Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Christina Dent shares how becoming a foster mother in Jackson, Mississippi challenged everything she believed about addiction, crime, and motherhood. Growing up amid violence and uncertainty, she once saw being tough on crime as the only path to safer communities.That worldview changed when a newborn entered her home and she later met his mother, a woman battling addiction but deeply devoted to her child. Through their encounters, Christina came to see addiction not as a moral failing, but as a complex human crisis with consequences for families and children alike. It’s a story about foster care, compassion, and how one relationship can change a life. 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, listener and longtime Our American Stories contributor Katrina Hine shares a personal story from one of her first jobs out of high school, working as a dairy hand in rural Kansas. From whistling cows in from the pasture during brutal winter weather to learning the hard way why you never put your head under a cow’s tail, her story is a reminder that some of life’s most lasting lessons come not from classrooms or corner offices, but from honest work and unexpected moments on the job. 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, war had already broken out in the American colonies, but declaring independence meant crossing a line from which there could be no return. In this episode of our ongoing Story of America Series, Hillsdale College professor and author of Land of Hope, Bill McClay, shares the story of how the Continental Congress arrived at that momentous decision and why the Declaration of Independence became one of the most consequential documents in human history.Drawing on the words of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin, McClay explains how the Declaration was meant as both a justification to the world and a solemn pledge among its signers, men who knew they were committing treason and were willing to risk their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. 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, Alex Berezow remembers his grandfather Dimitri the only way a life like this can be remembered, by telling the story. Born under Stalin, forced into Nazi labor camps as a teenager, and surviving through nerve, charm, and impossible luck, Dimitri escaped the worst regimes of the 20th century and eventually made his way to America. What follows is a portrait of a man who cheated death again and again, lived boldly, laughed loudly, and finally faced a quieter ending that raises hard questions about memory, medicine, and what it means to live well. 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, Pastor Scott Jones, author of Growing Up Rural, shares a memory from his youth when a small decision and the temptation to bend the truth carried real consequences. What follows is a quiet but powerful reflection on honesty, responsibility, and how the lessons we learn as children can stay with us for life. 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 Secretariat became a Triple Crown legend, Penny Chenery was a mother of five facing an unexpected turning point. As her father’s health failed, she stepped in to run a struggling Virginia horse farm and entered a male-dominated racing world where she was often dismissed and rarely welcomed.Filmmaker Randall Wallace, writer and director of Secretariat, shares the story of how Chenery navigated long odds, isolation, and pressure to keep the farm alive, and how her persistence helped lead one extraordinary horse to the historic 1973 Triple Crown. 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, when Stephen Rusiniak became the father of a daughter, worry came with the job. When she grew into a high school gymnast, those worries took on a whole new shape. From the hospital delivery room to the balance beam, Rusiniak reflects on the quiet terror and deep pride of learning when a father must let go and simply watch from the stands. 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, during the American Revolution, Jews made up only a tiny fraction of the population, yet many became passionate patriots in the fight for independence and religious freedom. Historian Adam Jortner, author of A Promised Land, shares the overlooked stories of Jewish Americans who fought, organized, and risked everything for a new nation, and how their struggle helped shape America’s earliest promise of liberty for all faiths. 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, why do we have so many different kinds of screws? The answer lies in a little-known industrial rivalry between the Robertson and Phillips screw designs, where engineering innovation collided with manufacturing, war, and corporate power. The History Guy shares the fascinating story of how historical events and business decisions determined which screw would dominate toolboxes around the world. 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, invented in 1897, Jell-O became one of America’s most recognizable foods through clever marketing, simple convenience, and perfect timing. Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out and The Brain Food Show tells how a wobbly gelatin dessert worked its way into American kitchens, culture, and history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.