Our American Stories
Our American Stories
Playlist by Our American StoriesOur American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories abo…Follow the podcast:
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The Obituary of a Man Who Escaped Stalin and Hitler
On this episode of Our American Stories, Alex Berezow remembers his grandfather Dimitri the only way a life like this can be remembered, by telling the story. Born under Stalin, forced into Nazi labor camps as a teenager, and surviving through nerve, charm, and impossible luck, Dimitri escaped the …
10:49
Growing Up Rural: Dangling Feet and the Cost of a Lie
On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Scott Jones, author of Growing Up Rural, shares a memory from his youth when a small decision and the temptation to bend the truth carried real consequences. What follows is a quiet but powerful reflection on honesty, responsibility, and how the lesso…
09:29
Secretariat’s Owner: The Remarkable Story of Penny Chenery
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Secretariat became a Triple Crown legend, Penny Chenery was a mother of five facing an unexpected turning point. As her father’s health failed, she stepped in to run a struggling Virginia horse farm and entered a male-dominated racing world where she …
09:58
The Hardest Part of Being a Dad: Letting Her Grow Up
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Stephen Rusiniak became the father of a daughter, worry came with the job. When she grew into a high school gymnast, those worries took on a whole new shape. From the hospital delivery room to the balance beam, Rusiniak reflects on the quiet terror and …
07:59
The Jewish Patriots of the American Revolution
On this episode of Our American Stories, during the American Revolution, Jews made up only a tiny fraction of the population, yet many became passionate patriots in the fight for independence and religious freedom. Historian Adam Jortner, author of A Promised Land, shares the overlooked stories of …
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The Screwdriver Wars: Why Phillips Beat Robertson
On this episode of Our American Stories, why do we have so many different kinds of screws? The answer lies in a little-known industrial rivalry between the Robertson and Phillips screw designs, where engineering innovation collided with manufacturing, war, and corporate power. The History Guy share…
10:49
The Story of Jell-O: How America’s Favorite Dessert Was Born
On this episode of Our American Stories, invented in 1897, Jell-O became one of America’s most recognizable foods through clever marketing, simple convenience, and perfect timing. Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out and The Brain Food Show tells how a wobbly gelatin dessert worked its way into Amer…
09:29
Before the Mall: The Original Abercrombie & Fitch
On this episode of Our American Stories, Abercrombie & Fitch once ruled shopping malls in the 1990s and early 2000s, but its story began long before loud music and cologne. Founded in 1892 in New York City, the company started as an elite outfitter for explorers, presidents, and world-class outdoor…
09:58
If I Could Talk to Anyone for One Hour, It Would Be My Parents
On this episode of Our American Stories, if you could spend one hour talking with anyone, living or not, who would you choose? For regular contributor Stephen Rusiniak, the answer isn’t a famous figure or historical hero. It’s his parents. In this deeply personal reflection, Rusiniak imagines what …
07:59
Paul Harvey: The Voice That Told America “The Rest of the Story”
On this episode of Our American Stories, born in small-town Oklahoma in 1918, Paul Harvey grew up shaped by faith, rural life, and the tragic murder of his father, a police officer. From World War II to Watergate, from civil rights to the dawn of the digital age, Harvey spoke to America nearly ever…
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