Our American Stories

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

On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet. And neither did one single engineer working alone in a lab.The creation of the internet was a decades-long effort involving programmers, scientists, and visionaries who believed computers could talk to one another. From early network experiments to the first web browser and the first website, the internet story is one of shared invention. Critically acclaimed biographer and author of The Innovators, Walter Issacson, shares how the internet came to be with his audience at a book talk at the U.S. Library of Congress. 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, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in American history when he took office in 1901. He is remembered for trust-busting, conservation, and the phrase “carry a big stick.” But before all of that, he was a young man in mourning.After the sudden death of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, Roosevelt fled west to the Dakota Territory, seeking solitude, purpose, and renewal on the frontier. Roger McGrath and Michael Blake tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt in North Dakota, and how the hardships of ranch life helped forge one of America’s most consequential leaders. 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, before the United States Constitution, there were the Articles of Confederation. Written during the American Revolution, the Articles created a national government built on a “firm league of friendship” among the states. The Articles of Confederation limited federal power but reflected deep fears of centralized authority, leaving the founders' first attempt at a unified government susceptible to weakness and disarray.For our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, walks through the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and how they ultimately paved the way for the United States Constitution. 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, Clarksdale, Mississippi is known for blues music and Delta history. It is also home to one of the most beloved barbecue restaurants in the state. Abe’s BBQ has been serving smoked meat for generations, drawing locals and travelers who come looking for Mississippi barbecue done right. Our American Stories regular contributor, Jesse Edwards, shares the story of how a small Delta joint became part of Mississippi lore. 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, in the 1990s, Pepsi ran a commercial that joked a teenager could earn a Harrier jump jet, the pride of the Marine Corps, through Pepsi Points. The ad listed the jet at seven million points. Most viewers laughed and moved on. One college student did not.John Leonard gathered investors, calculated the math, and tried to claim the jet. When Pepsi refused, the dispute became Leonard v. PepsiCo, one of the most talked-about contract law cases of its era. Journalist Sean Kernan shares the story of the Pepsi Harrier jet lawsuit that still shows up in law school classrooms today. 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 First Amendment promised freedom of religion, but the reality in America was not always simple. In the nineteenth century, Catholics faced discrimination in politics, education, and public life.Archbishop John Hughes emerged as one of the most forceful defenders of American Catholics. Called “Dagger John” for the cross he signed before his name, Hughes fought for the right of Catholic families to educate their children and practice their faith without interference, setting the stage for modern religious freedom. Richard Daniel McCann, author of Hughes: Lion of American Catholicism, shares 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, the American flag carries deep meaning for millions of families, often shaped by service, sacrifice, and memory. For Our American Stories listener Joy Neal Kidney of Des Moines, Iowa, that meaning is deeply personal. Joy is the niece of the Wilson Brothers—young men from Iowa who served during World War II and whose lives and sacrifices left a lasting mark on their family. Their story, and what they stood for, helped shape how Joy and her family came to see the American flag not as a symbol, but as a reminder of real people, real courage, and real loss. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clay S. Jenkinson, historian and director of the Dakota Institute known for his Jefferson expertise, tells a quirky early American tale. He explores a 1,235-pound wheel of cheese made to honor Jefferson. Listens get vivid scenes of its creation, transport by sleigh and wagon, public display at the president’s receptions, and how spectacle and politics mixed in young America.

A look at how Spam became a logistical staple, shipping millions of pounds to troops worldwide. The story of Hershey’s creating a heat-resistant, high-calorie chocolate ration for soldiers. Production scale and surprising long-term uses of wartime food innovations are highlighted in short, vivid anecdotes.