Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, J.D. Wininger, owner of the Cross-Dubya Ranch in Northeast Texas and a listener of Our American Stories, tells the story of a man named John who mostly kept to himself. When J.D. offered him a helping hand, Mr. John ended up helping him just as much. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, she was just a teenager, carrying her infant son, when she joined the most daring expedition in American history—and without her, Lewis and Clark might never have made it. Dr. Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College brings us the incredible story of Sacagawea, the young woman who made America's most daring road trip possible. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Major League Baseball’s reserve clause bound players to their teams indefinitely, denying them the freedom to negotiate salaries or choose where to play. Curt Flood, a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, decided to challenge that system, risking his career to fight for fairness. Despite facing racial discrimination and industry backlash, Flood’s stand reshaped the business of sports and helped usher in modern free agency. Columnist George Will tells the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, most museums showcase the finer things in history, culture, and the arts—but not the aptly named Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Boston, Massachusetts, where you’ll find masterpieces like A Mariachi in Tiananmen Square, Sunday on the Pot With George, and Self-Portrait as a Bird. Louise Reilly Sacco, the museum’s curator, shares the tale of how it all came to be.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Major Brian Shul shares his legendary “LA Speed Check” story—an absurd and unforgettable moment from the cockpit of the fastest plane in the world, the SR-71 Blackbird. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the fall of the Philippines in World War II, more than 70,000 American and Filipino soldiers were captured by Japanese forces and forced to endure the brutal Bataan Death March. Over 30 percent of these POWs died in captivity, compared to just three percent of Allied POWs held by the Germans. In his powerful firsthand account, Dr. Lester Tenney recounts one of WWII’s darkest chapters and his miraculous survival against all odds. A special thanks to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans for providing this archival audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Phil Anschutz writes in Out Where the West Begins: “Samuel Colt’s life was the American story written in capital letters.” Here to tell that story is Ashley Hlebinsky—former co-host of Discovery Channel’s Master of Arms, former curator in charge of the Cody Firearms Museum, and president of The Gun Code, LLC. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, as strange as it sounds, Pepsi (yes, the cola manufacturer) once owned a fleet of Soviet warships, briefly making it the sixth-largest navy in the world. Here's The History Guy with the story of how a soft drink company found itself in the middle of Cold War politics and an international trade deal gone sideways. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—but that wasn’t true for Ben Franklin and his only son. While Franklin became one of America’s most celebrated founding fathers, his son William remained loyal to the British Crown. In one of the most dramatic father-son divides in history, king and country collided with revolution and independence—the costs were massive. Here’s the astonishing story of how Ben Franklin and his son ended up on opposite sides of history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Flannery O’Connor wanted to shake her readers awake. Her mother wanted her to write the next Gone with the Wind. Here to tell her story is Jonathan Rogers, author of The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.