Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

The Winner Who Always Finished Last May 21, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Saje Hellstern was the fastest runner on his cross-country team and consistently finished near the top. After doctors discovered a tumor in his brain, he endured over a year of radiation and chemotherapy. But that didn’t stop him from running—or finishing his races. Here to share Saje’s story is his stepfather, Roger—a regular contributor to Our American Stories.

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This Week In History: Levi Strauss: The Jewish Immigrant Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World May 21, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as part of our "This Week in History" series, we tell the story of an immigrant whose name you probably know—but whose story you likely don't. Levi Strauss left Germany in 1847 in pursuit of the American Dream—and stitched that dream into a pair of blue jeans that changed American culture and fashion forever. Lynn Downey, the official historian of Levi Strauss & Co., tells his remarkable story.

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Dog Food CEO Eats Kibble for 30 Days to Prove It's Good for Dogs May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Mitch Felderhoff, co-owner of Muenster Milling in Muenster, Texas, decided to put his mouth where his money is eating nothing but dog food for 30 days to raise awareness for his brand. It worked. Here's Mitch with the story of his wild PR stunt.

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The Man Who Paints Rocks to Honor Veterans: The Story Behind the Freedom Rocks May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Ray “Bubba” Sorensen shares the story behind his “Freedom Rocks”—giant, unique, hand-painted boulders honoring veterans in all 99 counties across Iowa.

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Moving to a Farm from the City Changed My Life May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after moving from the bright lights of Tampa, Florida, to a farm in the small college town of Oxford, Mississippi, Jake Keiser didn’t know what to expect. Thankfully, her neighbors had her back. Here's Jake with her story of recovery in small-town America.

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99 Reasons Why a Typewriter Is Better Than a Computer! May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, some interesting facts about the typewriter: The QWERTY layout was originally designed to slow typists down. Mark Twain was the first author to submit a manuscript written on a typewriter. Tom Hanks is a collector of typewriters—and yes, there is indeed a list of 99 reasons why a typewriter is better than a computer. Our American Stories listener Bert Rosica is just the man to deliver it.

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The Nuclear Mishap That "Created" CNN May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, a wrench slipped. A rocket leaked, lost fuel pressure, collapsed, and exploded. A nuclear warhead was launched out of its silo and landed in a ditch—at the intersection of fate and American journalism. Randy Dixon, a young journalist at the time, shares the story.

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[TWIH] How Jackie Kennedy Saved Grand Central Station May 20, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in honor of Jackie Kennedy, who died this week in history in 1994, we tell the story of the preservation of an American icon. Before becoming the face of "Camelot" and a fashion icon of the ’60s, former First Lady Jackie Kennedy was a born-and-raised New Yorker. In 1975, after returning to live full-time in Manhattan, she took on a new cause: saving Grand Central Terminal from demolition. Natasha Wing, author of When Jackie Saved Grand Central, shares the story.

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The Story Behind FDR’s “Day of Infamy” Speech May 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Pearl Harbor was attacked, FDR's speechwriting team was out of town. So Roosevelt, with the help of a few aides, penned the most important speech of his presidency—and one of the most important in American history. Here's the story behind the story of a speech that defined an era.

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America's Greatest Grifter? The Odd Story of Appleton Oaksmith: Presumed Slave Trader, Confederate Spy, and Voting Rights Activist May 19, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree— but Appleton Oaksmith landed on another planet. His mother was a feminist who knew top abolitionists; his father, a cartoonist admired across party lines. Appleton? He was hunted internationally for presumed slave trading and a failed kidnapping in Cuba that may have threatened Lincoln’s reelection. Yet he later fought for Black voting rights. Jonathan W. White, author of Shipwrecked, shares the story—courtesy of the U.S. National Archives.

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