Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story about Mike Joens, a Marine-turned-cartoon animator—and so much more. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, he wasn't an NBA star: He was a sneaker salesman that helped popularize the sport of basketball, and the sneakers that now bear his name. This is his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 85-year-old Lana Peters died in a rural Wisconsin village in 2011, Americans learned that one of their fellow citizens was the daughter of none other than the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Coors Banquet is really good...no, really good, and its story began with a German immigrant living in a Colorado mining town. Pete Coors tells the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, relatively few women went with the initial stampedes to new mineral discoveries throughout the American frontiers. None went unescorted to so many remote, perilous places as Nellie Cashman—or until age 80, as Nellie did. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in April of 1912, a ship that previously mattered very little to Guglielmo Marconi pulled up to a crowd of thousands in New York Harbor. It was the Carpathia, the ship that rescued over 700 survivors from the ill-fated Titanic, in large measure due to his invention--the wireless telegraph. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Wally Soplata tells the story of his eccentric union carpenter father who collected rare and vintage WWII aircraft for pennies on the dime. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Woody Holton of the University of South Carolina tells the story about David George, a man who would escape his bondage only to find himself with new captors, a newfound faith, and eventually... a new freedom in Canada. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is a story of how faith propelled Dr. Dennis Sempebwa from war-torn Uganda to America... and beyond. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Story of Paula Smith, who Challenged North Carolina's Unconstitutional Map Act - with help from the Institute for Justice. Learn about the Rule of Law, and the former North Carolina MAP Act. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Writer Bill Bryk briefly recounts how New York City became the city it is today, as well as his love for its past. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Cox is a former college hockey star who was squeezed out of arguably the greatest moment in sports history. What you might know about Ralph comes from the 2004 Disney movie "Miracle," which is the true story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that upset the powerful Soviets en route to the gold medal at Lake Placid. Here's Ralph to share the moment that changed his life forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Doug Richardson of the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site in Independence, Missouri shares the story of his state's native son, Harry S. Truman, and discusses how a shirt salesman who was barely known outside of his county until late in life made it to the Oval Office. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Chris Soriano tells the story of a baseball team formed out of a religious commune in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The long-haired men played anywhere and with anybody, including those who had been excluded from major league venues because of the color of their skin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, History professor Mark Cheathem tells us why Andrew Jackson’s pet parrot had to be removed from his funeral. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Colin Bettles, an Australian exchange student visiting a restaurant in Buffalo, discovered the passion of his life - wings. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, taking an interesting twist on our “Rule of Law” series, Christopher Warren shares the history of the U.S. Postal Service and a time when people mailed their children… And in one instance, an entire bank. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in this "Rule of Law" Story, James King and his lawyer Patrick Jaicomo from the Institute for Justice tell the story of a extreme case of mistaken identity that led them down a long road to achieve justice. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Anne Claire tells the story of two ships sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln was able to begin to live and heal with his wife. At his last cabinet meeting, he shared a dream he had the night before - one he said always signaled momentous events. He and his wife were happier than at any time since the death of their son. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.