Our American Stories

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Abraham Lincoln's Final Journey Home Jul 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln looked forward to peace for the first time in four years. By the following morning, the president lay dead after John Wilkes Booth's assassination at Ford's Theatre. What followed became one of the largest public displays of mourning in American history.
Over the next 20 days, Lincoln's funeral train carried him 1,700 miles from Washington, D.C., back to Springfield, Illinois. Nearly 1.5 million Americans viewed his coffin, while millions more gathered along the tracks to pay their respects. Louis Picone, author of The President Is Dead, shares the remarkable story of Abraham Lincoln's final journey home.

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The 6 Percent: Moses Beckelman's Daring Mission Jul 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in late 1939, thousands of Jewish refugees poured into Vilna, Lithuania, hoping to escape Nazi Germany and Soviet-occupied Poland. Moses Beckelman, a young American social worker with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, organized food, housing, and relief while searching for a way to get as many people out as possible before the borders closed.
Working alongside Dutch Consul Jan Zwartendijk and Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara, Beckelman helped turn a narrow escape route into a lifeline for thousands of families. Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the story of another member of the "6 Percent" who refused to stand by as Europe descended into war.

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Why Mr. T Called Himself "Mr." Jul 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Lawrence Tureaud grew up as the youngest of 12 children in Chicago's public housing, where his mother taught him to work hard, trust God, and treat others with respect. After serving in the U.S. Army, working as a nightclub bouncer, and winning a national competition, he caught Sylvester Stallone's attention and landed the role that introduced the world to Mr. T.
The man behind the gold chains and Mohawk built his famous persona around lessons from his family, his Christian faith, and a belief that every man deserved respect. Greg Hengler shares the story of one of America's most recognizable pop culture icons.

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When Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins Sang Gospel Together Jul 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on December 4, 1956, Elvis Presley walked into Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where Carl Perkins was recording with Jerry Lee Lewis at the piano. Johnny Cash stopped by soon afterward. The four young musicians spent the afternoon singing together, and much of what they sang wasn't rock 'n' roll. It was gospel.
Greg Hengler shares the story behind one of the most famous jam sessions in American music history, the photograph that gave the group its "Million Dollar Quartet" nickname, and the gospel roots that united four future legends.

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What a Baby Eagle Taught Me About Letting My Children Go Jul 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on Kodiak Island, Alaska, Leslie Leyland Fields discovered a young bald eagle wandering outside its nest just days before her own son and daughter were due to leave for a dangerous commercial salmon fishing season in Bristol Bay. Her instinct was to protect the eaglet, just as every mother's instinct is to protect her children.
But the encounter with the young eagle, an overeager sparrow, and God's quiet lessons in nature transformed the way she thought about love, trust, and letting go. Leslie shares the story.

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How Cornelius Vanderbilt Helped Cause (and Calm) the Panic of 1869 Jul 21, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when gold prices collapsed in September 1869, it triggered one of the earliest financial panics in American history. Jay Gould and Jim Fisk had spent months driving prices higher in an attempt to corner the market, working back channels in Washington to shield their plan from regulation. But the scheme unraveled quickly, and when it did, the damage rippled across the economy.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, already one of the richest men in the country, moved fast to protect his own interests. In the process, he stabilized a market no one else could touch. T.J. Stiles, author of The First Tycoon, shares the story of what really happened on Black Friday and how Vanderbilt's response changed the balance of private power and public life.

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The General Who Told Hitler "Nuts!" Jul 21, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe and the 101st Airborne Division were surrounded by German forces in Bastogne, Belgium. Outnumbered, freezing, and running low on food and ammunition, they received a demand to surrender. McAuliffe's answer became one of the most famous one-word replies in American military history: "Nuts!"
Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the remarkable story of the young officer who helped develop the bazooka, parachuted into Normandy and the Netherlands, and led his men through one of World War II's greatest acts of defiance.

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Why Wayne Gretzky Is Still the Greatest Hockey Player of All Time Jul 21, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Wayne Gretzky didn't have the size or speed most scouts looked for. But what he did have couldn't be measured. With unmatched vision, timing, and instinct, he rewrote what was possible on the ice. He holds more than 60 NHL records and remains the only player to score over 200 points in a season, a feat he accomplished four times.
We take a look at the life and legacy of "The Great One," a player who saw the game differently and left behind a record book no one has come close to matching.

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The Revolutionary Idea Behind America's Independence Jul 21, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution can both be read in just a few minutes, but together they transformed the course of history. Dr. Larry P. Arnn explains why America's founding documents were unlike anything the world had ever seen and why they still matter today.
Dr. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and author of The Founders' Key, explores the timeless principles of limited government, representative democracy, and natural rights that continue to define the American experiment.

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How America Went from Dead Last in the Space Race to First on the Moon Jul 21, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1950s, the Soviet Union seemed to have an insurmountable lead in the Space Race. American rockets exploded, astronauts lost their lives, and many doubted the United States would ever reach the Moon. Yet less than 12 years after Sputnik, Neil Armstrong took humanity's first steps onto another world.
Space historian Steve Kates, better known as Dr. Sky, tells the remarkable story of the Apollo program, from Sputnik and Apollo 1 to Apollo 8's daring journey around the Moon and the triumph of Apollo 11.

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