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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

30:17

Peter Ortiz: War Hero, Leading Man, and the Spy the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/22

On this episode of Our American Stories, before he ever stepped onto a film set, Peter Ortiz had already survived more danger than most action heroes face in a lifetime. A decorated Marine, fluent in multiple languages and trained in espionage, he parachuted into Nazi-occupied France in 1944 with one mission: aid the resistance and disrupt the enemy from within. The Gestapo put a price on his head worth half a million francs, but Ortiz kept moving, outwitting his pursuers with a mix of charm, grit,

en-US

7:59

Wild Goose Chase” & “Wrong End of the Stick” and the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/22

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. His book isHair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases.This time, Andrew explores the backstories of phrases like “wild goose chase” and “wrong end of the stick,” among others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for

en-US

20:18

Dr. David Jeremiah Explores the Real Meaning Behind...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/22

On this episode of Our American Stories, why was Jesus born in a manger? Why were shepherds the first to know? And why did a Roman census set the stage for it all? In Why the Nativity?, Dr. David Jeremiah walks through the entire Christmas narrative to explain why each person was part of it. Mary, Joseph, the wise men, and even the animals in the stable each carry meaning beyond tradition. Dr. Jeremiah joins us to talk about what the nativity scene shows us when we look at it with fresh eyes, and

en-US

9:59

The Unexpected Olympic Friendship That Defied...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/22

On this episode of Our American Stories, Jesse Owens arrived in Berlin for the 1936 Olympics as one of the fastest men in the world. The long jump competition placed him beside Luz Long, a German athlete competing under the watchful eyes of the Nazi regime and in a stadium built to showcase its ideals. During the event, Long noticed Owens struggling with his approach and quietly offered advice that helped him stay in the competition. The two men spoke easily, competed fiercely, and walked off the

en-US

7:59

Lessons from Whoville After a Real-World Flood

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/22

On this episode of Our American Stories, after a flash flood tore through his church, Stephen Rusiniak stood ankle-deep in water and debris, not quite sure where to begin. The rooms where Sunday school once echoed had collapsed into a mess of ruined walls and floating Bibles. But it’s what happened next that really left a mark. What Stephen witnessed reminded him of a scene fromHow the Grinch Stole Christmas. After disaster struck and the citizens of Whoville were left with nothing, they still

en-US

27:27

Sunday Mornings with Big Mitch: Ep. 9

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/21

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. Mitch opens with a memory that still sets the tone for how he sees prison: a place where you learn to sleep with one eye open and keep your back to the wall. He talks about the people who shaped him on

en-US

10:49

Lincoln’s Final Days

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/19

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Civil War had ended. Washington was alive with celebration, and President Lincoln was finally stepping into a season that promised hope. But that new beginning never arrived. John Wilkes Booth cut it short. Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story in a way you may not have heard before—one that begins with the happiest day of Lincoln’s life just days before his assassination. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See

en-US

9:29

“Bring Home the Bacon” and the Wonderful Origins of...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/19

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrase “bring home the bacon” came to be. His book,Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

en-US

17:58

Memorable Christmas Stories in U.S. Military History

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/19

On this episode of Our American Stories, Christmas has a way of slipping into the cracks of history, even in years when war tried to swallow the season whole. The History Guy pulls together the overlooked moments when Christmas and military history collided in unexpected ways. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

10:49

One Man’s Midlife Showdown with Fitness and Common Sense

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/19

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Paul decided it was time to get serious about weight loss, he went all in on the kind of fitness plan that looks sensible on paper and slightly unhinged in practice. He wrestled with machines that never moved, counted laps he could never quite remember, and kept trying to turn discipline into something he enjoyed. His journey through healthy eating habits and gym-floor humility becomes a funny, familiar look at what happens when a clean eating dream

en-US

27:28

When John Ford Walked Off a Hollywood Set and Into...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/19

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Ford was already shaping the Golden Age of film, the force behind classics like StagecoachandThe Informer,when World War II pulled him toward a different kind of frontier. At forty-seven, with Hollywood at his feet and a reputation as one of America’s greatest directors, Ford walked away from the studio lot and into the U.S. Navy. Historian and Wild-West expert Roger McGrath shares how a filmmaker known for mythic westerns ended up documenting a

en-US

10:49

Babe Ruth's Final Years in the Major Leagues

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/18

On this episode of Our American Stories, Babe Ruth was the Greatest baseball player of all time, yet time proved to be his greatest enemy. Join us as Mike Gibbons tells the story of Babe Ruth's final years as a professional baseball player. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

9:29

Billy Graham's Sermon to Remember After the Oklahoma...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/18

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Oklahoma City bombing shattered the Murrah Building, people were left searching for something that made sense. The investigation into Timothy McVeigh was only just beginning, and the shock of the tragedy had not yet lifted. Billy Graham arrived in a city that felt suspended between grief and disbelief. His sermon offered language for a moment no one knew how to describe, and many residents still remember it as a turning point in the days following

en-US

9:59

Inside the First Red Scare: How the Palmer Raids...

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/18

On this episode of Our American Stories, every country has moments it would rather not rewatch, and the Palmer Raids sit high on America’s list. What began as scattered bomb scares and loud political rhetoric slowly slid into mass arrests, borderless investigations, and a government convinced that civil liberties were optional when the stakes felt high enough. Larry Reed unpacks how fear, politics, and a restless Justice Department collided in nineteen twenty, turning a national anxiety spike

en-US

7:59

The Odd Journey of a Penguin and His New Kicks

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/18

On this episode of Our American Stories, Enrique had lived a long, dignified life at the St. Louis Zoo when age finally caught up to his feet. Arthritis doesn’t care whether you’re human or penguin, and soon every step told his keepers something needed to change. What followed wasn’t a grand breakthrough so much as a series of small experiments that eventually pointed toward an idea no one expected — shoes. Marija Elden walks us through how an aging bird, some stubborn

en-US

38:16

Where Our Christmas Traditions Actually Come From

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/18

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Christmas settled into the shape we know, the holiday moved through centuries of reinvention. Early Europeans marked the dark stretch of winter with fire and evergreens, while later religious debates pushed the season in new and sometimes unexpected directions. By the time America embraced Christmas as a public holiday, it had gathered customs from many cultures and carried stories far older than the Nativity itself. Here's the story of how

en-US

30:17

A Family Man's Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/17

On this episode of Our American Stories, every December, families chase the idea of a perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes you find it standing in a snowy field. Sometimes you find it in a grocery-store parking lot when the sun’s already down, and the good ones are gone. Jim Johnson knows that chase better than most. His search took him through freezing Minnesota afternoons, crowded tree farms, and a few humbling lessons about real trees, fake trees, and the fragile rituals we build around the

en-US

7:59

The Woman Who Voiced Rudolph

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/17

On this episode of Our American Stories, the most famous reindeer in the world was voiced by someone most people have never heard of. Billie Mae Richards, a Canadian actress and mother of five, gave Rudolph his voice in the 1964 holiday special that became a staple of American television. She recorded the part in just a few hours, never expecting the character to last. What followed were decades of reruns, toy lines, and a place in Christmas history. In this rare archival interview, Richards shares

en-US

20:18

Why Die Hard Became a Modern Christmas Classic

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/17

On this episode of Our American Stories, every winter, the same question makes its rounds: Is Die Harda Christmas movie? It premiered in the heat of July, packed with explosions instead of sleigh bells, but something strange happened once audiences got hold of it. The film began drifting toward December as if it had been invited all along. Stephen Follows walks us through that slow migration, pulling together the data, the patterns, and the odd cultural habits that turned a barefooted cop into

en-US

9:59

Two Country Boys and the Making of a Harvard Legacy

Our American Stories ·

2025/12/17

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harvard is often defined by its oldest traditions and its most privileged stories, but some of its lasting influence came from students who began far from that world. James Bradley Thayer and Chauncey Wright grew up in the rural corners of Massachusetts at a time when Harvard seemed reserved only for Boston’s elite. Their path into the university reshaped their lives in uneven ways, revealing how talent, timing, and circumstance can intersect. Andrew

en-US

1,783 results

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