Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, he had already survived plane crashes, gunfire, and political exile. On the same morning Hitler invaded France, Churchill walked into Downing Street and said he felt as if he were “walking with destiny.”

In Churchill: Walking With Destiny, historian Sir Andrew Roberts brings the story to life with the speed and suspense of the time itself. From cavalry charges to the Battle of Britain, Roberts explains how Churchill’s scars, stubbornness, and belief in freedom turned him into the leader who refused to give up when Britain stood alone. Here's Roberts himself with the remarkable story of one of the most important men in history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1948, Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand publicly declared that Christianity and Communism were incompatible. For that conviction, he was arrested, tortured, and imprisoned by Romania's Communist regime. Over the next fourteen years, Wurmbrand endured isolation, psychological abuse, and relentless attempts to break his faith through what he described as systematic "brainwashing."

After his release and eventual immigration to America, Wurmbrand shared the lessons he learned behind prison walls. In this remarkable address, he reflects on the nature of freedom, the struggle for the human soul, and what he called "heart-washing," the spiritual antidote that helped him withstand years of persecution and emerge with his faith intact.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, some inventions solve problems. Others change the world in ways nobody could have predicted. The plow helped make civilization possible by creating agricultural surpluses and supporting cities, governments, and armies. Barbed wire transformed the American West, turning open prairie into private property and helping settle the frontier. Google Search changed how we find information, reshaping the internet and becoming so ubiquitous that its name became a verb.

Economist and bestselling author Tim Harford shares the surprising stories behind three inventions that profoundly altered the way people live, work, and interact with the world.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when a truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, chaplain Jack Poe was among the first people on the scene. In the days that followed, he ministered to grieving families, first responders, and a city searching for hope in the wake of unimaginable loss.

Six years later, after the attacks of September 11, Poe traveled to New York City to help those facing a similar tragedy. Jack shares a chaplain's perspective on the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, faith in the face of suffering, and the enduring power of what Oklahomans call the "Oklahoma Standard."

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice from his guide to unraveling the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, explores where our favorite sayings come from—and what they mean. This time, how the phrases "true colors" and "soap opera", among others, came to be.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Uncle Sam is the iconic face of American patriotism, pointing from posters, stamped on recruitment ads, and etched into the nation's memory. But how did he come to be? The real story begins with a New York meatpacker named Samuel Wilson. What started as a shipping label evolved into one of the most enduring symbols of liberty and national service. Our regular contributor, Rabbi Stuart Halpern, shares the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after World War II airman Danny Wilson fell overseas, his body was buried in France alongside thousands of American soldiers. But that wasn't the end of his story. His niece, Joy Neal Kidney, shares the little-known journey of how her uncle was buried three different times, from a military cemetery in Europe to his final resting place in Iowa.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, few filmmakers embody the American Dream as vividly as Frank Capra. Born in Sicily in 1897, he carried the memory of arriving at New York Harbor and seeing the Statue of Liberty through World War I and into Hollywood's golden age. In films like It's a Wonderful Life, Capra celebrated resilience, community, and the strength of ordinary people.

Our own Lee Habeeb, along with recordings of Capra himself, shares the story of the immigrant boy who rose to direct some of Hollywood's greatest films.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, nearly ninety years after Amelia Earhart disappeared over the Pacific, the fascination surrounding her life has never faded. Yet one of the most revealing clues about who she was isn't found in a cockpit or a flight log. It's a leather coat preserved in a museum in Wyoming.

Our regular contributor Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story behind the jacket and explains how a single artifact can help us better understand the woman behind one of the greatest legends in American history.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager, Lindsay Gallant embarked on a wilderness journey with her father, paddling deep into the remote rivers and forests of Canada. What started as a rite of passage ended up becoming much more: a chance to see the natural world through new eyes.

Years later, far removed from the waters of the wilderness, one memory from that trip remains especially vivid. Lindsay still remembers the great flocks of tundra swans that filled the sky and the feeling of wonder they inspired. In this moving reflection from Write Your Story, Change Your Life, she shares a coming-of-age story about family, memory, and how certain moments stay with us long after we've left them behind.

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