Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Christmas Under the Stars became a Hallmark Channel staple, it was a quiet story written by a Chicago-area janitor. By day, Rikk Dunlap fixed leaky faucets and gym bleachers. By night, he wrote fiction, never expecting one of his midnight works to become the hit it is now. Rikk joins us to explain how one Christmas tree lot, one unforgettable character, and one quiet manuscript changed the course of everything for him. 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, Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, tells how a meeting in his church turned into a Boy Scouts project, a Christmas tradition, and 50,000 free beds for needy families every year. 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, Ashley Freeman came home from overseas determined to help people in her own town. When she asked her neighbors for Christmas donations for a family in crisis, the response was overwhelming. Gifts, decorations, and support came from across the state and beyond. One act of generosity led to another, and what started with one woman turned into a community-wide effort that reached far more people than expected. 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, dealing with a small budget and a short deadline, A Charlie Brown Christmas was released to critical acclaim on December 9, 1965. While audiences loved it, there were many doubters behind the scenes at CBS. Our host, Lee Habeeb, 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, in what would be Bing Crosby’s final Christmas special, he teamed up with glam rock legend David Bowie for a duet that defied expectations. “Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth” went on to become one of the most cherished Christmas songs of all time. Discover how this strange and beautiful collaboration almost fell apart—and what made it a timeless part of classic Christmas music 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 final Christmas of World War II, American soldier Keith Ginther found himself behind enemy lines in a German POW camp. But on that quiet night in 1944, something unexpected happened. Shared through journalist Kristen Inbody, this story is a rare glimpse into how faith, music, and memory helped carry one man through one of the darkest seasons of war. 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 Michigan and Ohio State ever lined up on the football field, their rivalry started with a fight over land and a cartographer’s mistake. Known as the Toledo War, this little-known border dispute between the two states set the stage for what would become one of the most heated rivalries in college football history. Tedd Long, founder of Holy Toledo History, explains what shaped the OSU–Michigan face-off long before kickoff was even a thing. 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, it’s not every day a U.S. president’s funeral has to be paused because of a swearing parrot—but then again, Andrew Jackson never followed the rules, even in death. As guests gathered to mourn the seventh president, his longtime pet had other ideas. Historian Mark Cheatham, a professor of history at Cumberland University and a leading scholar on Andrew Jackson and the Jacksonian era, joins us with the true story of the funeral crash that left everyone stunned—and the historical scandal no one saw coming. 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 Ruth McKeaney and her husband stepped into a historic home that was falling off its foundation, they had no idea it would be the first of many. Over the years, they’ve raised five kids while flipping one broken house after another, including a 300-year-old home once tied to William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, himself. Ruth shares how trial, grit, and grace turned a collapsing structure into a space where others could feel real belonging. 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 years, Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers defined late-night television. Carson ruled The Tonight Show as its steady center, while Rivers became his most trusted guest host, winning audiences with her sharp timing and fearless comedy. Night after night, viewers came to see them as a natural pairing, shaping what a late-night talk show could be. Then, in nineteen eighty-six, everything changed. Joan Rivers accepted her own late-night show, a move that fractured one of television’s most influential relationships. Mark Malkoff, author of Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, 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.