Our American Stories

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How Serving Coffee and Donuts in World War I Led To Women Gaining the Right to Vote Apr 07, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before World War I, the suffrage movement had been fighting for decades without success. The war changed that. Women stepped into visible, demanding roles tied directly to the military and daily life at the front.
Kara Dixon Vuic, author of The Girls Next Door: Bringing the Home Front to the Front Lines, explains how those experiences shifted public opinion and gave political leaders a reason to act. Women’s wartime service became part of the case for granting the right to vote in the United States.

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The Leadership Lesson That Built Aron Marquez’s $100M Business Apr 07, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Aron Marquez’s story begins in the fields, working long hours and learning firsthand what hard work really looks like. Years later, he would go on to build WildCat Oil Tools, a Texas-based company generating over $100 million in annual revenue and employing hundreds of people.
But for Marquez, success was about people, not just profit. From doing the same work as his employees to building a culture rooted in respect, he learned that leadership is earned long before a company scales.
Aron shares what it takes to build something that lasts and why the way you treat people ultimately defines the strength of your business.

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The Story of America: George Washington’s First Term and the First Test of the Constitution [Ep. 14] Apr 07, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the early United States faced deep uncertainty after the American Revolutionary War, and the Constitution had yet to prove itself in practice. George Washington entered office knowing that every decision would set a precedent, especially as the revolutionary ties that bound the nation began to break down along emerging party lines.
As part of our ongoing Story of Us, Story of America series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of the decisions that shaped the role of the presidency and set lasting precedents that continue to influence America today.

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How an Ice Cream Man Cracked Press Your Luck and Won Big Apr 07, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1984, a contestant named Michael Larson, an ice cream man from Ohio, stepped onto the set of Press Your Luck and walked away with over $110,000, becoming one of the biggest winners in game show history. His run looked like pure luck, but behind the scenes, Larson had figured out how the game really worked.
Comedian and mathematician Matt Parker breaks down the famous Press Your Luck scandal, explaining how Larson memorized patterns on the board and cracked the code of one of America’s most popular game shows.

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Sergeant Stubby: The Stray Dog Who Became a World War I Hero Apr 07, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War I, one unlikely hero stood out among the soldiers, and he walked on four legs! Sergeant Stubby started as a stray dog before becoming a beloved mascot and eventually one of the most decorated war dogs in American history.
Jeremy Swick of the College Football Hall of Fame shares the remarkable true story of how Stubby became a national symbol of loyalty and courage.

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The Welding Program Helping People Move Beyond Homelessness Apr 06, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Reignite Hope began with a simple question about how to help people move forward when life has fallen apart. Steve Bunyard turned to welding as a way to create opportunity, building a program that trains people, certifies them, and connects them to meaningful work.
Today, the program reaches far beyond Skid Row, helping people struggling with homelessness, poverty, and major life transitions.

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The Incident at Exeter: America’s Most Credible UFO Sighting Apr 06, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Iin September 1965, a quiet stretch of road in New Hampshire became the setting for what many still consider one of the most compelling UFO sightings in the United States. The Incident at Exeter began when a teenager reported a large object with red flashing lights hovering in the distance, an account that quickly drew the attention of local police and, eventually, national headlines.
Ashley Hlebinsky recounts the details of that night and explains why the Exeter UFO sighting remains one of the most well-documented UFO cases in American history.

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The Brooklyn Bridge and the Family That Built It Apr 06, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883 and quickly became one of the most remarkable engineering achievements in the world. Spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it created a lasting connection between two rapidly growing communities.
But the bridge’s story is also the story of a family. After its designer, John Roebling, died during construction, his son Washington took over as chief engineer, only to be left bedridden by illness. From there, his wife Emily stepped in, helping oversee the project and carry it through to completion. The History Guy joins us to share the story of one of America’s greatest modern marvels and the people who made it possible.

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How a World War II Veteran Changed My Life Apr 06, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after watching Saving Private Ryan, Jay Moore walked into a bookstore in Texas and struck up a conversation with an older man browsing a World War II book. That man was Joe Brown, a Marine veteran whose service took him through Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian, some of the hardest fighting in the Pacific.
What began as a brief exchange turned into a friendship and a firsthand encounter with the kind of war hero most Americans never expect to meet in ordinary life.

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What It Was Like to Stand in the Shadow of an Atomic Blast Apr 06, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from 1945 to 1992, the United States conducted more than a thousand nuclear weapons tests. Many took place in Nevada, where young Marines were ordered into trenches to observe what would happen when the bomb went off. Among them was Toby Madrid.
For decades, he stayed silent, sharing his memories only once with his son and a trusted co-worker, Richard Muniz. That rare conversation captured the surreal experience of facing a nuclear explosion in the desert and the shadow it left on the men who served.

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