Our American Stories

iHeartRadio On-Demand
  • 4,6 (791)
  • DOCUMENTAIRE
  • TOUS LES JOURS

Our 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 about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

  1. -19 H

    The True Story of the Mason-Dixon Line and the Boundary That Divided America

    On this episode of Our American Stories, long before the Mason-Dixon Line came to represent a nation divided, it began as a simple question of property. In the 1760s, Pennsylvania and Maryland bitterly disputed over their shared border. To end it, two English surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, were sent across the Atlantic with a task that would test their patience and skill. They spent years in the wilderness, charting forests and rivers, measuring each step with chains and stars. The line they drew finally brought peace to the colonies. But history had other plans. Nearly a century later, their boundary became a symbol of division between free and slave states.Dakota Bricker tells the story of how a quiet act of measurement became a defining landmark in American history, one that still carries the weight of its past. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    20 min

  2. -19 H

    The Inventor Extraordinaire Who Gave Us the Safety Pin: Walter Hunt

    On this episode of Our American Stories, Walter Hunt never set out to become famous. He spent his life surrounded by tools, sketches, and scraps of wire, moving from one idea to the next with little thought of fortune. In 1849, short on money and eager to repay a $15 debt, he sat down at his workbench and began bending a piece of brass wire. Three hours later, the safety pin was born. Hunt sold the patent for $400 and walked away without realizing what he had created. The simple clasp he designed would go on to secure clothing, diapers, and bandages across the world. Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, tells the story of this man whose curiosity never rested. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    10 min

  3. -19 H

    Why the Founding Fathers Believed Faith and Freedom Were Inseparable: 100 Bible Verses That Made America

    On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Founding Fathers set out to shape a new nation, they looked to Scripture for wisdom. Many were not traditional churchgoers, but nearly all believed that moral order came from faith. Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of how biblical teaching influenced America’s earliest leaders and how those ideas became part of the nation’s identity. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    8 min

  4. -19 H

    The Third-Grade Teacher Who Changed James Ward’s Life

    On this episode of Our American Stories, James Ward grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at a time when the city was still divided by race and geography. The Black Warrior River split the town in two, and children learned early which side they belonged to. For Ward, that separation defined his world until the third grade, when he was bused across town to a newly integrated school. The change was immediate. The buildings were new, the paint was fresh, and the lawns were green. His teacher, Mrs. Pitts, carried herself with a quiet grace that left a lasting mark. She expected more of him than anyone else had and refused to let him settle for less. When his name appeared on the board for his good work, Ward realized that his worth wasn’t limited by the color of his skin or where he lived. That discovery became the turning point in his life. Years later, as a pastor in Chicago, he carried that lesson into a nation struggling with anger and division. When the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha brought tensions to a breaking point, Ward called instead for prayer, peace, and forgiveness. His words spread quickly, resonating with people across the country who were desperate to hear a voice of calm. His book, Zero Victim: Overcoming Injustice with a New Attitude, tells the story of how one teacher’s faith helped him see beyond bitterness and fear. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min

  5. -19 H

    The Thanksgiving Story You Never Learned in School

    On this episode of Our American Stories, so much of our Thanksgiving imagery and tradition is not rooted in historical reality, yet the truth is far more colorful and meaningful. Here to help us revisit the real story is Simon Whistler from the “Today I Found Out” YouTube channel and its companion podcast, “Brain Food Show.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    8 min

  6. -3 J

    The Forgotten Bonapartes: How Napoleon’s Family Helped Build the FBI

    On this episode of Our American Stories, when Napoleon’s brother Jérôme Bonaparte met a young Baltimore woman named Elizabeth Patterson in 1803, it seemed like a love story that could never last. Their marriage was annulled by the emperor himself, but it sparked a family line that would take root in America and quietly reshape its future. Their grandson, Charles J. Bonaparte, carried the ambition of his lineage in a different direction. Educated at Harvard and driven by public service, he became U.S. Attorney General under Theodore Roosevelt and went on to establish a small investigative office within the Justice Department, an office that would later evolve into the Federal Bureau of Investigation.The History Guy traces how Napoleon Bonaparte’s legacy reached across oceans, blending old-world nobility with new-world purpose. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    11 min

  7. -3 J

    The Grass and the Furious: Ladies... Start Your (Lawnmower) Engines!

    On this episode of Our American Stories, across small-town America, fields that once grew corn and clover now host something unexpected: racing lawn mowers. The smell of fuel mixes with cut grass, and the sound of modified engines echoes across the open air. For Julie Tynmann, these races aren’t about fame or money; they’re about community and the thrill of seeing how far a racing mower can go when you push it to its limit.Julie shares how she found joy in this unlikely corner of motorsport, where every turn of the wheel reminds her that adventure can begin anywhere, even in your own backyard. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    19 min

  8. -3 J

    Forgiving the Drug Dealer That Killed My Daughter

    On this episode of Our American Stories, when Mike and Deborah Bailey lost their daughter Ashlynn to a fentanyl overdose, their world stopped. For months, they wrestled with heartbreak and rage, knowing the man who sold her the drugs was still alive. Then their son came to them with a quiet conviction: he wanted to forgive the dealer. What began as an act of faith became a family’s path to healing. The Baileys wrote a letter offering forgiveness—not to excuse the pain, but to release its hold on their hearts. They believed that letting go was the only way to honor their daughter’s spirit. Their story is a powerful testament to grace in the face of loss and to the strength it takes to choose love when everything else falls apart. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    8 min
Tout afficher (2 k)

Hôtes et personnes invitées

4,6
sur 5
791 notes

À propos

Our 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 about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

Informations

  • Chaîne
    iHeartRadio On-Demand
  • Création
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Années d’activité
    2016 - 2025
  • Épisodes
    2 k
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    2025 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Site web de l’émission
    Our American Stories

Plus de contenus par iHeartRadio On-Demand

Vous aimeriez peut‑être aussi