Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, as a kid, Dennis Peterson’s experience with fireworks was mostly from a distance, but as his life changed, so did his Independence Day celebrations. Dennis reflects on how Independence Day became the backdrop to his personal journey and why each July 4th still matters. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after leading the colonies to victory in the American Revolution, George Washington shocked the world by refusing to become king. Instead, he laid the foundation for the American presidency and helped define the future of our republic. Dr. Larry Arnn of Hillsdale College and bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick share the remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the cowboy hat didn’t come from Texas or tumbleweeds. Instead, it came from a modest Philadelphia workshop. John B. Stetson transformed durable felt and a wide brim into a practical design that would become one of the most iconic symbols of the American frontier. His creation topped the heads of Western legends like Buffalo Bill and Will Rogers, and later, Hollywood cowboys like John Wayne. Our own Reagan Habeeb shares the story of how a simple hatmaker helped shape the look and legacy of the American West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Francis Scott Key wasn’t a musician, a soldier, or a master wordsmith. But after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, he scribbled out a rough poem that captured a nation’s defiance. Set to the tune of a British drinking song, his words became "The Star-Spangled Banner" and the unexpected anthem of a young country. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, On July 4, 1986, moments before the largest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan gave a rousing speech from the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy in New York Harbor. Standing beneath the Statue of Liberty, he reminded the country and the world what freedom really means. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Uncle Sam is the iconic face of American patriotism, pointing from posters, stamped on recruitment ads, and etched into national memory. But how did he come to be? The real story begins with a New York meatpacker named Samuel Wilson. What started as a shipping label turned into one of the most enduring symbols of liberty and national service. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Art Burton, author of numerous books on African Americans in the West, tells the story of Cherokee Bill: one of the most feared and notorious outlaws in Indian Territory. Known for his violent robberies and multiple killings during the 1890s, Cherokee Bill became a legendary figure whose brief but deadly career earned him comparisons to Jesse James and Billy the Kid. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Scooby-Doo, where are you? Americans have been asking themselves this question for over half a century. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of one of the most iconic cartoons of all time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Harford, an economist and bestselling author of Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy, shares the story of these three underappreciated inventions in history—air conditioning, the barcode, and the elevator brake! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, James Arness is recognized as one of America's most beloved actors. Generations have grown up watching him as Marshal Matt Dillon on television’s longest-running series, Gunsmoke. Here to share another “Hollywood Goes to War” story is Roger McGrath. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Maureen Elwyn shares the heartfelt story of a moment with her elderly grandfather and his beautiful singing as she played the organ. We’d like to thank Leslie Leyland Fields for introducing us to this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Corum, author of The Ultimate Pardon, shares his incredible story of redemption and explains how he went from being a feared enforcer in the Kansas City underworld to becoming a free man and a prison minister on a mission. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American, there is no Burger King in Mattoon, Illinois. There isn’t even a Burger King within 20 miles of the small town. The reason? A small burger joint known as the Burger King took the national brand to court... and won. Chris Suerdieck, a curator at the Mattoon History Center, 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 2021, former Negro Leagues baseball player Buck O'Neil was finally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame—years after being rejected, to the surprise of his friends, by just one vote. Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, tells the story of how Buck handled that loss, in Bob's words, "like a man." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the story of Dicey Langston, an American Revolutionary War heroine who, at the age of 15, saved her family and fellow patriots from one of the most notorious gangs of Loyalist outlaws of the time: the so-called "Bloody Scouts." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Candy corn. Black licorice. Circus peanuts. Chances are, you have a strong opinion about one or all of these three candies. For some, they're a nostalgic treat... for others, they belong in the trash. But chances are, you've never thought about how they came to be. Here to tell the story of America's three most controversial candies is a man simply known as the History Guy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, armed with only a walking cane and a pistol, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of the former president, stormed the beaches of Normandy at an age when most men were thinking about retirement. He had a lot to live up to, and despite his privileged upbringing, he succeeded in making a name for himself much like his father. Craig Du Mez, president of the Grateful Nation Project, shares the story of the only son of a U.S. president to receive the Medal of Honor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1974, Patricia Hearst, heiress to the William Randolph Hearst newspaper empire, was abducted by an American far-left militant organization. But in a shocking turn of events, she eventually joined their cause. Here’s the remarkable 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 1980s, Brig and Jon Sorber, then high school students in Lansing, Michigan, started a local moving service using an old, beat-up pickup truck. They called it Two Men and a Truck—and their mom drew the original stick-figure logo. When the boys left for college, she took over the business, incorporated it, and—using the meager $350 profit from its first year—laid the foundation for one of the world's largest moving companies. Brig himself shares the remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, JD Phillips (a.k.a. The Appalachian Storyteller) shares the true story of Ches McCartney—a man who traversed the United States in a ramshackle wagon drawn by, of all things, a herd of goats. His mission? To spread the word of God—and have a few adventures (and misadventures) along the way. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.