On this episode of Our American Stories, Civil War general and politician Daniel Sickles was one of the most notorious figures of the 19th century. His life was marked by ambition, scandal, and a murder trial that stunned the nation.

After killing his wife’s lover in Washington, D.C., Sickles became the first American to successfully argue temporary insanity as a legal defense, setting a precedent that still echoes in courtrooms today. Firearms historian and regular contributor to Our American Stories, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares the remarkable story of a man whose personal chaos left a permanent mark on American law.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Wally Soplata shares the story of his father, Walter, a union carpenter who quietly saved rare World War II aircraft by storing them in his own backyard. With little money but endless determination, Walter rescued fighters, bombers, and even jet aircraft that were destined for scrap.

From hauling planes across state lines with a bus, to preserving a B-25 bomber that would later fly again, this is a story that could only happen in America. Wally is the author of The B-25 in the Backyard, the book that chronicles his father’s remarkable mission to save history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, teacher and World War II history buff Anne Claire shares the story of how Bremerton became a vital center of America’s wartime buildup. Home to the Bremerton Naval Yard, the town transformed almost overnight as the nation prepared for global conflict.

After Pearl Harbor, damaged battleships from the Pacific Fleet were rushed to Bremerton, where workers labored around the clock to repair and return them to combat. The story of Bremerton is a powerful example of how small towns and civilian workers helped turn the United States into the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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