Our American Stories

Copyright: 2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia

Latest Episodes:

Ray Caldwell: The MLB Pitcher Struck by Lightning Who Finished the Game Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, on August 24, 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell made his debut at League Park before a crowd of 20,000. In the ninth inning, with victory in sight, lightning suddenly struck the field and Caldwell himself. Fans thought he had been killed. Instead, moments later, he stood up, shook it off, and finished the game. It remains one of the most astonishing moments in Major League Baseball history.
Nick Ragone, host of This Date in History, shares the story of how Ray Caldwell survived a lightning strike and kept pitching.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Forgotten Jewish Family Who Saved Thomas Jefferson's Home Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, he left behind more than a legacy. He also left a mountain of debt. His family eventually sold Monticello, and within years, Jefferson's famous home had fallen into disrepair. Then an unlikely preservationist stepped in.
Marc Leepson, author of Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built, shares the remarkable story of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish commodore in the U.S. Navy, and his nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy. Across two generations, the Levy family spent decades and a fortune preserving and restoring Monticello, even fighting a national campaign to take the historic home from them. Without their efforts, one of America's most recognizable landmarks might not look the way it does today.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Job at a Big Bank...or Pilot of Air Force Two? Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, on the morning of September 11, 2001, Peter Braxton became the first military pilot in the air over the burning Twin Towers on what was his very first day on the job. Not long after, he flew multiple combat tours in the Middle East before eventually retiring from the Air Force.
In this story, Peter shares what happened when he received a phone call shortly after retirement that began with an unexpected question: “Do you still have your uniform?”

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Walt Whitman Found Humanity on Both Sides of the Civil War Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1862, Walt Whitman set out for Virginia searching for his brother, who had been wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg. He found him alive with only a minor wound. But outside a field hospital, Whitman encountered something he would never forget: a heap of amputated arms, legs, and other human remains. For the poet who had once written that the human body was sacred, the Civil War suddenly became horrifyingly real.
Whitman soon began spending his days in Washington's military hospitals, bringing food and small gifts, writing letters, listening, and comforting wounded men far from home. Although he supported the Union, he cared for Northerners and Southerners alike. Hillsdale College professor Kelly Scott Franklin shares how those years of service became what Whitman called “the most profound lesson” of his life and helped shape some of his greatest writing about the Civil War.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When John Ford Walked Away From Hollywood to Fight World War II Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Ford was at the top of Hollywood. The director of Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, and How Green Was My Valley had money, fame, power, and back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Director. Then, at forty-seven, he walked away from Hollywood and went on active duty with the U.S. Navy.
For our Hollywood Goes to War series, historian and Wild West expert Roger McGrath shares why Ford decided to take his cameras into the thick of World War II, filming under fire at Midway, parachuting behind enemy lines in Burma, and going ashore with American troops at Normandy.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meryl Comer's Most Personal Assignment: Caring for Her Husband with Alzheimer's Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's is often invisible work, but not in this powerful account from Meryl Comer. The Emmy-winning journalist opens up about her husband's early-onset Alzheimer's and the emotional journey of becoming his full-time caregiver.
Drawing from her memoir Slow Dancing with a Stranger, she offers deeply personal insight into the daily realities of Alzheimer's care, from the first signs of cognitive decline to the long road of loss, resilience, and unconditional love.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FDR and the Largest Mass Prayer in History Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, on June 6, 1944, as Allied troops fought their way onto the beaches of Normandy, Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to an anxious nation. Rather than deliver a conventional presidential address, Roosevelt led his listeners in prayer for the men fighting overseas. For six minutes, FDR asked God to strengthen the troops, comfort those who would lose loved ones, and give Americans the faith to endure the long fight ahead. More than 100 million people around the world heard his words—including Anne Frank.
Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story of Roosevelt's D-Day prayer and the remarkable moment when a wartime president called a nation to prayer.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Star Wars Toys Revolutionized Movie Merchandising (Part 2) Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before VHS, streaming, or even the ability to watch Star Wars whenever they wanted, children had another way to return to a galaxy far, far away: toys. Kenner soon became one of the world's largest toy manufacturers, but after Return of the Jedi and George Lucas's decision to step away from Star Wars, the phenomenon seemed to be over.
Jarrod Roll, creator of The Nostalgia Awakens, shares the story of how Star Wars toys went from childhood treasures to truly valuable collectibles. Along the way, he tells his own story of rediscovering the toys of his childhood and eventually turning his collection into a museum exhibit celebrating the generation that grew up with Star Wars.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eisenhower: The General Who Hated War Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, historian Stephen Ambrose considered Dwight D. Eisenhower both a great man and a good one. Born in a rented shack beside the railroad tracks in Denison, Texas, and raised in a deeply religious, pacifist family in Abilene, Kansas, Eisenhower rose from an obscure Army officer to Supreme Allied Commander and eventually President of the United States.
Ambrose, author of the definitive biography of Eisenhower, shares the story of the character behind Ike's remarkable rise: his honesty, humility, temper, faith, hatred of war, and extraordinary ability to earn the trust of the people around him. We's like to thank the Ambrose Estate for allowing us access to this audio.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Strange and Wonderful Life of an American Gondolier Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Angelo Ruffino rows through the canals of Southern California, singing his original music to passengers and perfecting a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. But he’s more than a romantic oarsman. He’s a racer, a performer, and a champion for gondola culture, hoping one day to bring it to the Olympic stage.
Our own Lee Habeeb sits down with him for an interview.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.