Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

Robert Heft Got a B-Minus for Designing the U.S. Flag Jun 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The American flag that flies over state capitols, schools, and battlefields across the country began as a high school assignment. Robert Heft, a 17-year-old student from Ohio, created the 50-star design in 1958 and received a B-minus for his effort. When Hawaii entered the Union in 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower selected Heft's version as the official flag of the United States.
More than six decades later, Bob Heft's B-minus project remains one of the nation's most enduring symbols. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story.

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Valley Forge: George Washington’s Winter of Resolve Jun 22, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in the winter of 1777, the Continental Army arrived at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, hungry, freezing, and unsure whether the Revolution would survive. Disease spread through the camp, morale collapsed, and even George Washington wondered how much longer his soldiers could endure. Then came a Prussian officer named Baron Friedrich von Steuben, a man who spoke no English but had a gift for turning chaos into order.
His relentless drills, translated by aides as he barked commands across the snow, reshaped a band of volunteers into a real army. By the spring thaw, Washington's men had become disciplined, unified soldiers ready to fight the British on equal terms. Historians Bob Drury and Tom Clavin share the story this turning point in the American Revolution, when perseverance and training at Valley Forge helped lay the foundation for American independence.

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From Hang Time to Primetime: How the NBA Conquered America Jun 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, today, the NBA is a global powerhouse worth billions of dollars, with superstars recognized everywhere from New York to Shanghai. But for much of its early history, professional basketball was an afterthought. Players worked second jobs, television networks showed little interest, and many fans cared more about college basketball than the NBA.
Pete Croatto, author of From Hang Time to Primetime: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA, shares the remarkable story of how that changed. From Commissioner Larry O'Brien's efforts to bring credibility to the league, to David Stern's marketing genius, to the arrival of stars like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan, this is the story of how the NBA transformed itself from a struggling regional league into one of the most influential sports and entertainment brands in the world.

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How Panama’s Dictator Manuel Noriega Found God in the Unlikeliest Place Jun 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in the late 1980s, Panama was at the center of global attention as strongman Manuel Noriega tightened his grip on power. Known for his brutality and ties to the drug trade, he seemed untouchable. But when a hairdresser unknowingly welcomed Noriega's daughter into her salon, an unlikely chain of events began.
That meeting opened the door to the dictator himself, leading to a story of faith that unfolded against the backdrop of Operation Just Cause and the U.S. invasion of Panama. The late Joe Garman, founder of ARM Prison Ministries, tells the unforgettable story of how a dictator encountered God in one of the most unlikely places imaginable.

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John Deere and the Invention That Changed the Heartland Jun 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, John Deere wasn't always a household name. Before tractors transformed American agriculture, he had one revolutionary idea: a steel plow that could cut through tough prairie soil. Kirk Higgins of the Bill of Rights Institute shares the story of how John Deere got his start, how one piece of scrap metal helped transform the American West, and how the green tractors bearing his name continue to shape farming in the USA today.

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The Day I Realized I Might Have Alzheimer's Jun 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, both of Mike Zuendel's parents died from Alzheimer's disease, so the possibility had always lingered in the back of his mind. Still, like many people, he put off getting tested. Then one day, after spending several minutes searching for his missing cell phone, he realized he had been holding it in his hand the entire time. That moment convinced him it was time to find out what was really happening.
Mike was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease. Instead of hiding his diagnosis, he chose to go public, determined to challenge the stigma surrounding cognitive decline and encourage others to seek help early. Mike shares the story of his diagnosis, why he refused to let fear define him, and how early detection gave him hope for the future. To find out more about the great work Mike is doing to help with early detection, go to notdemented.com.

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Churchill: The Making of a Reluctant Hero Jun 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time Winston Churchill became Prime Minister, he had already survived plane crashes, gunfire, and political exile. On the same morning Hitler invaded France, Churchill walked into Downing Street and said he felt as if he were “walking with destiny.”
In Churchill: Walking With Destiny, historian Sir Andrew Roberts brings the story to life with the speed and suspense of the time itself. From cavalry charges to the Battle of Britain, Roberts explains how Churchill’s scars, stubbornness, and belief in freedom turned him into the leader who refused to give up when Britain stood alone. Here's Roberts himself with the remarkable story of one of the most important men in history.

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How I Survived 14 Years of Communist Brainwashing Jun 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1948, Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand publicly declared that Christianity and Communism were incompatible. For that conviction, he was arrested, tortured, and imprisoned by Romania's Communist regime. Over the next fourteen years, Wurmbrand endured isolation, psychological abuse, and relentless attempts to break his faith through what he described as systematic "brainwashing."
After his release and eventual immigration to America, Wurmbrand shared the lessons he learned behind prison walls. In this remarkable address, he reflects on the nature of freedom, the struggle for the human soul, and what he called "heart-washing," the spiritual antidote that helped him withstand years of persecution and emerge with his faith intact.

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How the Plow, Barbed Wire, and Google Changed the World Jun 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, some inventions solve problems. Others change the world in ways nobody could have predicted. The plow helped make civilization possible by creating agricultural surpluses and supporting cities, governments, and armies. Barbed wire transformed the American West, turning open prairie into private property and helping settle the frontier. Google Search changed how we find information, reshaping the internet and becoming so ubiquitous that its name became a verb.
Economist and bestselling author Tim Harford shares the surprising stories behind three inventions that profoundly altered the way people live, work, and interact with the world.

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The Day Oklahoma City Came to New York Jun 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when a truck bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, chaplain Jack Poe was among the first people on the scene. In the days that followed, he ministered to grieving families, first responders, and a city searching for hope in the wake of unimaginable loss.
Six years later, after the attacks of September 11, Poe traveled to New York City to help those facing a similar tragedy. Jack shares a chaplain's perspective on the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, faith in the face of suffering, and the enduring power of what Oklahomans call the "Oklahoma Standard."

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