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:
4,253 clip(s) in playlist
How a Chicago Janitor Wrote a Hallmark Christmas Movie
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Christmas Under the Stars became a Hallmark Channel staple, it was a quiet story written by a Chicago-area janitor. By day, Rikk Dunlap fixed leaky faucets and gym bleachers. By night, he wrote fiction, never expecting one of his midnight works to bec…
20:18
The Man Who Spent All of His Christmas Savings Building Beds for Needy Children
On this episode of Our American Stories, Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, tells how a meeting in his church turned into a Boy Scouts project, a Christmas tradition, and 50,000 free beds for needy families every year. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
17:58
How a Single Facebook Post Transformed Christmas for a Family in Need
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ashley Freeman came home from overseas determined to help people in her own town. When she asked her neighbors for Christmas donations for a family in crisis, the response was overwhelming. Gifts, decorations, and support came from across the state and beyon…
10:49
Why CBS Nearly Pulled the Plug on A Charlie Brown Christmas
On this episode of Our American Stories, dealing with a small budget and a short deadline, A Charlie Brown Christmas was released to critical acclaim on December 9, 1965. While audiences loved it, there were many doubters behind the scenes at CBS. Our host, Lee Habeeb, tells the story. Support the…
09:29
How Bing Crosby and David Bowie Created a Christmas Classic—By Accident
On this episode of Our American Stories, in what would be Bing Crosby’s final Christmas special, he teamed up with glam rock legend David Bowie for a duet that defied expectations. “Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth” went on to become one of the most cherished Christmas songs of all time. Discove…
09:59
A Silent Night Behind Barbed Wire: Christmas in a WWII POW Camp
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the final Christmas of World War II, American soldier Keith Ginther found himself behind enemy lines in a German POW camp. But on that quiet night in 1944, something unexpected happened. Shared through journalist Kristen Inbody, this story is a rare glimp…
07:59
Why Michigan and Ohio State Hate Each Other
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Michigan and Ohio State ever lined up on the football field, their rivalry started with a fight over land and a cartographer’s mistake. Known as the Toledo War, this little-known border dispute between the two states set the stage for what would becom…
10:48
A Bird Had to Be Removed from Andrew Jackson’s Funeral — Here’s Why
On this episode of Our American Stories, it’s not every day a U.S. president’s funeral has to be paused because of a swearing parrot—but then again, Andrew Jackson never followed the rules, even in death. As guests gathered to mourn the seventh president, his longtime pet had other ideas. Historian…
09:29
Turning a Historic House Into a Home: A 300-Year Journey
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Ruth McKeaney and her husband stepped into a historic home that was falling off its foundation, they had no idea it would be the first of many. Over the years, they’ve raised five kids while flipping one broken house after another, including a 300-year-…
09:59
Inside Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers’ Rise and Fall on The Tonight Show
On this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers defined late-night television. Carson ruled The Tonight Show as its steady center, while Rivers became his most trusted guest host, winning audiences with her sharp timing and fearless comedy. Night after night, viewe…
07:59