Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

The Opera Singer Who Left Her Husband One Last Song Sep 15, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom and Lillian Lyons married in 1946 and spent a lifetime together on the south side of Chicago. Lillian’s opera career began before marriage, and it was her voice that first captured Tom’s heart. Through decades of family life, that music remained at the center of their love. When Lillian died, Tom thought he would never hear her sing again. But on his 97th birthday, an unexpected discovery gave him a final gift: her voice. For Tom, it was more than a recording. It was the return of the woman who had been his partner in everything, the sound that had shaped his life.

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The Story Behind the World’s Most Recorded Gospel Song Sep 12, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Albert E. Brumley, the son of Oklahoma sharecroppers, wrote “I’ll Fly Away,” the most recorded gospel song in history. Rooted in Southern gospel traditions, its message of faith and freedom has inspired churches, revivals, and concert halls for nearly a century. Brumley’s journey from poverty to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame shows how one man gave voice to the hopes of millions. Today, his granddaughters share the story of the man behind the song.

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A Mother’s Reflections on Her Kids and a Baby Eagle Sep 12, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories regular contributor Leslie Leyland Fields shares a heartwarming story about what she learned from a baby bald eagle at her Kodiak Island, Alaska, home—and how it connected to her own kids “leaving the roost” for the first time in their lives.

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How Cancer From Ground Zero United Two Unlikely New Yorkers Sep 12, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on September 11, 2001, firefighter Niels Jorgensen ran toward the collapsing Twin Towers as part of the FDNY brotherhood that risked everything to save lives. Like so many first responders, he later faced a slower, quieter enemy: cancer caused by the toxic dust that blanketed Lower Manhattan after the attacks. His illness connected him with someone far outside the firehouse brotherhood: billionaire David Koch. Their backgrounds could not have been more different, yet their paths converged in the fight against 9/11-related disease. Jorgensen shares the story of the unexpected bond that grew out of tragedy.

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How George Washington's Bible Survived 9/11 Sep 12, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when George Washington took the oath of office in 1789, his hand rested on a Bible that would become one of America’s most treasured artifacts. That same Bible was on loan to Fraunces Tavern, a Revolutionary War landmark near the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001. After the towers fell, the search for survivors gave way to the search for the dead and eventually to a search for the missing Bible. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, tells the remarkable story of how Washington’s inaugural Bible was recovered after 9/11.

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The Alien and Sedition Acts and the Battle Over Free Speech Sep 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1798, President John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition Acts, laws meant to protect the young nation during conflict with France. Supporters saw them as necessary for security, while critics argued they violated the First Amendment and gave government dangerous power. Dr. Adam Carrington explains why these laws became so divisive and how they continue to shape debates about liberty and free speech.

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Frank Capra: The American Dream Personified Sep 11, 2025

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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 his father pointing to 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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Goodbye, Old House: Thank You for the Double Spoon Sep 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Bonnie Brown Rowcliffe prepared to sell her childhood home, she dreaded the moment she would walk through its doors for the last time. Every wall carried the weight of memory, and every room felt like a reminder of her late parents. On her final day in the house, she opened one last cupboard and found something unexpected: her father’s “double spoon,” a small, ordinary object that revealed an extraordinary lesson. In this moving story, Bonnie shares how a simple kitchen utensil became a symbol of connection, comfort, and the quiet ways our parents remain with us even after they’re gone.

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What Dr. Seuss Really Meant With The Lorax and The Grinch Sep 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, created some of the most famous children’s books of the 20th century. Two of his best-known works, The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, show just how intentional he could be. The Lorax stood among the Truffula trees and spoke for the environment, long before environmentalism was a mainstream cause. The Grinch, meanwhile, offered a parable of greed, redemption, and the deeper meaning of Christmas. Both stories reveal how Seuss used fantasy, humor, and memorable characters to help children think about the world around them. Biographer Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, tells the story of how Seuss’s work combined playful rhymes with moral weight.

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FDNY Fireboats and the Largest Water Evacuation in History Sep 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as Lower Manhattan filled with smoke and chaos on September 11, 2001, escape routes vanished. Bridges and tunnels were shut down, subways halted, and thousands of people were trapped at the edge of the island with no way out. In that moment, the harbor became their only hope. The call went out: “All available boats.” Fireboats, tugboats, ferries, and even private pleasure craft rushed to the seawall. Together, they carried civilians across the Hudson and East Rivers in what became the largest water evacuation in history—greater even than Dunkirk. This is the story of the FDNY fireboats and ordinary mariners who became heroes on one of America’s darkest days.

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