Our American Stories

The Debate Over Slavery That Changed John Quincy Adams

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1819, as the Missouri Crisis stirred national debate over slavery and westward expansion, a private conversation between John

The Real Chef Boyardee: The Immigrant Who Fed America

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 16-year-old Hector Boiardi arrived at Ellis Island from Italy in 1914, he couldn't have imagined that his face would one day

Rudyard Kipling’s Triumphant and Tragic Life Beyond The Jungle Book

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rudyard Kipling became one of the most famous writers of his age, giving the world The Jungle Book, Just So Stories, “Gunga Din,”

The Story of America: Winning the Great War, Losing the Great Peace [Ep. 44]

On this episode of Our American Stories, America entered World War I late, but its arrival helped change the course of the conflict. By the fall of 1918, more than a mill

The One-Ton Pumpkin: How a Rhode Island Grower Broke a World Record

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2017, Rhode Island grower Joe Jutras set a world record with a green squash weighing 2,118 pounds, earning a place among the l

The Most Recorded Guitarist in History: Tommy Tedesco of the Wrecking Crew

On this episode of Our American Stories, you may not know Tommy Tedesco’s name, but chances are you know his guitar. As one of the most in-demand session musicians in Los

How the Red Sox Finally Broke the Curse of the Bambino

On this episode of Our American Stories, for generations of Boston Red Sox fans, heartbreak became part of the experience. After winning the World Series in 1918, the tea

The Flushing Remonstrance and America’s First Fight for Freedom

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1657, Governor Peter Stuyvesant ordered residents of New Netherland to help enforce his campaign against religious dissenters,

Deborah Sampson: The Woman Who Snuck Into George Washington’s Army

On this episode of Our American Stories, Deborah Sampson wanted to serve her country, but women were barred from joining the Continental Army. So in 1782, the Massachuset

Why East Coast and West Coast Policing Developed Differently

On this episode of Our American Stories, why do police departments in different parts of the country operate so differently? Former LAPD Sergeant Bob Alaniz argues that t

Mother Cabrini: The Italian Immigrant Who Became an American Saint

On this episode of Our American Stories, Francesca Cabrini dreamed of becoming a missionary in China. Instead, Pope Leo XIII sent the Italian nun west to the United State

A 14-Year-Old Historian Brings the First Day of the American Revolution to Life

On this episode of Our American Stories, you’ve probably heard that during his famous midnight ride through the Massachusetts countryside to warn Samuel Adams and John Ha

The Mad Scientists of Malibu, Pt. 2: The Golden Age of Surf

On this episode of Our American Stories, by the late 1950s, something was happening at Malibu. Surfboards were getting lighter and faster, the waves were crowded with a n

Guitars for Vets: Helping Veterans Heal Through Music

On this episode of Our American Stories, for veterans struggling with PTSD, stress, or simply the difficulty of quieting the mind, sometimes a guitar can provide a few ho

The $15 Million Bet That Doubled the Country

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1803, Thomas Jefferson sent Robert Livingston and James Monroe to France hoping to secure New Orleans. Instead, Napoleon offer

USS Indianapolis: Two Captains, One Name, and a 55-Year Fight for Justice

On this episode of Our American Stories, Millions of Americans first learned about the tragic fate of the USS Indianapolis from Quint's famous monologue in Spielberg's 19

"White Elephant" & "Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 24)

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson, our regular contributor, returns with another installment of our ongoing series exploring the curious origins of

Milton Hershey: The Man Who Made Chocolate for Everyone

On this episode of Our American Stories, Milton Hershey failed again and again before he ever became America's chocolate king. After a struggling candy shop in Philadelph

The Unlikely Making of The Godfather

On this episode of Our American Stories, the director was a renegade filmmaker who'd never made a profitable picture. The producer was hired because he could stay below b

I Prayed to Be as Big as My Brother. Then I Grew to 6'6"

On this episode of Our American Stories, growing up in Bloomington, Minnesota, Paul Bauer idolized his oldest brother, Tom, a 6-foot-2 three-sport athlete everyone called