Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Batman is a household name. His list of comic issues, let alone live-action movies, animated films, and TV shows, video games, you name it, is nothing short of astounding… but this wasn’t always the case. Andrew Farago, Curator at the Cartoon Art Museum and author of Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond, is here to tell us the story of the Caped Crusader.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Francis “Frank” Scott Key was not someone you would have picked to write our national anthem… but he did, and right after one of America’s great military victories.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Nancy Bro of the GAR Cemetery in Miami, Oklahoma shares the stories of the unique and colorful characters buried within it...including a rodeo star, veterans of the Union and Confederate armies, and a few British pilots.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Colorado listener Patty Kingsbaker shares this "knock out" Frank Sinatra story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Major Buang-Ly worked as a pilot with the United States military during the Vietnam War. When the US began evacuating, he knew he had to get his family out. Historian Hill Goodspeed from the Naval Aviation Museum brings us this amazing story of a father doing whatever he could to save his family.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Phillis Wheatley, the first published black poet, has the remarkable distinction of being invited to meet with King George III and George Washington. Leslie Johnson of the American Village tells her story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, 26-year-old actor John Wilkes Booth was killed just 12 days after assassinating Abraham Lincoln. Here’s Christopher Klein with the story of how the city of Boston embraced the Booth brothers.

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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. The book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, PEZ had great success where it was invented, but changed its course after initially failing in America. Shawn Peterson, author of “PEZ: From Austrian Invention to American Icon”, shares the story of how this manual candy dispenser came to be.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of our rule of law series, P.J. Hill, rancher and co-author of “The Not So Wild, Wild West: Property Rights on the Frontier,” explains the misunderstanding behind the American West.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, listener and Contributor Katrina Hine shares a personal story from one of her first jobs out of high school, entitled: “Cow Patty“.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of the Battle of Midway, America's "make or break" moment in World War II.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the story of John Lincoln Clem—the youngest non-commissioned officer in Army history—is Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Weller, also known as 'The San Diego Highwayman,' shares the story of why he dedicated his time to helping people on the side of the road.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. She was the only woman in U.S. history to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, William Hazelgrove tells the story of one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century-the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in college, Steve Stoliar’s dad wanted him to get a job, but Steve didn’t want to work at Taco Bell… so he called up Groucho Marx.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers when explorers raced to go where no one had gone before, Amundsen, Byrd, and the future of aviation.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Peter Braxton brings an eye-opening perspective on service to America in war-torn skies.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Brewel Curry tells us the story of how he was saved from gang culture just days before his father's death. 

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On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of Chuck Colson's Watergate fallout—told by Chuck himself, who served as Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon. This was the last interview Chuck Colson granted before passing at 80 years of age in 2012.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, during some of the most tense moments of the Cold War, President Kennedy on July 4th 1962 visited Independence Hall to give a motivating speech highlighting the importance of democracy and free enterprise around the world.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the "Nostalgia Awakens" is a Star Wars action figure exhibit from enthusiast and museum curator Jarrod Roll. He's here to share the story of how Star Wars toys revolutionized movie merchandising, licensing, and even how children play.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, what we are about to do now is precise. Instead of telling the all-encompassing story of John Adams, we are going to dial it in on one specific moment in his life; one that best captures this man’s humanity and ideals more than any other. And as you will soon learn, Adams himself will agree with our selection.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General "Mook" Mukoyama volunteered and served in Korea and Vietnam. In 1986, he became the youngest General in the Army at that time. Soon after he was promoted to Major General, commanding the 70th Training Division during Desert Storm. Retired now, he spends his time serving our Veterans.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, it wasn't until Karen Olson's school was holding a father-daughter dance that the question entered her mind: "Wait, who is my dad?" After asking her mother, she told her he had died before she could meet him. But years later, after a chance encounter, she found that was not true.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp... one of the great hoteliers of all time—a legend in his business. He is also what you would call a “wise man.” Here’s Mike telling the story about how he—a Jew—started the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, did you know "radar" is actually an acronym? It stands for RAdio, Detection, And Ranging—created in 1940 by our Navy. Tim Harford, author of the bestselling book 50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy, shares the stories of three inventions that changed the way we live today.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, he starred in “The Mark of Zorro” and many other movies, but his greatest role—at the height of his acting career—was serving his country during World War II as a Marine. Here to tell the story is Roger McGrath.

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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. The book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, General Mukoyama served as a company commander under Colonel David Hackworth in Vietnam. Hackworth was one of the most highly-decorated Infantry Officers in the history of the United States Army. Here’s the General with the story of the legendary Col. David Hackworth.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, few stories are as compelling, as complex, or as mystifying as that of Benedict Arnold. After all, it is a story ripe with moral ambiguity: He was both the greatest of heroes and the darkest of villains.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, a story from our hometown, Oxford, Mississippi—and one that's near and dear to our hearts. J.J. Jones tells the story of how we went from scraping dollars together to buy his daughter Wendy's to eat in their car (where they lived)—to finding good mentors, God, and a special talent.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 23rd episode of our ongoing 'Story of America' Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of Alexis de Tocqueville—a Frenchman who came to America to write a book on the "wave of the future" as he saw it—Democracy.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson was a WWE Professional Wrestling Hall of Famer and the father of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Here’s Dwayne paying tribute to his father who taught him so much about life.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, a son's story about his father, from our regular listener/contributor Roger Latham, from Fort Worth, Texas.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our host, Lee Habeeb, tells his wife's story. Decades after years of sexual abuse and crisis, Valerie leaned on her faith to forgive her abuser, and to powerfully heal.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever seen a buffalo race horses and win? Harvey Wallbanger did—and on real race tracks against real race horses. Francie Berg tells this remarkable story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Carl Albert was known as the Little Giant from Little Dixie. He would rise to become the Speaker of the House during the Watergate years. Here's the story of how he put principle over politics.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, a legend and leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze has reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business—standards that have become world-famous. Throughout the years he worked for both Hilton Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation before becoming one of the founding members of the luxury hotel chain, The Ritz Carlton, in 1983. Horst is a Christian who lives out his faith in both his business and personal life.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the choice of three then-minor league hockey players to play the Hanson Brothers in "Slap Shot" starring Paul Newman was a casting hat-trick. When Dave "Killer" Hanson—was drafted for the movie, the Hanson brothers were born. This is his story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, no one knew for sure just how great Michael Jordan would be in the NBA. One underdog sneaker company - yes, Nike was an underdog then - took a bet on him. But the turning point came when they zeroed in on a fledgling director - Spike Lee. The rest is history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General James Mukoyama rose from his blue-collar Chicago neighborhood to become the first Asian-American to command a US Army division. General “Mook” is the author of Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader—a book printed under retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink’s publishing company.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Beverly Gage, author of the new definitive biography on J. Edgar Hoover, "G-Man, J. Edgar Hoover and The Making of the American Century," tells the story of the most important lawman of the 20th century.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Iceland's strategic location made it difficult to remain neutral during World War II. Here’s the History Guy with the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of Sgt. Alvin York is a celebrated chapter in American history. Though he tried to avoid war for religious reasons, York became one of the most notable heroes of World War I. Here to tell the story is the Jack Miller Center's editorial officer and historian, Elliott Drago.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library tell the story about how Grant went from selling firewood on a street corner, to leading the US Army to victory in the Civil War.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em - you've just got to love them. Here is a story of a unique American dream - and unexpected healing.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1898, the chemical element that glows in the dark was discovered. Years later, young women began working in radium factories, which was viewed as a very glamorous, upscale job. Kate Moore, author of “Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women”, shares the story of these women.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. E. Wesley Ely of Vanderbilt University Medical Center shares intensely meaningful experiences, spiritual and all, from a patient's suddenly-shortened last days in this life.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Historian David McCullough brings generational talent to those studying the wild realities of America's independence. After all, no one has ever lived in the past, but in the present. At the National Archive, McCullough names and thanks his own teachers, and hands down the important right way to teach and study our history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Revolutionary War, Esther Reed decided the Patriot troops needed a morale boost. Reed, along with other Patriot Women, began a campaign to raise money for the cause. When she brought her idea to General Washington, he had another idea.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our storyteller is James Swanson, the NYT Bestseller of Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the CSS Hunley's sinking of the Housatonic was only a partial success, but represents the first time a submarine managed to sink an enemy vessel...and it happened in Charleston Harbor during the Civil War.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, he came up out of the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta and into the bright lights of the stage worldwide. Here's the story of the “Chairman of the Board” himself, B.B. King…whose unique style of guitar playing and voice changed the music industry forever. Here to tell the story is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel de Visé…author of the first in-depth biography of B.B. in almost 30 years: King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King. 

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On this episode of Our American Stories, storyteller Shiloh Carozza remembers her father in a moving portrait of his love, steadfastness, and faith.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, author James Rosen tells the story of Antonin Scalia's unlikely but inevitable rise to the U.S. Supreme Court. His family, his faith, and his immigrant roots were the drivers.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III was not "the mad king who lost the colonies," says renowned historian David McCullough. He was a king, and did lose the most prosperous land on Earth just as the British Empire was building up steam.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when you stop and think about it, we've come a long way in the past 100 years...especially when it comes to medicine. Joy Neal Kidney tells the story of a time not far removed from our own, but drastically different. A story of heartbreaking loss - and how much we depend on modern inoculations. 

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our series with music legend Pat Boone goes off the rails into his Heavy Metal classics. It appeared to many, at first, that the Christian and American music stalwart was no longer straight-laced - though there were still laces. Lots of laces.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers the 16th President’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. Because of his father, Abraham Lincoln, Robert Todd's life has been largely forgotten—but it deserves to be remembered.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, for Chad and Jess Schumacher, life seemed to be going really well and as "according to plan" as life could... and then life took a number of sharp and unexpected turns. What resulted shaped their family and career for the next decade.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story from Stephen Ambrose begins in early 1943—With America's first major defeat during the Second World War.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Davis, author of Hammer of the Gods, and Kirby Furgeson of "Everything a Remix" tell the story of how Led Zeppelin found themselves in a courtroom over a few of their songs and why there are so many "copycats" in the music industry.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Eddie Willis always knew he was adopted. And, he was fine with not knowing where he came from... That is, until he had his children of his own. He tells the story of the search for his birth parents and an outcome he never could've imagined.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the war in Ben Franklin's home was not one a loving family could have ever expected.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, since the company’s inception in 2005, Liquid Ass has been a popular product amongst pranksters across the world. The two-pack on Amazon currently has an unprecedented 36,000-plus reviews with a 4 1/2-star rating! [BTW: Read the ratings if you want a good laugh.] So who goes about creating such a spray? Well, a teenager, obviously. Here to tell the story are the co-founders of Liquid Assets, Andrew Masters and Allen Wittman (wearing the hat in photo).

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on January 9, 2007, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs—already a legendary pitchman—put on what many consider the best business presentation in corporate history. Jobs unveiled a new product that would cement Apple’s comeback.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Dana Mitch tells the story of her trip to Buchenwald, the largest concentration camp on German soil, and how she reconnected with her family because of it.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of the woman who said "no" to giving up her seat on a segregated Alabama bus is widely known. But here to tell the raw, real story is Rosa Parks herself.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, since being released in 1983, Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s coming-of-age novel The Outsiders has found continued popularity and has achieved official cult status. And now, in what is surely one of the most interesting pop culture intersections of all time, hip-hop artist Danny Boy O’Connor from the rap group House of Pain—best known for their iconic 1992 anthem “Jump Around”—purchased the Tulsa, Oklahoma home where much of The Outsiders’ film was shot. Here to tell this story is Danny Boy O’Connor himself.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—both Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan, who is the author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, for Art Burton, the story of Bass Reeves seemed almost too good to be true. After all, how could somebody who history essentially forgot have such a strong lore? Art decided to dive in headfirst determined to shed some light on the man who was the first black deputy US marshal west of the Mississippi River.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from Mariam Ibrahim, who lives in Virginia. But the story begins far from there.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, straight out of a Horatio Alger novel, the Silver Kings (John Mackay, James Fair, William O'Brien, and James Flood) epitomized the rags-to-riches American dream story. Roger McGrath tells the story of the richest mineral discovery in American history - the Comstock Lode.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the Civil War soldier, William Scott, fell asleep at his post, at the time a transgression punishable by execution. What happened next changed military history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Hedy Lamarr set a high standard for more than screen performance. She negotiated for fair contract terms - and in her spare time, applied her mind to solve a torpedo guidance problem for the U.S. Navy in wartime.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Johnsonville Sausage started as a small butcher shop in Wisconsin. Today, it's the #1 brand in its category, but they got there by putting integrity over profit. Here's their story told by their former CEO and Board Chairman, Ralph Stayer.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln is often referred to as "the Great Emancipator"... but that's not the entire truth. Our regular contributor Jon Elfner and Dr. Kate Masur, author of "Until Justice Be Done," tell the rest of the story that begins with three runaway slaves.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, J.D. Wininger, owner of the Cross-Dubya Ranch, tells the story of a man named John who kept to himself most of the time. J.D. lent him a helping hand, and in the end, Mr. John helped him just as much.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Gettysburg NPS Ranger Matt Atkinson tells the story of the fateful Compromise of 1850—and why our nation's bloodiest conflict could easily have started in the desert of New Mexico due to a forgotten border dispute.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the second part of his Texas anthropology series is Monte Monroe, the official Texas State Historian. Today Monte shares with us how Texas joined the Union, and how the spirit of Texan "independence" became a thing.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Albert Brumley wrote classic hymns like “I’ll Fly Away” and “Turn Your Radio On,” but he left behind much more. His son Bob carried the legacy – and Bob’s daughters did the same. Here is the Brumley family story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, bestselling historian and two-time Pulitzer winner David McCullough is the author of 1776. In this masterful book, he tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence—beginning in 1775.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Audie Murphy's story is one of the quintessential American stories; yet, chances are, many Americans have never even heard of his name. Here's his story.

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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. The book is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, slavery is one of the oldest profit-making endeavors, and the Irish were a special target for a thousand years. Colin D. Heaton, a military veteran and a host of the YouTube channel, "Forgotten History," tells us the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” catchphrase began in 2001. Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy’s version of the story begins with him visiting a Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel—a hotel his friend Horst Schulze co-founded. Here's Horst with the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, she is remembered in history as Doc Holliday’s on-and-off girlfriend-turned wife. But Big Nose Kate was much more than that. Here's the History Guy with the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom and Lillian Lyons married in 1946. They lived a long and loving life raising a family on the south side of Chicago. Lillian was singing opera professionally when she and Tom met, and it was her voice that first made Tom fall in love. After Lillian’s death, an unexpected discovery would reunite Tom with Lillian’s voice on Tom’s 97th birthday for one last song.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, much of what’s known about legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been kept between the goal posts. So Greg Hengler took the three and a half hour long drive south from here in Oxford, Mississippi—where we broadcast our show—and sat down with Brett Favre in his Hattiesburg, Mississippi, home. Part 1 out of a 5 part series!

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from our regular contributor Paul Bauer from Minneapolis, MN. Today, Paul brings us a story he’s titled: “Lessons from Gizmo.”

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Pat Boone got engaged on a Saturday and married the next day (by his high school principal)—at 19! Here's the story of how he balanced fame and fortune with faith and family.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, King Solomon was a gravedigger who may have saved the town of Lexington during the Cholera epidemic of 1833. Kentucky journalist Sam Terry tells the story of the man they called “King Solomon.”

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the Pony Express is synonymous with speed, endurance, and the American spirit to just get things done. While the name is recognizable not just throughout the States, but also all over the world, it’s not widely known that the Pony Express was part of a larger corporation.. or that it only lasted for 18 months… or that it was never meant to last in the first place. Here to tell the story of The Pony Express is Jim DeFelice, author of West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Historian Stephen Ambrose tells us the unlikely World War II story of George McGovern, the antiwar presidential candidate who was defeated by President Nixon in 1972.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Eisenhower said D-Day never would have happened without this man's boat that came out of the swamps of Louisiana. Here's the story of Andrew Higgins, the brash and bold Irishman whose boat building plants employed 1 out of every 5 Louisianans during the war and helped seal the fate of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from the guy Sports Illustrated said was the greatest offensive lineman of all time. Here's John Hannah sharing two moments in his life that pushed him towards excellence: One with his dad, the other with Bear Bryant.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 22nd episode of our Story of America Series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of the first President to appeal to the popular sensibilities of Americans in The West.

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