Our American Stories

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The Worship Song Birthed in a Brothel Apr 14, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler tells the story of a worship band on a mission trip to Thailand—where an impromptu gig at a brothel led to one of the most recognizable songs in Contemporary Christian Music.

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How Faith, Infidelity, and Forgiveness Grew a Family—Not Once, but Twice Apr 14, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Mary Sparks exhibited strength and conviction throughout her life, but it all started with an affair, a stolen baby, and her Catholic Faith. Here's Mary's son, Sparky, to recount his mother's tale—and the story of his family.

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The Story of Israel’s Revenge Against Terrorism at the '72 Olympics Apr 14, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, was dominated by Mark Spitz, a Jewish American swimmer who won seven gold medals for the United States. It was also the Olympics where Palestinian terrorists massacred 11 Israeli athletes. This incident was televised across America and prompted President Nixon to establish plans to avert terrorism in the United States. Here's the story of the attacks, Israel's response to them, and the world's reaction.

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Why Are Bananas So Cheap? Apr 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you think of the quintessential American fruit, it’s probably the apple. But apples aren’t our cheapest fruit—bananas are! Here’s the History Guy with the story of the banana.

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The Origins of Basketball: The Christian Gift for Everyone Apr 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Faith and sports go hand in hand. Quarterbacks quote Bible verses in interviews, star players host team Bible studies, and a last-ditch attempt to win a game is called a “Hail Mary.” But it isn’t just the players who are indebted to faith—sometimes, the sports themselves are. Paul Putz, author of The Spirit of the Game: American Christianity and Big-Time Sports, shares the unusual origin story of basketball: a game initially designed to bring people to Christ that took on a life of its own.

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Did You Know Our East and West Coasts Have Two Different Approaches to Policing? Apr 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, sergeant Bob Alaniz, formerly of the LAPD and the cop who helped catch the infamous “Night Stalker,” explains how our two coasts developed entirely different styles of police work.

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This Week in History: The Sinking of the Titanic – The First Real-Time Tragedy Apr 11, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the Titanic was a marvel of her time—883 feet long, 175 feet tall, and over 52,000 tons. She stood at the cutting edge of naval architecture and symbolized British national pride. Technologically advanced, she carried a Marconi wireless set for near-instant ship-to-shore communication, run by two young "computer nerds" of their day. Their job? Send passengers’ personal messages to land. But on the night of April 14, 1912, that changed. They were suddenly tasked with something unimaginable: trying to save over 2,000 lives in the middle of the North Atlantic. William Hazelgrove, author of One Hundred and Sixty Minutes: The Race to Save the Titanic, tells the story of the Titanic’s sinking through the eyes of the men behind the wireless.

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Calvin Coolidge on the Real Heart of Our Independence Apr 10, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1926, President Calvin Coolidge strongly encouraged Americans to remember and rekindle the moral foundation behind 150 years of freedom and prosperity. Here's Vince Benedetto and Coolidge interpreter Tracy Messer with the story of an Independence Day speech for the ages.

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Charles Carroll—The Only Catholic to Sign the Declaration of Independence Apr 10, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, it may be hard to believe today, but Catholics faced widespread discrimination and persecution in colonial America. Many future states barred Catholics from holding office—some even went so far as to ban Catholics altogether. Yet Charles Carroll defied the odds. He became one of the wealthiest men in America, helped secure American independence, and became not only the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence, but also the only Catholic to sign the document. Dr. Bradley J. Birzer, author of American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll, shares the story of this overlooked and underappreciated Founding Father.

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The Story of How One Bad Employee Harmed a Bank's Reputation (Told by the Ritz-Carlton's Founder) Apr 10, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Ritz-Carlton founder Horst Schulze reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business. Here's Horst with a short story on how great service wins, excellence prevails, and bad service can ruin a business.

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