Our American Stories

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The Missionary Who Carries a Gun in War-Torn Burma Mar 04, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in parts of Burma, civilians live between armed groups with little protection. The Free Burma Rangers move into those areas to treat the wounded and help families escape.
Founded by former Green Beret Dave Eubank, the group blends military training with humanitarian work. Their missions include medical rescue, documentation of human rights violations, and direct support for displaced communities. Dave joins us to tell his story.

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Phillis Wheatley: From Africa to America’s First Published Black Poet Mar 04, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Phillis Wheatley was brought from Africa to Boston as a child and enslaved. Within a few years, she was reading classical literature and writing poetry that would be published in 1773 in Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.
Leslie Johnson of The American Village revisits Phillis Wheatley’s life, her poetry on slavery and faith, and the uneasy place she held in a nation demanding liberty while denying hers.

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From a Displaced Persons Camp to Funding Brain Research Mar 04, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Soviets took control of Lithuania at the end of World War II, Audrey Gruss’s parents fled. After time in a displaced persons camp in Germany, they came to the United States, sponsored by relatives in Newark, New Jersey.
Her mother, Hope, later developed severe depression at a time when mental illness was rarely discussed and poorly treated. Following her mother's death, she decided to establish a depression research foundation to help those like her mother receive the kind of care she never received. Audrey joins us to discuss her parents' courageous escape and how she honors her mother through her work every day.

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Eli Whitney and the Origins of American Mass Production Mar 04, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before interchangeable parts became standard in factories, they were an idea in need of proof. And Eli Whitney saw opportunity in that idea.
Seeking federal backing, he promoted the concept that muskets could be assembled from uniform, standardized pieces. That claim pointed toward the future of American manufacturing. Here to tell the story is Ashley Hlebinsky. Ashley is the former co-host of Discovery Channel’s Master of Arms, the former curator in charge of the Cody Firearms Museum, and president of The Gun Code, LLC.

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The Couple the Catholic Church Wouldn’t Marry Mar 04, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, despite the church's refusal to annul a previous marriage, this couple spent days together for decades, all the while upholding their traditional values. And despite never exchanging vows, even death couldn't part them. Tom Ryan, an Our American Stories listener, shares the story.

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Paul Bauer: The 6'6" Quilter from Minneapolis Mar 03, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, at six-foot-six and 250 pounds, Paul Bauer does not fit most people’s picture of a quilter. A few years ago, he took a stack of his late father-in-law’s T-shirts and stitched them into a quilt, expecting it to be a one-time project. But that first T-shirt quilt turned into a lasting hobby and, eventually, a way to honor those he holds close. Paul, a regular contributor to Our American Stories, joins us to share how he stumbled into quilting and how sewing quilts has helped him stay connected to the people he loves most.

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Curt Flood and the Lawsuit That Changed Baseball Mar 03, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Curt Flood was one of the best center fielders in Major League Baseball. As a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals, Flood built a reputation based on excellence.
Iin 1969, the Cardinals traded him to Philadelphia against his wishes. He refused to report. He challenged Major League Baseball’s reserve clause, the rule that tied players to one team and denied them the right to free agency. His case, Curt Flood v. Kuhn, went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Despite his best efforts, Flood lost the ruling and his career. But his stand opened the door for modern free agency and changed the business of baseball. Columnist George Will shares the story of Curt Flood, the player who risked everything to challenge the system.

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Remembering The USS Indianapolis: The Worst Naval Disaster in American History Mar 03, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The USS Indianapolis left Guam in July 1945 after delivering critical cargo connected to the Manhattan Project. But before she could make it to her next destination, a Japanese submarine would strike the cruiser, leaving hundreds of sailors and Marines sinking in shark infested waters.
While the story gained popularity from Jaws, the details itself are more harrowing from the men who lived through it.
The story later reached a wider audience through Jaws, but the details come from men who lived through it. The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, shares the real-life story of that fateful day.

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Falling in Love at The Kids Section at Lambeau Field Mar 03, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Lambeau Field has hosted decades of Green Bay Packers history. In the 1980s, it also hosted something quieter: a kids-only section for young Packers fans to hang around and watch football with their peers.
Jon Elfner spent his eighth grade year in that section, watching Packers home games week after week. But it wasn't just the players who cuaght his eye. John joins us to tell his love story that played out in Wisconsin's, and the NFL's, most famous field.

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Becoming Dr. Seuss: The Making of an American Imagination Mar 03, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from Green Eggs and Ham to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re all familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss. But the story of how he actually became the author we know and love is far from short and simple. Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, is here with the full story of the man behind the pen name.

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