Our American Stories

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Why 800 Irish-Americans Crossed Into Canada to Fight for Ireland’s Freedom Mar 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, after the Civil War, hundreds of Irish-American veterans launched an invasion — not in Ireland, but across the Canadian border. It was a daring, chaotic attempt to pressure Britain into freeing Ireland. Author and History Channel contributor Christopher Klein shares the untold story of the Fenian Raids.

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Olivia Juliette Hooker: The First Black Woman in the U.S. Coast Guard Mar 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Olivia Hooker’s life spans some of the most important chapters of American history. A survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre as a child, she later went on to become the first Black woman to serve in the United States Coast Guard.
In her own words, Hooker reflects on the path that led her to military service and the experiences that shaped her remarkable life.

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Chuck Taylor and the Converse Shoes That Built Basketball Mar 19, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, today the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star is one of the most recognizable sneakers in the world, worn by athletes, musicians, and everyday fans alike. But the man whose name appears on that famous ankle patch was not a superstar athlete.
Chuck Taylor was a basketball evangelist and traveling salesman who spent decades promoting the sport and the shoes that would become synonymous with it. Lee Habeeb shares the story of Charles “Chuck” Taylor and how a passionate promoter helped popularize basketball while turning Converse high-top sneakers into an American icon.

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Finding Dave Dinan: A Vietnam War POW-MIA Story Mar 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Ed Sykes shares the remarkable story of his friendship with fellow fighter pilot Dave Dinan and the decades-long effort to bring his fallen comrade home.
During the Vietnam War, Sykes flew dangerous combat missions in the F-105 Thunderchief alongside a close-knit brotherhood of pilots. One of those men was Dave Dinan, a brilliant young airman who was shot down over Laos in 1969 while flying in the secret “Hidden War” connected to the conflict in Vietnam. Dinan’s body was never recovered, and over time his family was told there was little hope that his remains would ever be found.
But Sykes never forgot his friend. Here's Ed with the story.

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An Immigrant Story About Education, Football, and the American Dream Mar 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, every immigrant story begins with a decision to leave something familiar behind. For Kevin Samy’s father, that meant leaving a village where opportunity was scarce and education was almost nonexistent.
Samy shares how that journey to the United States influenced his upbringing, from growing up in a diverse American community to discovering how football, education, and discipline helped shape the path of his life.

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A Grandfather, a Farm, and a Life Well Lived Mar 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Brent Timmons, a listener of Our American Stories,shares the story of his grandfather, a quiet man known in the family simply as “Pop Pop.” Vernon Timmons lived a modest life in southern Delaware, working hard, speaking little, and rarely seeking attention. He briefly ran a small gas station and later worked long hours while farming a piece of land outside the town of Dagsboro.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Pastor Who Tried To Kill Hitler Mar 18, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer sits at the intersection of faith, politics, and conscience during one of the darkest chapters of modern history. As a Lutheran pastor and theologian, Bonhoeffer spoke openly against the Nazi regime and later became connected to members of the underground resistance working to overthrow Adolf Hitler.
Eric Metaxas shares the story behind Bonhoeffer’s life, from his early years as a pastor to the sacrifice that ultimately made him one of the most compelling figures of Christian resistance during World War II. Metaxas is the author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.

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Madam C.J. Walker: America’s First Self-Made Female Millionaire Mar 17, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, born on the land of the former plantation where her parents had been enslaved, Madam C. J. Walker married young, became a mother young, was widowed young, and divorced young. Out of necessity, she went on to create a revolutionary hair care product that transformed her life and helped make her one of the first self-made female millionaires in American history.
A'lelia Bundles, Walker’s great-great-great-granddaughter and author of On Her Own Ground, shares the remarkable story of entrepreneurship, resilience, and legacy behind one of the most influential businesswomen in American history.

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When FDR Warned That Tyranny Begins by Silencing Religion Mar 17, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in his 1939 State of the Union address, President Franklin D. Roosevelt warned that attacks on religion often appear alongside attacks on democracy itself.
Speaking at a time when authoritarian regimes were rising overseas, Roosevelt argued that freedom of religion and political liberty were closely connected. Our American Stories’ own Lee Habeeb shares the story behind this powerful presidential address and the warning FDR delivered about threats to free societies.

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The Real Saint Patrick Behind St. Patrick’s Day Mar 17, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world with shamrocks, green clothing, and parades, but the real Saint Patrick lived a life far removed from the holiday that grew up around his name.
As a teenager, Patrick was captured and taken to Ireland as a slave. Years later, he returned to the same land, this time as a Christian missionary determined to share his faith with the Irish people. Our own Greg Hengler tells the astonishing tale of the man behind the holiday.

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