Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, ...as if spending the night in a funeral parlor wasn't scary enough! Our American Stories listener Tom Ryan brings us a chilling tale from the family funeral parlor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before NASCAR’s rampant commercialism lurks a not-so-distant history that has been carefully hidden from view—until now. Here to tell the true story behind NASCAR’s hardscrabble, moonshine-fueled origins is Neal Thompson, author of Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Danny Elfman came to prominence as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s —as seen in the Rodney Dangerfield comedy, Back to School. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has composed over 100 feature film scores like Batman, Beetlejuice, Men in Black, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Good Will Hunting—to name just a few, as well as compositions for television like The Simpsons, stage productions, and concert halls. Here to share his story is the man himself, Danny Elfman. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Daryn Glassbrook of the Mobile Medical Museum in Mobile, Alabama tells the story of the iron lung, an antiquated device used to keep people with advanced polio alive in the first half of the 20th century. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson was known for championing religious freedom in our nation's infancy—but not many people know the story of how a preacher thanked him for this in the most unusual way...gifting him a giant block of cheese. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dwayne's Photo in Parson's, Kansas is truly a family affair, and for a while, it was an extraordinarily rare family affair...so rare that people from across the globe rushed there to get their Kodachrome photos processed before the last chemicals in the world required to do it ran out. Here's the family with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, that old windmill on the side of the highway might be fun to look at, but without it, the great westward expansion would have been nearly impossible. Jessie Edwards 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, Hillsdale professor Kelly Scott Franklin tells the story of how one of America's foremost literary figures was a volunteer on both sides of our nation's Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, her parents were poor Jewish immigrants and she was raised by her sister—spending her most developmental years behind a deli counter. Eventually, she'd marry a toy designer, change his name, and bet all of her company's money on an idea: that little girls just wanted to play with big girls. Robin Gerber, author of Barbie and Ruth tells the story of Ruth Handler—the creator of the Barbie Doll. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1943 a quiet stretch of farmland in Tennessee transformed into a bustling secret city of 75,000 people on a mission to build the most powerful weapon known to man—the atomic bomb. Richard Cook tells the extraordinary story of Oak Ridge—the birthplace of the Manhattan Project...and how one man, Ed Westcott, captured this hidden world with his camera. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Davis, author of Hammer of the Gods, and Kirby Furgeson of the podcast "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" and so-called "rip-offs" in the music industry. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Michael Schlitz enlisted in March 1996 and served in several positions including Rifleman and Platoon Sergeant. While in Baghdad, Iraq on February 27, 2007, Mike and his crew were on a road-clearing mission when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Here's his story of tragedy—and overcoming. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, while the men served in WWII, women also served by filling the spots in factories that men left behind. Unmatched in their value, these women provided an essential service that would help bring us to victory and make America the most powerful country in the world. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Jackson's inauguration says a lot about what he represented at the time to many—a changing of the guard from the established Virginian 'elite' to the rough and tumble of the frontier, and his party afterward certainly drove that point home...literally. 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, on October 3, 1955, a television program debuted that would eventually produce nearly nine thousand shows over 40 years. Here’s the History Guy with the story of Captain Kangaroo. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the Bible's role in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story in our '100 Bible Verses that Changed America' series, is Robert Morgan. 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 Jay Moore tells the story of an ordinary man he considers his personal hero—Dennis Holt. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, General Colin Powell was the youngest and the nation's first black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest position in the US Military. He was also the first black man appointed Secretary of State, the world's leading diplomat. To friends and family, he was so much more. Leslie Lautenslager, the author of My Time with General Colin Powell: Stories of Kindness, Diplomacy, and Protocol, shares his remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mario Andretti shares how his family lost everything in WWII, came to America, and how he then launched his career as the greatest auto racer in history! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.