis and Butt-Head Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Greg McDonald was sixteen when a summer job opened a door he never expected. Working maintenance in Memphis meant seeing beautiful homes and meeting the occasional celebrity, but nothing compared to the day he stepped inside a mansion owned by Elvis Presley. One introduction led to another, and soon Greg was talking with Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s legendary manager. That brief encounter grew into a lifelong career beside the King of Rock and Roll. Greg traveled with Elvis, helped manage details behind the scenes, and watched history unfold from just a few steps away. Over the years, he came to know not just the performer but the man who carried the weight of fame with humor and heart. Greg joins us to share how a single afternoon shaped the rest of his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the year was 1968, and the world below was coming apart. Wars raged overseas, cities burned, and faith in the future seemed to flicker. Yet hundreds of thousands of miles away, three astronauts aboard Apollo 8 were witnessing something extraordinary. As their capsule emerged from the Moon’s shadow, astronaut Bill Anders looked out the window and saw the Earth rising above the lunar horizon. He lifted his camera—and in that quiet instant, Earthrise was born. The image would soon be embraced by the peace movement, printed on posters, and carried in protests. But the irony is that it was born out of war—the Space Race, a direct contest with the Soviet Union that began in fear and rivalry. From conflict came a photograph that united the world in wonder. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story behind this iconic image. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most people would hide a smell like this. Andrew Masters and Allen Wittman decided to bottle it. Their invention, Liquid Ass, started as a laugh between friends and grew into a best-selling fart spray. With more than 36,000 reviews and a steady stream of prank-loving customers, the product turned a simple joke into a thriving company called Liquid Assets. Founders Andrew Masters and Allen Wittman share how curiosity and timing turned a teenager’s prank into an unlikely business success story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, centuries before it was called “The Big Apple,” New York was a patch of wilderness at the edge of the Atlantic. Dutch settlers built their homes along the Hudson, the British renamed it New York, and over time, it grew into the beating heart of modern America. From the brownstones of Brooklyn to the lights of Times Square, every corner tells a story of growth and grit. Our American Stories’ regular contributor, Bill Bryk, shares how a collection of small settlements became the New York City we know today, home to millions, rich in history, and constantly changing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, two men, born generations apart, helped shape the course of American history. Booker T. Washington emerged from the aftermath of slavery, founding the Tuskegee Institute and preaching the power of education and self-determination. Decades later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. carried that torch into the modern civil rights movement, leading through nonviolent protest and faith in the promise of equality. Both faced profound racial injustice, yet neither let oppression define their spirit. Through education, courage, and peaceful resistance, they opened doors that generations still walk through today. Author James Ward reflects on their legacies and the zero-victim mentality that continues to inspire Americans today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brad Server grew up like millions of kids, glued to reruns of The Three Stooges and laughing at the slapstick chaos of Curly Howard, Larry Fine, and Moe Howard. What he didn’t know was that one of the most famous comedians in the world wasn’t just his hero but his grandfather. For years, his family had kept the truth hidden. Curly’s fame was complicated, shadowed by health struggles and the pressures of early Hollywood. When Brad finally learned who he was, the discovery connected him to a man he had only ever known through laughter. Today, Brad honors that legacy as “Curly G,” sharing stories about his grandfather’s life, the brilliance behind the act, and the lasting power of The Three Stooges to make the world smile. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the last of his children packed their bags and left, Paul found himself with too much time and an overwhelmingly quiet home. Rather than give in to empty-nest syndrome, he chose to spend his days doing something that mattered. When he first walked into the nursing home where he planned to volunteer, he didn’t expect to find friendship in its grumpiest resident. Wilbur wasn’t one for company, especially after losing his wife, but Paul kept trying to draw him out. Each visit chipped away at the silence that surrounded them both. Over time, those small moments turned into a steady friendship that helped ease the loneliness they each carried. Paul joins us to share how one simple act of showing up changed two lives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Edgar Allan Poe is best known for his dark tales and haunting poems, yet his imagination stretched far beyond the macabre. Behind the tragedies that shaped his life was a writer who helped define Gothic literature, pioneered detective fiction, and even ventured into the earliest forms of science fiction. Chris Semtner, curator at the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia, reveals the wit, creativity, and depth of one of America’s most enduring literary voices. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before air travel became routine, flight was a dangerous experiment. In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge climbed into a fragile biplane beside Orville Wright, ready to test the limits of a new invention that had barely left the ground. When a propeller snapped midair, the airplane crashed near Fort Myer, Virginia. Wright survived with severe injuries; Selfridge did not, becoming the first man to die in a plane crash and marking the beginning of a new chapter in the history of aviation. His sacrifice helped shape the safety standards that would guide every flight thereafter. Craig Du Mez of the Grateful Nation Project shares the story that defined the earliest days of the sky. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Smithson was born into wealth but denied a name. As the illegitimate son of the Duke of Northumberland, he spent his life pursuing science instead of status, studying minerals and publishing quietly across Europe. In his will, Smithson made a choice no one expected: he left his fortune to the United States, a nation he had never visited, with the condition that it be used “to increase and diffuse knowledge.” That gift created the Smithsonian Institution, a collection that would grow into the world’s largest museum complex. Wyatt Hensley, a history education major at the University of Pittsburgh and a two-time winner of Constituting America’s We the Future contest, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the hills of Vermont, a boy named Wilson Bentley fell in love with snow. Each flake, he noticed, was fleeting and perfect, gone before he could study it. Determined to keep their beauty from melting away, he began experimenting with photography in his family’s farmhouse. On January 15, 1885, at twenty years old, Bentley succeeded in taking the first photograph of a snowflake. Using a microscope and a bellows camera, he revealed a world of icy symmetry no one had ever seen. He spent the rest of his life photographing snow crystals, building a collection of more than five thousand historic photos that reshaped early photography and inspired generations of scientists and artists alike. Dr. Jerry Bergman tells the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the New York Public Library opened its doors in 1911, one family already called it home. John Fiedler, the building’s first superintendent, moved in with his wife, Cornelia, and their two sons while the library was still under construction. Their apartment sat on the mezzanine level overlooking Bryant Park, and it was there that their daughter, Viviani, was born in 1917. The Fiedler children grew up surrounded by marble halls and endless stacks of books. They played baseball inside the library, sliding across the floors and using books for bases. Author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb brings their remarkable story to life, preserving a forgotten chapter in the history of the New York Public Library. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, it started as a snowed-in night behind a funeral parlor and ended with a mystery worthy of a campfire story. Our American Stories listener Tom Ryan shares the tale of his grandmother, a quick-witted mortician who faced down an escaped convict, a closed casket, and a secret that stayed buried for years. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in Antrim, New Hampshire, every grave tells part of the town’s story. Bill Bryk, a listener and regular contributor to Our American Stories, takes a thoughtful walk through his local cemetery, where the names carved in stone recall centuries of life, loss, and memory. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2017, Rhode Island grower Joe Jutras set a world record with a green squash weighing 2,118 pounds, earning a place among the largest fruits and vegetables ever grown. Reaching that milestone took years of experimenting with soil science and meticulous care from planting to harvest. Joe explains how patience, timing, and an understanding of growth cycles can turn an ordinary garden into a contender for the world’s biggest fruit. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1892, the quiet town of Fall River, Massachusetts, became the scene of one of America’s most famous unsolved murder mysteries. Andrew and Abby Borden were found brutally killed with an axe, and suspicion quickly turned to Andrew’s daughter, Lizzie. What followed was a trial that transfixed the nation, blending questions of class, gender, and justice into a public spectacle that blurred the line between truth and myth. More than a century later, the mystery endures. Historian and author Cara Robertson, writer of The Trial of Lizzie Borden, revisits the Borden murders to untangle fact from folklore. Did Lizzie Borden get away with murder, or has history turned her into one of its most enduring legends? Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Stories' host, Lee Habeeb, speaks with Mitchel Rutledge, an inmate serving life in Alabama, over the phone about life, faith, and redemption behind bars. This is the third installment of our ongoing series with him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.