Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

One Man's Mission to Find Work, Purpose, and Meaning for Millions Nov 28, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before Bob Funk founded Express Employment Professionals, he wanted to be an actual minister, but his real calling in helping people find work (and hope) has likely had a much bigger impact—with over 800 franchises around the world. The purpose of the business? Connect workers to work.

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Balloons Over Broadway: The American Visionary Who Created the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons Nov 27, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, everyone’s a New Yorker on Thanksgiving Day, when young and old rise early to see what giant new balloons will fill the skies for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our next story is about the man who first invented these "upside-down puppets”—Tony Sarg. Here to tell the story is Deborah Sorensen, Curator of Exhibitions at the Nantucket Historical Association where their exhibition, “Tony Sarg: Genius at Play” is the first comprehensive exhibition exploring the life of Tony Sarg.

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A Thanksgiving Evening with Refugees in Small Town Iowa Nov 27, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Iowa listener Joy Neal Kidney's church took in refugees from war torn Bosnia, her family took it upon themselves to provide one of the families in the group with their first American Thanksgiving.

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Pastor of the Pilgrims, John Robinson: 100 Bible Verses That Made America Nov 27, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible played in shaping our country. Our Founding Fathers—both Christian and non-Christian—were heavily influenced by the Bible. Here to share another story is Robert Morgan who is the author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith.

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The Real Story of the First Thanksgiving Nov 27, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Thanksgiving is the only American holiday that has actually remained relatively innocent—it’s not something that we have been able to commercialize. But there’s something going on here more than feasting, family, and football. Robert Tracy McKenzie is a professor of history at Wheaton College and is the author of The First Thanksgiving. He’s here to tell us the story of this quintessentially American holiday.

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Fannie Farmer: The Mother of Level Measurements Nov 26, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, cooking in the late 1800s was unpredictable, tiresome, and difficult. Recipes were passed down in families but often contained vague—if any—actual measurements. Fannie Farmer changed all that in 1896. We are joined by Ken Albala, professor of history and food studies at University of the Pacific in California.

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How a Master Chef Lost the Thanksgiving Turkey Nov 26, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, according to the National Turkey Federation, each year Americans gobble down on 46 million turkeys for Thanksgiving...but out of that number, how many have gone "missing"? "Master Chef" Steve Reed tells his story on the turkey that got away...at least for a little while.

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An Empty Nester Helps a Lonely Lost Senior in a Nursing Home Find His Purpose Nov 26, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, this story comes to us from Paul (a.k.a. the "empty nester"), a listener from Minneapolis, MN

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Is Die Hard a Xmas Movie? The Story and the Definitive Answer! Nov 26, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, here to settle this question once and for all is Stephen Follows. Stephen is an established data researcher in the film industry and wrote the widely circulated answer to this hotly debated question on his website, StephenFollows.com.

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The Great Thanksgiving Cranberry Scare of 1959 Nov 26, 2024

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On this episode of Our American Stories, 400 million pounds of cranberries are consumed by Americans each year. Twenty percent of that is during the week of Thanksgiving. That's 80 million pounds! And 5,062,500 gallons of jellied cranberry sauce are consumed by Americans every holiday season. Here’s the History Guy to share the story of the Great Cranberry Scare of 1959.

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