Our American Stories

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Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker: Stories From the Early Years Feb 24, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s rise to become the King of Rock and Roll did not happen in isolation. Behind the scenes stood his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who helped guide the career of a young Elvis during the explosive years of 1950s rock and roll.
Greg McDonald met Elvis Presley as a teenager shortly after Colonel Parker began managing him. What followed were encounters that reveal the personalities behind the headlines. Greg shares three stories from inside the early world of Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker.

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Who Invented Snowboarding? The Story of Jake Burton Carpenter Feb 24, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, snowboarding grew from a niche winter activity into a global sport within a single generation. At the center of that transformation stood Jake Burton Carpenter.
As founder of Burton Snowboards, he played a central role in shaping the sport’s growth, guiding it from informal gatherings to professional events and eventually Olympic competition. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story of Jake Burton and the rise of snowboarding as both an industry and an international sport.

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Why Cincinnati Is Named After George Washington—and a Roman Farmer Feb 24, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, King George III once said that if George Washington truly resigned his commission and returned to his farm, he would be the greatest man in the world. Washington did exactly that.
Washington’s decision echoed the story of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, a Roman farmer and general who left his plow to defend the Roman Republic and then gave up power just as quickly.
Hillsdale College professor Kenneth Calvert shares the story of Cincinnatus shaped the image of George Washington and how the city of Cincinnati came to bear the name of a Roman statesman.

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The Story of America: The Framers and the Summer of 1787 [Ep. 9] Feb 24, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitutional Convention opened in 1787, the United States was less than a decade old and already struggling. The Articles of Confederation had created a loose union of states with a Congress that lacked the power to tax, enforce laws, or stabilize the economy. By 1787, many leaders believed the country could not continue as it was.
The men who met in Philadelphia were not unanimous in their views, but they shared a belief that reform was necessary. What began as a plan to amend the existing system became an effort to draft an entirely new Constitution. As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, the author of Land of Hope, shares the riveting story of the start of the Constitutional Convention and how the men there set out to create a document meant to last.

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Ruth Graham’s Farewell to Her Father Billy Graham Feb 24, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, few figures shaped modern American Christianity like Billy Graham. His sermons reached across denominations and generations, and his ministry left a lasting mark on the country’s religious life. When Billy Graham passed away, tributes poured in from around the world. At his funeral, however, the most personal reflection came from his daughter, Ruth Graham.
In this Final Thoughts segment, Ruth shares memories of her father that go beyond the public image of a famous evangelist and reveal the man she knew at home.

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Captain America and the Hitler Punch That Shocked the World Feb 23, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1941, Captain America Comics No. 1 hit newsstands with an unforgettable image: Captain America punching Adolf Hitler. The cover appeared nearly a year before Pearl Harbor, at a time when much of the country was still divided over entering World War II.
Joe Parrott of Ohio State University explains how Captain America’s first appearance reflected the mood of the moment, the character’s Jewish roots, and why that single punch became one of the most important images in comic book history.

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Iowa’s Union Soldiers and the Lasting Effects of the Civil War Feb 23, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories regular contributor, Joy Neal Kidney, shares the forgotten stories of Union soldiers from Iowa whose sacrifices rippled far beyond the battlefield. Drawing from her family's letters, Joy tells the intertwined tales of Colonel James Redfield and Lieutenant Colin Marshall: farmers, fathers, brothers, and sons who left Iowa to fight for the Union. Joy's book is Leora's Letters, be sure to give it a read.

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President Reagan's Greatest Speech You've Never Heard: His July 4 Speech in NY Harbor Feb 23, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on July 4, 1986, moments before the largest fireworks display in American history, President Ronald Reagan gave a rousing speech from the deck of the USS John F. Kennedy in New York Harbor. Standing beneath the Statue of Liberty, he reminded the country and the world what freedom really means.

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Who Invented the Internet? Feb 23, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, no, Al Gore did not invent the internet. And neither did one single engineer working alone in a lab.
The creation of the internet was a decades-long effort involving programmers, scientists, and visionaries who believed computers could talk to one another. From early network experiments to the first web browser and the first website, the internet story is one of shared invention. Critically acclaimed biographer and author of The Innovators, Walter Issacson, shares how the internet came to be with his audience at a book talk at the U.S. Library of Congress.

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Theodore Roosevelt: That Damn Cowboy Feb 23, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in American history when he took office in 1901. He is remembered for trust-busting, conservation, and the phrase “carry a big stick.” But before all of that, he was a young man in mourning.
After the sudden death of his wife and mother on the same day in 1884, Roosevelt fled west to the Dakota Territory, seeking solitude, purpose, and renewal on the frontier. Roger McGrath and Michael Blake tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt in North Dakota, and how the hardships of ranch life helped forge one of America’s most consequential leaders.

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