On this episode of Our American Stories, Joseph Howard Jr. was such a skilled con man that both Union President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis granted him pardons. Yet he was so notorious that a wealthy New York City woman once offered a $50,000 reward for his capture—dead or alive. This is the incredible true story of one of the most daring and elusive swindlers of the Civil War era.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was in mourning. His wife had died in a fire two years earlier. His son had been wounded in the Civil War. And the country itself felt beyond repair. That Christmas, he sat down and wrote a poem about the sound of church bells, one that began in sorrow and ended with a quiet return to hope. The words were later set to music and became “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of how one of our most familiar carols was born in one of the darkest years in American history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the first American Christmas came just months after the Declaration of Independence. But by December, the mood across the colonies was anything but triumphant. Washington’s forces had been pushed back again and again. The army was cold, outnumbered, and on the brink of collapse. What happened on Christmas night turned the tide. With no guarantee of success, Washington led a quiet crossing of the Delaware and launched a surprise assault on Trenton. The victory didn’t end the war, but it gave people something they hadn’t had in weeks: hope. Historian Brian Benjamin shares a poem that tells the story behind one of the most important days in the fight for independence.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, at the turn of the century, Halloween in the United States looked very different. It wasn’t about costumes or candy—it was a night for pranks, property damage, and a fair amount of frustration for the adults trying to keep order. Over time, some communities found a different approach. Instead of cracking down, they redirected the energy. Schools, churches, and local groups began organizing haunted houses, offering just enough fear to keep the night exciting without letting it spiral out of control. Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, traces how that shift helped transform a night of chaos into one of the country’s most enduring celebrations.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before they made history, the Wright brothers were just two mechanics with a theory. Their shop in Dayton kept the lights on, but it was their time on the beaches of North Carolina that changed the world. While others with more resources failed to get off the ground, Wilbur and Orville studied what moved through the air—and why. In 1903, after years of testing and quiet work, they lifted off the sand and became the first men to take flight, with a takeoff that lasted just 12 seconds. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Colonel David Hackworth was a soldier’s soldier. He fought in Korea, commanded in Vietnam, and earned more than 90 awards for valor, making him one of the most decorated military figures in American history. However, his legacy extends beyond citations. In Vietnam, Hackworth became known for his bold leadership, unconventional tactics, and outspoken criticism of military bureaucracy. Years later, some of his real-life exploits would inspire characters and lines in Hollywood films (Apocalypse Now, for instance), but Hackworth’s war was no movie. Major General “Mook” Mukoyama shares the story of the man, the myth, and the legend himself.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Crissy Moran had everything the adult film world promised. The money came quickly, the attention never stopped, and the work only seemed to grow. But what she couldn’t outrun was the sense that something was breaking. In 2006, she deleted her website and stepped away from the business that had made her famous. What followed were years of rebuilding, finding faith, and learning to speak out. Today, the married Crissy is a born-again Christian—and living her life in the best possible way.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Jeff McCutchen didn’t set out to reimagine how a small-town police department operated, but after years on the job, something kept pulling at him. The calls felt heavier, the days felt longer, and the line between public safety and personal burnout was growing harder to ignore. Instead of holding the line on tradition, McCutchen began asking different questions about what leadership requires and what service should look like in a place where everyone knows your name.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, historian David McCullough made millions care about a year most only saw in textbooks—1776. Long before it became shorthand for American independence, 1776 was marked by hesitation, failure, and risk—and McCullough understood that better than most. In this public appearance, the two-time Pulitzer Prize winner reflects on how the Revolutionary War unfolded, what the Declaration of Independence actually meant at the time, and why some of the most important moments in U.S. history are often the least understood. We’d like to thank the U.S. National Archives for granting us access to this audio.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Toilet paper might seem like a modern necessity, but the truth is messier—and much older. Long before perforated rolls and flushable comfort, people used whatever they could find: seashells, corn cobs, even stones. The History Guy shares the story of what people used before toilet paper was invented—and how one man’s idea for “medicated paper” launched an industry no one wanted to talk about.

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