Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert Borelli once believed the Mafia offered the clearest path to power. As a teenager growing up in Brooklyn, he set out to become a gangster, drawn to the respect, money, and status he saw around him. Instead, that path led him in and out of prison, and eventually to rock bottom.But inside a jail cell, at his lowest point, Borelli cried out to God for change. What followed was a transformation that gave him a new purpose in life, one rooted in faith and service to others. 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, have you ever heard of a Puritan pastor who learned a new language so he could preach the Bible to Native Americans in their own words?In the 1600s, John Eliot did exactly that. He became known as the “Apostle to the Indians” for translating Scripture into Algonquian and sharing it across New England, leaving behind the first Bible printed in North America.Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of John Eliot’s mission and its place in America’s early 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, in the nineteenth century, a woman’s future could collapse overnight. If a husband died, disappeared, or fell into debt, she often had no legal claim to the house she lived in. The homestead law changed that.As Professor Jean Stuntz explains, the law created a small but powerful shield that prevented families from losing the one thing they could not live without. It was far from perfect, yet for countless women who had no voice in court and few rights under most state laws, this protection meant stability and offered a kind of dignity that had rarely been within reach. 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 Diablo’s Southwest Grill in Georgia was broken into, owner Carl Wallace could have responded the way most business owners would. Instead, he posted a public message offering the burglar something unexpected, a job. Here’s Carl sharing his 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, by the summer of 1864, Union prisoners at Andersonville were dying by the thousands. The Confederate prison camp in southwest Georgia had become one of the most infamous places in the Civil War, marked by starvation, disease, and a desperate lack of clean water.Then came an event many survivors would never forget. After a violent storm and a prayer meeting among the prisoners, fresh water began flowing from the ground in what became known as Providence Spring.Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of Andersonville and the moment that gave prisoners a renewed sense of hope. 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, few figures in twentieth-century American politics stood farther apart than Shirley Chisholm and George Wallace. Chisholm broke barriers as a Black congresswoman and presidential candidate. Wallace became a national symbol of segregation and resistance to civil rights.A tragic event brought them together, forging an unlikely connection. Special thanks to the Jack Miller Center for bringing this story to our attention. 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 digital photography took over, Kodachrome was one of the most famous color films in the world. Its rich tones and sharp detail made it a favorite among professionals, travelers, and families for generations. But when Kodak stopped making it, there was only one lab left on Earth that could still process it.That lab was Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas. As the end drew near, photographers from around the world rushed to send in their final rolls. The family behind Dwayne’s shares the story of the remarkable final days of a film that helped define color photography. 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 serving as the Union general who helped win the Civil War and later as the 18th president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant entered the final chapter of his life facing two crushing blows. He had lost his money in a financial swindle, and he was dying of throat cancer.With little time left, Grant set out to write his memoirs so his wife would not be left destitute. Working through severe pain and racing against death, he, with the help of Mark Twain, produced what many still consider one of the finest military memoirs in American history. Our regular contributor, Christopher Klein, 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, 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, as an icon of the Protestant elite, Theodore Roosevelt was an unlikely ally of the waves of impoverished Jewish newcomers who crowded the docks at Ellis Island. Here to tell the story is Arizona State History Professor Andrew Porwancher. Andrew is the author of American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.