Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

She Hid an Alcohol Addiction Behind a Successful Life Jul 29, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, at thirteen years old, Rose Ann Forte took her first drink because she wanted to fit in. What began as teenage experimentation slowly became part of every stage of her life, from college and corporate America to marriage and motherhood, until one day she realized she'd crossed what she calls "the invisible line."
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to confront her addiction, Rose Ann found a path to sobriety rooted in her Christian faith and a fresh way of thinking about recovery. Today, she helps others discover that freedom from alcohol is possible. Her book is The Plans He Has for Me: A 12-Week Daily Devotional for Freedom from Alcohol.

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Davy Crockett Died at the Alamo, But the Story of How He Lived Remains Jul 29, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, nearly every American knows Davy Crockett died at the Alamo. But before he ever crossed into Texas, he'd run away from home, survived on the untamed American frontier, fought in the War of 1812, and rose from six months of formal schooling to the halls of Congress.
Our regular contributor Roger McGrath separates the folklore from the facts, sharing the real story of how Crockett became one of America's first folk heroes, and how his final stand against Santa Anna made him a national hero and legend.

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The Man Behind Bugs Bunny: The Story of Mel Blanc Jul 28, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, for generations of Americans, Mel Blanc's voice was childhood. As Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, and dozens of other unforgettable characters, he entertained millions and forever changed the art of voice acting.
Through archival interviews with Mel Blanc himself and those who knew him best, we share the remarkable story of the man whose greatest gift wasn't simply creating cartoon voices. It was bringing joy and laughter to people around the world.

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Before He Was Rosco P. Coltrane: The Remarkable Life of James Best Jul 28, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard, James Best lived a remarkable American life. Orphaned at the age of three and raised in Kentucky and Indiana, he served with the U.S. Army in war-torn Germany, where an unexpected visit to a stage production inspired him to become an actor.
Best went on to appear in hundreds of television episodes and work alongside stars including Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Burt Reynolds, and Clint Eastwood. He also became one of Hollywood’s most respected acting teachers before creating one of television’s most memorable comic characters. In his own words, James Best shares the story of his journey from a country boy with no knowledge of theater to the beloved sheriff of Hazzard County.

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The Only Catholic to Sign the Declaration of Independence: Charles Carroll Jul 28, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, today, Charles Carroll is one of America's most overlooked Founding Fathers. But during the Revolutionary era, he helped finance the fight for independence, shaped Maryland's government, influenced the creation of the U.S. Senate, and became the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Dr. Bradley J. Birzer, author of American Cicero: The Life of Charles Carroll, shares the remarkable story of the last surviving signer of the Declaration and explains how a man who overcame deep anti-Catholic prejudice became one of the most respected figures of the American founding.

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The Confederate Hunley and the First Submarine Attack in Naval History Jul 28, 2026

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Why a Slave Trader Wrote 'Amazing Grace: The Story of John Newton Jul 27, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, John Newton lived one of the most extraordinary lives of the 18th century. He was a rebellious sailor, a slave trader, a slave ship captain, a pastor, a mentor to William Wilberforce, and the author of one of the world's most beloved hymns, "Amazing Grace."
Drawing on the work of biographers Brian H. Edwards, Jonathan Aitken, and Tony Baker, our own Greg Hengler shares the remarkable redemption story of Newton's dramatic conversion, his role in the movement to abolish the British slave trade, and how a hymn that was largely overlooked in England became an American gospel standard. We'd like to thank Vision Video for access to much of this terrific audio, originally a part of their documentary John Newton.

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The Real Soldiers Behind Hawkeye's M*A*S*H Dog Tags Jul 27, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, for all 11 seasons of M*A*S*H, Alan Alda wore the same set of military dog tags as Captain Hawkeye Pierce. Most viewers assumed they were Hollywood props. They weren't.

Journalist Andy Lewis shares the remarkable true story of the two World War II veterans whose names appeared on those dog tags, revealing how a Black engineer from Mississippi and the son of Jewish immigrants from Brooklyn became forever connected through one of television's most beloved shows.

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The Slave Trader Abraham Lincoln Refused to Pardon Jul 27, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Nathaniel Gordon of Portland, Maine, holds the distinction of being the only American ever executed for the crime of slave trading. Although many were caught in the act, sentences were often lenient, and most slave traders believed they had little to fear until Abraham Lincoln.
Jonathan W. White, a regular contributor on Our American Stories, a fellow at the Jack Miller Center, and the author of Shipwrecked: A True Civil War Story of Mutinies, Jailbreaks, Blockade-Running, and the Slave Trade, shares the story of the man Lincoln refused to pardon and explains why. Special thanks to the U.S. National Archives for this audio, taken from an online lecture Dr. White gave.

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Inside the LAPD's Original Gangster Squad Jul 27, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, inside the Los Angeles Police Museum sits a collection of worn photo albums that once served as one of the LAPD's most valuable crime-fighting tools. Filled with mugshots, notes, aliases, and criminal networks, these "mug books" belonged to the department's legendary Hat Squad, an elite unit created in 1946 to keep organized crime from taking over Los Angeles.
Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares another installment of our ongoing Display Cases series, exploring how a handful of battered photo albums reveal the rise of postwar organized crime, the controversial tactics of the LAPD's original Gangster Squad, and the evolution of modern policing.

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