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PODCAST

Our American Stories

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

7:59

Behind the Blue Christmas: How Elvis Was Coaxed into...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/17

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s Christmas album has become a holiday staple, but the story behind it is more surprising than you might think. Greg McDonald was there in the early days, when Colonel Tom Parker was just beginning to shape the Elvis brand. Here’s Greg sharing the story of how the King of Rock and Roll was convinced to lend his voice to Christmas music, changing the season forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See

en-US

20:18

The Teen CEO of the Candy That Cleans Your Teeth

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/16

On this episode of Our American Stories, Zolli Candy grew from an idea Alina Morse tested at her kitchen counter. She wanted a sweet that could support healthy teeth, and the search for that solution pulled her into the early steps of entrepreneurship. Those small steps opened up a world of opportunities, leading to Alina being the youngest person ever to appear on the cover ofEntrepreneurmagazine! Alina joins us to tell the story of Zoli Candy's rise to the top. Support the show

en-US

9:59

An Our American Stories Listener Remembers His...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/16

On this episode of Our American Stories, before jazz became a subject for textbooks and framed posters, it lived in families like the Gozzards. Harry Gozzard never worked the factory lines that defined Detroit. His world unfolded late at night, horn in hand, moving from club to club as the big band era held on. His son, Georges, traces those memories across cities and seasons and remembers what it felt like to watch a parent step into a spotlight that few families ever saw. Support the show

en-US

7:59

The Tragedy Behind 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/16

On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was in mourning. His wife had died in a fire two years earlier. His son had been wounded in the Civil War. And the country itself felt beyond repair. That Christmas, he sat down and wrote a poem about the sound of church bells, one that began in sorrow and ended with a quiet return to hope. The words were later set to music and became “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Robert Morgan, author of100

en-US

10:49

Thomas Shipley: The Most Famous Abolitionist You've...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/16

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early nineteenth century, Philadelphia lived with a contradiction. It called itself a free city, yet kidnapping rings operated within it and pulled Black residents back toward the world of slavery. Thomas Shipley was one of the few abolitionists who cared about each person who went missing. He infiltrated murderous mobs, warned would-be victims, and testified against ringleaders throughout his life. Here’s his remarkable story. Support the show

en-US

27:27

The Hidden Histories Beneath Our Christmas Music

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/16

On this episode of Our American Stories, the history of classic Christmas songs is a story shaped by accidents, migrations, and reinventions. A poem written for one parish grew into a carol that crossed borders. A melody carried across continents found new life in American churches. Other pieces resurfaced during political upheaval and eventually settled into the traditions we now recognize. Together, they formed the foundation of the Christmas music that anchors the season. Ace Collins, author

en-US

20:18

What Happened to Saturday Morning Cartoons?

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/15

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Saturday morning cartoons defined how studios reached their youngest audiences. The block emerged during a period when television was limited, expectations were consistent, and advertisers knew how to hold attention. Over time, new regulations, new technologies, and new viewing habits loosened its grip. Mark McCray, author of The Best Saturday of Our Lives, explains how these shifts reshaped the medium and why the familiar rhythm of Saturday

en-US

17:58

How Star Wars Toys Rewrote the Rules of Movie...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/15

On this episode of Our American Stories, before anyone understood the reach of Star Wars, a small toy company stepped in with an idea that would alter the future of licensing. The first run of 1977Star Warsfigures was modest, yet the response from children and collectors revealed something larger. These toys made the galaxy feel close enough to hold, and that closeness turned the franchise into a merchandising powerhouse. Jarrod Roll—museum director and public historian known for his work

en-US

20:18

Ruth Handler and the Gamble That Built Barbie

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/15

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Ruth Handler created Barbie, she was a girl standing behind the counter of her family’s Denver deli, learning how people reveal themselves in the smallest choices. She carried that intuition with her as she and her husband began building Mattel from almost nothing. Years later, it was her daughter who brought that old instinct into focus. As Ruth watched her play with her dolls, she noticed a gap the toy world kept overlooking: young girls

en-US

9:59

To Hear the Angels Sing

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/15

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Kent was just nine years old, he had a very special experience that, many years later, he still can’t seem to shake. Here’s Kent with his story entitled “To Hear the Angels Sing.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

7:59

How I Was Changed by My Short-Term Mission Trip

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/15

On this episode of Our American Stories, a short-term mission trip can feel predictable—until the moment it is not. Stephen Rusiniak shares a story written by his daughter, who traveled to West Virginia expecting hard work and good memories, nothing more. What she found instead was a barefoot child standing in a doorway and a reminder of how acts of kindness can reshape our sense of what matters. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for

en-US

20:18

Sunday Mornings with Big Mitch: Ep. 8

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/14

On this episode of Our American Stories, every Sunday, Our American Storieshost Lee Habeeb speaks with Mitchel "Big Mitch" Rutledge, who has spent more than forty years serving a life sentence in Alabama. Each call traces the shape of faith, regret, and forgiveness inside a place built for punishment. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

10:49

Midnight at the Live Fire Range: A Close Call in the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/12

On this episode of Our American Stories, at Fort Irwin, where military training exercises push soldiers to the edge of real combat, the line between routine drills and genuine danger can blur without warning. Our American Storiesregular contributor Richard Muniz remembers a night when that line vanished. A single misjudged moment during a live-fire military exercise sent a round into the wrong vehicle and forced a small crew to fight for their lives in the dark. His story is a look at how even the

en-US

9:29

When Lincoln Faced Defeat: The Uneasy Year That...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/12

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the start of 1864, the Civil War had dragged the country into exhaustion. Union armies faced setback after setback, and Lincoln watched public confidence slip as the Confederacy pressed its advantage. The outcome of the presidential election during wartime hung on the direction of the fighting, which turned the battlefield into a measure of Lincoln’s strength. Charles Bracelen Flood revisits this uneasy year, when the fate of the Union and the

en-US

17:58

How a Father Turned One Car Ride Into a Lifeline for...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/12

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Blair and Cat Cornell learned their son would be born with special needs, they braced themselves for a future they could not quite picture. The early years brought long appointments and days that seemed to rise and fall on small breakthroughs. One evening, after a day that had worn their son down, Blair took him for a quiet drive. The shift was immediate. The tension left his face, and the moment settled into something gentle and steady. That drive

en-US

30:17

Buc-ee’s: How a Texas Gas Station Became a National...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/12

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before travelers lined up for brisket sandwiches or bags of Beaver Nuggets, Buc-ee’s began as Arch “Beaver” Aplin’s attempt to rethink what a roadside stop could feel like. He believed that even a quick break on a long drive deserved care, and the first Texas store reflected that instinct. Over the years, the idea grew until people started talking about the largest gas station in the United States as if it were a landmark rather

en-US

7:59

When One Ozarks County Declared Itself the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/12

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the spring of 1961, McDonald County opened its highway map and discovered that it had simply vanished. The resort towns that depended on summer travelers were nowhere to be found, and what looked like a clerical mistake carried real consequences for the people who lived there. County leaders announced that McDonald County would symbolically secede from Missouri until someone paid attention.Dwight Pogue was a teenager then, watching his neighbors create a

en-US

10:49

Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts: The...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/11

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Glorybrought the 54th Massachusetts to modern audiences, Robert Gould Shaw felt the pull of a story that had already begun to shape him. A quiet moment withUncle Tom’s Cabinset him on a path that would place him at the head of one of the first Black Civil War regiments to see combat. The challenges he faced, the men who followed him, and the final march that secured the regiment’s legacy all unfolded long before the cameras arrived

en-US

19:28

How Grief Pulled a Physician Into Addiction and Out...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/11

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Dr. David Berry lost his newborn daughter, the world around him narrowed until grief became the only thing he could feel. What began as an attempt to quiet that pain led him first to alcohol, then to cough syrup, and eventually to the stolen prescriptions that pushed him out of his home, his marriage, and the profession he loved. Dr. Berry shares how he reached the lowest point of substance abuse and how recovery helped him find solid ground again

en-US

7:59

“Apple of Your Eye” and the Wonderful Origins of...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/11

On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of his ongoing series on the origins of everyday expressions, Andrew Thompson—author ofHair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red—shares the fascinating backstory behind the phrase “apple of your eye” and several others we still use without thinking. These familiar sayings carry histories shaped by religion, literature, and everyday life in earlier centuries. Thompson traces how these expressions traveled through time, how their

en-US

1,783 results

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