What does it mean to be an American? There’s no one way. At NPR, we think of the American identity as a story - one that's always being rewritten by the people who live it. The American Storytelling collection gathers stories from local stations across the NPR Network - from small town struggles, to natural phenomena, to the intricate histories that build the constantly-evolving tale of our nation. These are our biggest little-known shows. Find them in the American Storytelling channel on Apple Podcasts or on the NPR App.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Extremely American host Heath Druzin returns to Moscow, Idaho to give a talk about Christian nationalism and how American theocrats are now closer than ever to getting positions of power at the highest echelons of government.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

A panel discussion with Christian leaders from across the political spectrum who are concerned about the rise of Christian nationalism. They talk about why they see the movement as antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the undertones of bigotry they see in Christian nationalism.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Heath and Jimmy travel to the Creation Museum, a kind of theme park dedicated to the idea that the Bible's creation story is literally true and that the earth is 6,000 years old. So-called young earth creationism is a fundamental idea in Christian nationalism and one that could threaten the very foundations of scientific research if it ever becomes government policy.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Heath and Jimmy travel to Kentucky to attend a kind of Christian nationalist festival in the shadow of a six-story replica of Noah's Ark. The gathering brings together leading Christian nationalist thinkers from around the country to compare notes on how to turn America into a theocracy.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Christian nationalists are trying to take over the country one church and one school at a time. They have a blueprint for how to gain influence community by community and they are playing the long game.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Critics of Christ Church and Christian nationalism say the emphasis on women submitting to men fuels an underbelly of abuse. Emilie Paige Dye is an abuse survivor and she details what happened to her at a fundamentalist school and why she thinks her case was swept under the rug.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Helen Shores Peters starts to break with the patriarchy, but the patriarchy isn't done with her. And her change of heart leads her into a fight for her kids.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Helen Shores Peters was a true believer in patriarchal Christianity. She learned to be submissive to men in a fundamentalist school, got married at 20 and lived the life of an obedient wife for years. But eventually things started going terribly wrong.

To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy