Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

The Last Slave Ship to America and the Town Its Survivors Built May 15, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, more than 50 years after the United States outlawed the international slave trade, the schooner Clotilda illegally brought captive Africans to Mobile, Alabama in 1860. After emancipation, many of those survivors pooled their money, bought land, and founded Africatown. Nick Tabor, the author of Africatown, shares the remarkable story of the last slave ship to reach America, the people aboard it, and the resilient Alabama community they built from nothing.

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Diego Moreno: The Police Officer Everyone Called When They Needed Backup May 14, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after Diego Moreno of the Kent Police Department was killed during a police pursuit in Kent, Washington, his wife and longtime patrol partner shared stories about the man behind the badge. For our National Police Week programming, they remember Moreno as a devoted father, energetic friend, relentless police officer, and larger-than-life personality who brought joy, humor, and intensity everywhere he went.

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Why Hollywood Cowboy Tim McCoy Went to War Twice May 14, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before Tim McCoy became one of Hollywood’s biggest Western movie stars and the face on the Wheaties box, he was a real Wyoming cowboy, rancher, cavalry officer, and friend of Buffalo Bill Cody. McCoy appeared in nearly 100 Western films during Hollywood’s golden age and later served in both World War I and World War II as a U.S. Army officer. For our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Historian Roger McGrath shares the remarkable story of the cowboy actor who lived the life most movie stars only pretended to live.

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“I Didn’t Want Children… Then I Met Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller” May 14, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after Damon Gutzwiller of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office was killed in the line of duty in California, his wife Favi stood before mourners while pregnant with their second child and shared the story of the man she loved. In this moving National Police Week eulogy, she remembers Damon not only as a sheriff’s sergeant, but as a devoted husband, loving father, caregiver to his mother, and the kindest man she had ever known.

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Before Hollywood, Danny Trejo Was Behind Bars May 14, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before Danny Trejo became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, known for films like Machete and Heat, he spent years in prison battling addiction and violence. Speaking at the Crossroads Recovery Center's 60th Anniversary Breakfast event in Phoenix, AZ., Trejo shares how sobriety, recovery, faith, and helping others transformed his life and unexpectedly led him from prison cells to movie sets.

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How B.B. King’s Guitar “Lucille” Got Her Name May 14, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, long before B.B. King became a blues legend, he nearly lost his life running back into a burning Arkansas juke joint to save his guitar. That night, after learning two men had started the fight over a woman named Lucille, King gave the guitar a name he would carry with him for the rest of his life. B.B. King’s longtime friend Myron Johnson and Daniel de Visé, author of King of the Blues, share the story.

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Why a Young Black Man Became a Cop on Skid Row May 13, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Deon Joseph grew up believing police officers were the enemy. Influenced by personal experiences, the Rodney King beating, and the culture around him, he never imagined joining law enforcement himself. But after becoming an LAPD officer, Joseph found his calling serving the people of Los Angeles’ notorious Skid Row, where he spent decades trying to bring order, dignity, and hope to one of America’s toughest neighborhoods. Be sure to check out Deon's book Stepping Across The Line: A Skid Row Cop's Story for more.

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“My Husband Died a Hero, but He Also Lived as One” May 13, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after Jonathan Diller was killed in the line of duty in Queens, his wife Stephanie stood before mourners with their young son and shared the story of the man she loved. In this moving eulogy, she remembers Jonathan not only as an NYPD officer, but as a devoted husband, father, and protector.

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He Thought Johnny Cakes Were Named After Him May 13, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, long before he learned the history of Johnny Cakes, John Busbee believed the beloved breakfast food had been named after him because of the love his Iowa grandmother poured into making them. Busbee shares the heartwarming story, and history, behind one of America’s oldest dishes, and how his grandmother whipped them up in her kitchen. Be sure to check out more of John's work at his website The Culture Buzz.

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The Oakland Raiders Were So Bad Fans Created Fantasy Football May 13, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Fantasy football is now a multibillion-dollar industry played by millions of Americans every year. But it began in 1962 with a handful of frustrated Oakland Raiders fans sitting in a New York hotel bar trying to make watching bad football more fun. Peter Funt, the author of Inside Fantasy Football, shares the surprising story behind one of America’s favorite games.

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