Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

EP330: PEZ: From Austrian Invention To American Icon and The Woman Behind Jack London May 31, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Shawn Peterson shares the story of how the PEZ manual candy dispenser came to be. Iris Jamahl Dunkle tells the story of Charmian Kittredge London in the first full length Biography written about her titled Charmian Kittredge: London Trailblazer Author Adventurer.

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Time Codes:

00:00 - PEZ: From Austrian Invention To American Icon

25:00 - The Woman Behind Jack London

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP329: Thad Beeler on The National Disaster Photo Rescue, How Smallpox Created Canada by Destroying Washington's Army and Have Pool Que, Will Travel: The Story of Saint Louie Louie May 31, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thad Beeler shares how after the deadly May 2011 Joplin Tornado he created The National Disaster Photo Rescue Organization after helping his neighbors when they lost their photos in the disaster. The President of Amerisearch, William Federer, tells us why Canada is an independent nation—and not part of the United States—most likely, because of smallpox. Mark O'Brian tells the story of St. Louie, Louie...one of the best pool players to ever grace the scene.

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Time Codes:

00:00 - Thad Beeler on The National Disaster Photo Rescue

25:00 - How Smallpox Created Canada by Destroying Washington's Army

37:00 - Have Pool Que, Will Travel: The Story of Saint Louie Louie

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP328: The Story Of Benjamin Franklin's Longest Lasting Persona and The Cleveland Indians' The “Ten Cent Beer Night” Riot May 30, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, we hear about how the 25-year publication started out of a need when someone pulled their publication and turned into an international phenomenon... which Mark Twain HATED! The History Guy tells how on June 4, 1974, in Cleveland, trouble was a brewin', the bleachers were loaded, and there was a distinct buzz in the air.

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Time Codes:

00:00 - The Story Of Benjamin Franklin's Longest Lasting Persona

37:00 - The Cleveland Indians' The “Ten Cent Beer Night” Riot

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP327: The Day British Troops Finally Left America's Shores following the Revolution and Overcoming the Loss of Both My Arms at 10 May 30, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk brings us the tale of the day British forces evacuated New York City after the Revolutionary War... a full 2 years after the British Army surrendered. Madysen Acey’s life took an unexpected turn when she was 10-years-old but, she wouldn't trade any of it for the person she's become.

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Time Codes:

00:00 - The Day British Troops Finally Left America's Shores following the Revolution

25:00 - Overcoming the Loss of Both My Arms at 10

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP326: The Incredible Story Of SPAM and Enhancing Lives One Guide Dog at a Time May 27, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Author of The Book of Spam: A Most Glorious and Definitive Compendium of the World’s Favorite Canned Meat, Dustin Black, tells the story of this often speculated household name product. Christine Benninger, CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the largest guide dog school in North America, shares about the unique training process for these extraordinary animals and the special bond they share with their owner.

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Time Codes:

00:00 - The Incredible Story Of SPAM

25:00 - Enhancing Lives One Guide Dog at a Time

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP325: The Acting Legend Whose Grace and Skill Transcended Race May 27, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sidney Poitier's elegant bearing and principled onscreen characters made him Hollywood's first black movie star and the first Black man to win the best actor Oscar. Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon was the first full biography of legendary actor Sidney Poitier written by Aram Goudsouzian, professor of history at the University of Memphis.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP324: The Time Patty Kingsbaker met Elvis and How the NBA Went from Regional League to Global Phenomenon May 26, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Patty Kingsbaker from Colorado not only has a great Elvis story, but she is very good at telling it! Pete Croatto, author of From Hang Time to Prime Time, explains how the NBA became an 8.3 billion dollar entertainment and cultural icon.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Time Codes:

00:00 - The Time Patty Kingsbaker met Elvis

12:30 - How the NBA Went from Regional League to Global Phenomenon

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP323: Summer Adventures Running a Fireworks Tent, The Company Without Corner Offices and Where Everyone Has a View and The Greatest Fighter Pilot in American History May 26, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joel Wegener and his wife have 10 kids, and because he worked in education, they had to find ways during the summers to make a little extra money. Kirk Aubry, the CEO of the supply chain services company Savage, shares the ethical principles of their 2nd generation, 75-year-old family company. The History Guy tells us how Richard “Dick” Bong was a hero in an era of heroes.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Time Codes:

00:00 - Summer Adventures Running a Fireworks Tent

12:30 - The Company Without Corner Offices and Where Everyone Has a View

37:00 - The Greatest Fighter Pilot in American History

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP322: Trapped Inside a Tube: The Iron Lung Story, Midnight Tragedy at the Live Fire Exercise and 100 Women Creating Transformation In Their Own Backyard May 25, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Daryn Glassbrook of the Mobile Medical Museum tells the story of the iron lung, a device used to keep people with advanced polio alive in the first half of the 20th century. Our regular contributor Richard Muniz tells the story of an unforgettable accident at Ft. Irwin, California. Wendy Steele tells us how she could have never imagined that an idea for her community of Cincinnati... would have snowballed into 65 chapters across the world and over $80 million donated.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Time Codes:

00:00 - Trapped Inside a Tube: The Iron Lung Story

12:30 - Midnight Tragedy at the Live Fire Exercise

25:00 - 100 Women Creating Transformation In Their Own Backyard

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EP321: Modeling Grace: Christine Handy's Story of Survival and I Retired At 50, And Was Bored....So I Served People May 25, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, model, motivational speaker, and author, Christine Handy tells us how she became a breast cancer and medical malpractice survivor whose life was saved by two powerful forces: friends and faith. Scott Gilbert shares the impact he has had as the president of the Roaring Fork Valley Chapter of Habitat For Humanity by teaching life skills to people in prison.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

Time Codes:

00:00 - Modeling Grace: Christine Handy's Story of Survival

25:00 - I Retired At 50, And Was Bored....So I Served People

Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.