https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192
Welcome to Unscripted America, a modern American lifestyle podcast about real people, real experiences, and the realities of life in today’s America.

We talk honestly about the things that matter in everyday life — modern dating, relationships, love, money, financial freedom, career growth, ambition, personal development, self-growth, identity, women’s experiences, modern adulthood, social media, American culture, and the everyday challenges of building a meaningful life.

Whether you’re navigating relationships and dating, working toward financial independence, building your career, chasing your dreams, starting over, discovering yourself, or simply trying to understand modern life, Unscripted America brings relatable conversations, personal stories, practical life advice, and honest perspectives.

🎙️ EXPECT REAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT:

• Dating, relationships, love & modern romance
• Money, financial freedom & financial independence
• Career, ambition, work & success
• Personal growth, confidence & self-development
• Women, identity & modern womanhood
• Modern adulthood & everyday life
• Social media, trends & American culture
• Life lessons, difficult decisions & fresh starts
• Mental and emotional challenges of everyday life
• Dreams, goals, independence & finding your purpose

No perfect lives. No scripted answers. No pretending to have everything figured out.

Just honest conversations about real life, real people, modern relationships, money, careers, culture, personal growth, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Follow Unscripted America and join the conversation. New episodes bring fresh stories, honest perspectives, relatable experiences, and conversations designed to make you laugh, think, learn, and feel less alone.

Unscripted America — because real life doesn’t come with a script.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>enReligion & SpiritualityCopyright GIJoehttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/aaad86289addc4115302854612f607c3.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:29:48 +0000GIJoeGIJoefeeds@spreaker.comUNSCRIPTED AMERICA – Real People. Real Lives. No Perfect Story. Welcome to Unscripted America, a modern American lifestyle podcast about real people, real experiences, and the realities of life in today’s America. We talk honestly about the things...
Welcome to Unscripted America, a modern American lifestyle podcast about real people, real experiences, and the realities of life in today’s America.

We talk honestly about the things that matter in everyday life — modern dating, relationships, love, money, financial freedom, career growth, ambition, personal development, self-growth, identity, women’s experiences, modern adulthood, social media, American culture, and the everyday challenges of building a meaningful life.

Whether you’re navigating relationships and dating, working toward financial independence, building your career, chasing your dreams, starting over, discovering yourself, or simply trying to understand modern life, Unscripted America brings relatable conversations, personal stories, practical life advice, and honest perspectives.

🎙️ EXPECT REAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT:

• Dating, relationships, love & modern romance
• Money, financial freedom & financial independence
• Career, ambition, work & success
• Personal growth, confidence & self-development
• Women, identity & modern womanhood
• Modern adulthood & everyday life
• Social media, trends & American culture
• Life lessons, difficult decisions & fresh starts
• Mental and emotional challenges of everyday life
• Dreams, goals, independence & finding your purpose

No perfect lives. No scripted answers. No pretending to have everything figured out.

Just honest conversations about real life, real people, modern relationships, money, careers, culture, personal growth, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Follow Unscripted America and join the conversation. New episodes bring fresh stories, honest perspectives, relatable experiences, and conversations designed to make you laugh, think, learn, and feel less alone.

Unscripted America — because real life doesn’t come with a script.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>false698415b4-1339-5044-a8bb-943cf166afa2episodicSupport the podcast!https://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-the-wild-west-wasn-t-so-wild-after-all--75473437
For our Rule of Law series, P.J. Hill, rancher and co-author of The Not So Wild, Wild West: Property Rights on the Frontier, shares how Americans built order on the frontier from the ground up. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a9812e4c-6d55-45f4-9b51-b4d301655375Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, a wagon train heading west might carry dozens of families, hundreds of animals, and almost no formal government. Before setting out, the travelers had to decide who was in charge, how disputes would be settled,...
For our Rule of Law series, P.J. Hill, rancher and co-author of The Not So Wild, Wild West: Property Rights on the Frontier, shares how Americans built order on the frontier from the ground up. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/america-s-first-multi-millionaire-john-jacob-astor--75473438
Here’s the story of how an immigrant fur trader built the first great fortune in America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>eb6a62e6-54ba-49d0-a229-b4d301655375Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, John Jacob Astor arrived in America in 1784 with little money and an eye for opportunity. He began trading furs, built a commercial empire that stretched across the continent, and then made an even bigger bet...
Here’s the story of how an immigrant fur trader built the first great fortune in America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-bananas-changed-the-world--75473439
Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the surprisingly complicated history behind one of America’s favorite fruits. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>8a947709-8c47-4a00-9f68-b4d301655374Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Americans eat roughly 4.5 million tons of bananas every year. They’re cheap, plentiful, and so ordinary that most of us toss a bunch into the shopping cart without giving them a second thought. But getting that...
Our regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the surprisingly complicated history behind one of America’s favorite fruits. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-1-000-down-to-1-500-employees-bob-huff-s-american-dream--75473445
Bob shares how that first gamble became a lifetime of buying troubled nursing homes and rebuilding them around a simple principle: care for every patient as you would your own mother or father. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3aba495f-9254-440f-b412-b4d301655376Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Huff grew up outside Dayton, Ohio, in a three-room house without indoor plumbing, raised largely by a single mother who taught him that when something needed to be done, you went to work. Years later, that...
Bob shares how that first gamble became a lifetime of buying troubled nursing homes and rebuilding them around a simple principle: care for every patient as you would your own mother or father. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/sidney-poitier-the-actor-who-broke-hollywood-s-color-barrier--75473443
Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis history professor and author of Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon, shares the story of how a poor boy from the Bahamas became a groundbreaking American actor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>fcddf7f6-5006-4dee-b2d0-b4cf013d7af1Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Sidney Poitier arrived in New York as a teenager with almost nothing. He sometimes slept on rooftops and in pay toilets, worked as a dishwasher, and could barely read. When he auditioned for the American Negro...
Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis history professor and author of Sidney Poitier: Man, Actor, Icon, shares the story of how a poor boy from the Bahamas became a groundbreaking American actor. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/bruce-wang-all-american-the-chinese-cowboy-with-a-southern-accent--75473449
Bruce shares how an international student who knew little about Texas found himself falling in love with cowboy culture and building a life in the cattle industry. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>78e484d4-e6b2-4bac-9d22-b4cf013d7af0Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Bruce Wang grew up in southwestern China and came to America for college, eventually finding his way to West Texas. Then someone took him to a rodeo. Bruce was fascinated. Before long, he was wearing cowboy...
Bruce shares how an international student who knew little about Texas found himself falling in love with cowboy culture and building a life in the cattle industry. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-surprisingly-strange-history-of-toilet-paper--75473451
Our American Stories regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the story of what people used before toilet paper was invented—and how one man’s idea for “medicated paper” launched an industry no one wanted to talk about. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5efcf45c-afc0-46ac-ad2c-b4cf013d7aefTue, 29 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, toilet paper might seem like a modern necessity, but the truth is messier—and much older. Long before perforated rolls and flushable comfort, people used whatever they could find: seashells, corn cobs, even...
Our American Stories regular contributor, The History Guy, shares the story of what people used before toilet paper was invented—and how one man’s idea for “medicated paper” launched an industry no one wanted to talk about. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-one-hatmaker-shaped-the-image-of-the-american-west--75473454
Our own Reagan Habeeb shares the story of how a humble hatmaker helped shape the look and legacy of the American West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>8b0ee2d3-c29c-41eb-8877-b4cf013d7aefTue, 29 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, the cowboy hat didn’t come from Texas or tumbleweeds. Instead, it came from a modest Philadelphia workshop. John B. Stetson transformed durable felt and a wide brim into a practical design that would become one...
Our own Reagan Habeeb shares the story of how a humble hatmaker helped shape the look and legacy of the American West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-1999-women-s-world-cup-final-a-summer-at-the-rose-bowl--75473352
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1e168693-fdcb-4418-8656-baa085f7359dTue, 29 Sep 2026 02:52:09 +0000GIJoeFor 120 minutes at the Rose Bowl, the United States and China do not score. Inside this episode: - The Tournament Expands - A Quick Soccer Map - A Summer Of Crowds - The Route To The Final - More Than 90,000 Sources include the references linked...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>845false3fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-1958-nfl-championship-the-game-that-helped-football-grow--75473350
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b0bcb935-ca61-4cb1-907f-3cb1ca276130Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:52:08 +0000GIJoeSeven seconds remain at Yankee Stadium. The Baltimore Colts trail no longer, because Steve Myhra has just kicked a short field goal to make the score 17 to 17. Inside this episode: - Before The Super Bowl - A Quick Football Map - Famous, But Not...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>830false1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/texas-western-1966-the-championship-that-changed-college-basketball--75473348
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>efc9ef2e-8038-4e09-81f9-efaa6b500a42Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:52:08 +0000GIJoeOn March 19, 1966, five Texas Western starters walk onto the court for the NCAA championship game. Inside this episode: - The Team From El Paso - A Quick Basketball Map - College Basketball'S Racial Barriers - The Tournament Road - The Five Starters...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>885false4fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/miracle-on-ice-the-game-before-the-gold-medal--75473354
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>e316430e-c72d-4543-b2ad-2906ad1bc103Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:52:07 +0000GIJoeThe scoreboard at Lake Placid shows United States 4, Soviet Union 3. Inside this episode: - A Tournament, Not One Final - A Quick Hockey Map - The Soviet Standard - The Young American Team - Lake Placid Sources include the references linked below....
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>846false2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/wally-amos-the-real-man-behind-famous-amos-cookies--75473440
His daughter, Sarah Amos, shares the remarkable and complicated story of her father, from his childhood in segregated Tallahassee, Florida, to building one of America's most recognizable brands, losing control of the company that bore his name, and finding purpose beyond it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>25e3a089-0ecd-4df8-85ce-b4cf013a4679Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Wally Amos was a talent agent who worked with some of the biggest names in show business before a chocolate chip cookie changed his life. In 1975, with backing from friends including Marvin Gaye and Helen...
His daughter, Sarah Amos, shares the remarkable and complicated story of her father, from his childhood in segregated Tallahassee, Florida, to building one of America's most recognizable brands, losing control of the company that bore his name, and finding purpose beyond it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ten-cent-beer-night-when-cheap-beer-sparked-chaos-in-mlb--75473448
The History Guy recounts the unbelievable story of the night chaos replaced baseball in Cleveland. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4af30654-2179-4c1a-9f16-b4cf013a4679Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on June 4, 1974, the Cleveland Indians hosted the Texas Rangers in what began as a regular MLB game and ended as one of the most infamous promotions in baseball history. Known as “Ten Cent Beer Night,” the...
The History Guy recounts the unbelievable story of the night chaos replaced baseball in Cleveland. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-a-bathroom-drug-deal-was-interrupted-by-jesus--75473478
The encounter led to a renewed faith and a brand-new life rebuilt from the ruins of substance abuse. Pastor Greg joins us to tell the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f5fd063f-91df-415a-aac3-b4cf013a4678Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, it started in a bathroom, where a man trapped in addiction waited to make another bad decision. Pastor Greg Laurie didn’t know what he was walking into—only that something told him to go. Inside, he found a man...
The encounter led to a renewed faith and a brand-new life rebuilt from the ruins of substance abuse. Pastor Greg joins us to tell the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/my-father-s-escape-from-castro-s-cuba--75473452
Mike shares his family’s story of exile, revealing what Cuba was like before Castro and how the revolution changed everything. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>9f1ac6d3-d11d-4bd3-b2bb-b4cf013a467bMon, 28 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Cuba’s 1959 revolution brought Fidel Castro to power and forced countless families to make an impossible choice: stay under a communist regime or flee their homeland. Mike Gonzalez’s father once called Castro a...
Mike shares his family’s story of exile, revealing what Cuba was like before Castro and how the revolution changed everything. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/rest-refuel-rise--75474310
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/311/archives/audio/266/content.mp3Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeWhat do we do when we’re mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted? Allow God to restore you instead of pushing yourself past your limits. But rest isn’t meant to become an excuse to stay comfortable—once God has refueled you, we...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4674falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dwayne-johnson-s-heartfelt-goodbye-to-his-father-rocky-soulman-johnson--75473460
After Rocky's death in 2020, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson paid tribute to the man behind the wrestler. He remembers the sacrifices his father made, the complicated relationship they shared, and the lessons about hard work, discipline, perseverance, and family that stayed with him. To the wrestling world, Rocky Johnson was a trailblazer. To Dwayne, he was Dad. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>79876804-1085-4d67-a08c-b4cf012d31e7Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Rocky “Soulman” Johnson spent his life fighting for a place in professional wrestling. As a Black wrestler performing before largely white audiences in the 1960s and ’70s, he faced racism inside and outside the...
After Rocky's death in 2020, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson paid tribute to the man behind the wrestler. He remembers the sacrifices his father made, the complicated relationship they shared, and the lessons about hard work, discipline, perseverance, and family that stayed with him. To the wrestling world, Rocky Johnson was a trailblazer. To Dwayne, he was Dad. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-it-means-to-be-the-only-lawyer-in-town--75473463
Regular contributor Bill Bryk shares what happened when a seemingly ordinary speeding ticket ended up before a judge and why he left the courtroom with a reminder of one of the simplest lessons in practicing law: prepare your case, trust your client, and when the judge rules in your favor, stop talking. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4254d6e3-8738-4b42-9ab3-b4cf012d31e7Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk may be the only practicing lawyer in his small New Hampshire town, so when a 17-year-old neighbor got a speeding ticket, her family knew who to call. The problem was that she had already paid the...
Regular contributor Bill Bryk shares what happened when a seemingly ordinary speeding ticket ended up before a judge and why he left the courtroom with a reminder of one of the simplest lessons in practicing law: prepare your case, trust your client, and when the judge rules in your favor, stop talking. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-the-usps-stamped-itself-onto-american-history--75473468
Daniel Piazza of the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum shares how the American postal system helped solve that problem, allowing Americans to truly settle their new nation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a85772a6-4c53-45e1-bf08-b4cf012d31e6Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, The Founders knew firsthand that a postal system could be used as a tool of government surveillance. Before the Revolution, British officials had opened and inspected colonial mail, giving Americans good reason...
Daniel Piazza of the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum shares how the American postal system helped solve that problem, allowing Americans to truly settle their new nation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-jewish-soldier-s-unbelievable-survival-at-the-battle-of-the-bulge--75473491
Here's Milton himself with the story of how he survived an encounter by the skin of his teeth... kinda. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for providing this audio to us and Milton Nadler's family for allowing us to use it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>266b3ace-a4ee-43d0-b6bd-b4cf012d31e9Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Milton Nadler grew up fast. The day after Pearl Harbor, his paper route turned into a rush of headlines about war. Within a few short years, he was living those headlines himself. During the Battle of the...
Here's Milton himself with the story of how he survived an encounter by the skin of his teeth... kinda. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for providing this audio to us and Milton Nadler's family for allowing us to use it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-mad-scientists-of-malibu-surfing-s-early-pioneers--75473496
It begins with George Freeth, who brought stand-up surfing to California, and Tom Blake, who made the massive wooden surfboard lighter and added the fin. After World War II, Joe Quigg, Matt Kivlin, and the eccentric Bob Simmons pushed the board even further, experimenting with new shapes and materials until surfers could turn faster, ride harder, and do things on a wave that had once been impossible. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>44b11000-b25c-46cb-85ad-b4cf012d31e6Fri, 25 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Roger McGrath first paddled out at Malibu as a boy in the 1950s, surfing was still a small fraternity with only a few decades of history in California. The boards were heavy, the crowds were thin, and many...
It begins with George Freeth, who brought stand-up surfing to California, and Tom Blake, who made the massive wooden surfboard lighter and added the fin. After World War II, Joe Quigg, Matt Kivlin, and the eccentric Bob Simmons pushed the board even further, experimenting with new shapes and materials until surfers could turn faster, ride harder, and do things on a wave that had once been impossible. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/hey-kid-catch-the-coca-cola-ad-that-made-mean-joe-greene-a-legend--75473455
Our own Greg Hengler (and others) share the story of how a 60-second spot became one of the most memorable moments in sports and advertising history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f8dbdead-8691-423b-bdcf-b4cc0174f060Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, few commercials have left a mark like Coca-Cola’s “Hey Kid, Catch!” starring "Mean" Joe Greene. Greene, already one of the greatest defensive players in the NFL, gained a new kind of fame as the spot played...
Our own Greg Hengler (and others) share the story of how a 60-second spot became one of the most memorable moments in sports and advertising history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/son-of-a-gun-steal-my-thunder-and-the-wonderful-origins-of-everyday-expressions--75473483
Andrew Thompson, author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases, shares another surprising history hiding inside the words and phrases we use every day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>534e2a0d-d07e-4cb9-83a1-b4cc0174f05fThu, 24 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, we use them without thinking. Someone gets “sold down the river.” A project has to “start from scratch.” An idea “steals our thunder.” But behind these familiar expressions are stories involving ancient...
Andrew Thompson, author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases, shares another surprising history hiding inside the words and phrases we use every day. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/empathy-is-not-optional-the-professor-who-changed-mike-leven-s-life--75473474
Leven would go on to become one of America's most successful hoteliers, but he never forgot how it felt to have someone in authority dismiss him so completely. Mike shares how that painful encounter shaped the way he approached leadership, parenting, and some of the hardest conversations of his career, especially when he was the person with the power to change someone else's life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>96fc071a-be75-4a0c-ac95-b4cc0174f061Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was studying law at the University of Chicago when a bad grade sent him to his professor's office looking for help. Instead, the professor gave him a verdict: “You don't understand contracts, and I...
Leven would go on to become one of America's most successful hoteliers, but he never forgot how it felt to have someone in authority dismiss him so completely. Mike shares how that painful encounter shaped the way he approached leadership, parenting, and some of the hardest conversations of his career, especially when he was the person with the power to change someone else's life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/bloodletting-whiskey-and-the-strange-history-of-fighting-the-flu--75473466
Dr. Jeremy Brown, author of Influenza: The Hundred-Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History, shares how scientists finally uncovered the true cause of influenza and began learning how to fight it. This 2019 lecture comes courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f48b9eaa-c3b1-40b7-87ba-b4cc0174f060Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1918, influenza swept across the world with terrifying speed, killing millions. Doctors were desperate to stop it, but there was a fundamental problem: they didn't even know what caused the flu. Patients...
Dr. Jeremy Brown, author of Influenza: The Hundred-Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History, shares how scientists finally uncovered the true cause of influenza and began learning how to fight it. This 2019 lecture comes courtesy of the U.S. National Archives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-women-and-children-first-began--75473446
The History Guy shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d5553ab0-53cd-48d6-9652-b4cc0174f060Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when the HMS Birkenhead struck rocks off the coast of South Africa in 1852, chaos should have followed. Instead, what happened that night became one of history’s clearest displays of courage and order in the...
The History Guy shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/smokin-ed-currie-on-the-miracle-that-gave-him-a-family--75473444
Ed shares the deeply personal story of the unexpected events that followed. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1f2d255a-b0bc-433b-8e66-b4cc0171a229Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before “Smokin’” Ed Currie became famous for breeding the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X, he nearly destroyed his life with addiction. Recovery gave Ed a second chance, but it didn't erase the guilt he carried...
Ed shares the deeply personal story of the unexpected events that followed. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-boys-of-milo-the-marine-recon-veteran-who-kept-cheating-death--75473467
Michael Williams, author of The Boys of Milo, shares the story of what happened next. As Ted lay wounded, he experienced what he believed was an encounter with Jesus and heard five words: “You have to go back.” Ted survived. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d5a8ec1a-ce22-478d-8346-b4cc0171a229Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Ted Godlove was only months out of high school in Milo, Iowa, when he volunteered for the United States Marine Corps. Before long, he was serving with a reconnaissance unit deep in the jungles of Vietnam, where...
Michael Williams, author of The Boys of Milo, shares the story of what happened next. As Ted lay wounded, he experienced what he believed was an encounter with Jesus and heard five words: “You have to go back.” Ted survived. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-johnny-carson-saved-twister--75473456
Our Ameican Stories regular contributor Christopher Klein shares what happened next. As Carson and Gabor tangled themselves across the mat, the studio audience erupted in laughter and millions watched at home. The next morning, shoppers went looking for Twister. Soon, factories were struggling to keep up with demand. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>dc4c7d98-95af-4a37-a946-b4cc0171a229Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1966, Twister looked like a flop. Retailers thought Milton Bradley's new game was too risqué, Sears refused to put it in its Christmas catalog, and the company was preparing to pull it from stores. Then...
Our Ameican Stories regular contributor Christopher Klein shares what happened next. As Carson and Gabor tangled themselves across the mat, the studio audience erupted in laughter and millions watched at home. The next morning, shoppers went looking for Twister. Soon, factories were struggling to keep up with demand. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/did-benjamin-franklin-believe-in-god--75473482
Dr. D. G. Hart, author of Benjamin Franklin: Cultural Protestant, and historian Dr. Thomas Kidd share the complicated story of Franklin's religious life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>9fc28e6e-2c38-4418-ae64-b4cc0171a22bWed, 23 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Benjamin Franklin rarely attended church and questioned some of Christianity's central doctrines. Yet he never abandoned belief in God. He believed in Providence, immortality, moral accountability, and the...
Dr. D. G. Hart, author of Benjamin Franklin: Cultural Protestant, and historian Dr. Thomas Kidd share the complicated story of Franklin's religious life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-best-worst-counterfeiter-in-american-history--75473500
Our American Stories regular contributor Bill Bryk shares the hilarious and true story of Mister 880, otherwise known as Emerich Juettner, an elderly widower. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>dc3a97d7-41c8-4c67-bdae-b4cc0171a22aWed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, for nearly a decade, the Secret Service couldn't catch one of America's most persistent counterfeiters. The strange thing was that he wasn't very good at counterfeiting. Mister 880 produced only one-dollar...
Our American Stories regular contributor Bill Bryk shares the hilarious and true story of Mister 880, otherwise known as Emerich Juettner, an elderly widower. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/james-madison-the-quiet-founder-who-built-a-nation--75473499
David O. Stewart, author of Madison's Gift, shares the story of how Madison earned the title “Father of the Constitution” and how his humility often obscured his achievements. We would like to thank the U.S. National Archives for granting us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d7ba910a-4741-4d78-b6de-b4cc015e64d6Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, James Madison rarely chased the spotlight, and he knew his character flaws. He was short, balding, awkward, and didn’t always play well in group settings. Yet despite his stature, his big ideas built and shaped...
David O. Stewart, author of Madison's Gift, shares the story of how Madison earned the title “Father of the Constitution” and how his humility often obscured his achievements. We would like to thank the U.S. National Archives for granting us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-7-year-old-john-quincy-adams-watched-the-battle-of-bunker-hill--75473484
With her husband away and war unfolding around her family, Abigail turned to the Bible for strength and taught her young son to do the same. She gave John Quincy a prayer to carry with him, one he would remember long after the smoke over Boston had cleared. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of a mother, her son, and the faith that sustained them through the frightening opening months of the American Revolution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b64eb505-9dbd-471a-bcc3-b4cc015e64d4Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on June 17, 1775, Abigail Adams climbed Penn's Hill with her seven-year-old son, John Quincy. Across the water, British and American soldiers were fighting the Battle of Bunker Hill. Cannon fire echoed in the...
With her husband away and war unfolding around her family, Abigail turned to the Bible for strength and taught her young son to do the same. She gave John Quincy a prayer to carry with him, one he would remember long after the smoke over Boston had cleared. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of a mother, her son, and the faith that sustained them through the frightening opening months of the American Revolution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-bear-bryant-changed-my-life--75473457
Castille made it to Alabama and played for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant during the coach's final season. He shares how a few words from Bryant changed the way he saw himself, the lessons about character and excellence that stayed with him long after football, and the final game when Castille got the chance to thank the coach who had helped him become the man he hoped to be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>39fe4be2-c71a-4e0c-ae00-b4cc015e64d2Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Jeremiah Castille grew up surrounded by poverty, alcoholism, drugs, and violence. At 13 years old, he found the Christian faith and began imagining a different life for himself. He set his sights on one goal:...
Castille made it to Alabama and played for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant during the coach's final season. He shares how a few words from Bryant changed the way he saw himself, the lessons about character and excellence that stayed with him long after football, and the final game when Castille got the chance to thank the coach who had helped him become the man he hoped to be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/thomas-jefferson-america-s-everyman--75473450
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis, author of American Sphinx, shares why Jefferson remains one of the most fascinating and contradictory figures in the American story, and why those contradictions make him America's first true "everyman." We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for providing this audio to the American public. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4f301a5e-3cf3-4724-a77d-b4cc015e64d3Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, for more than two centuries, Americans who agreed on almost nothing have found something to admire in Thomas Jefferson. Presidents, abolitionists, liberals, and conservatives have all claimed the man who wrote...
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Joseph J. Ellis, author of American Sphinx, shares why Jefferson remains one of the most fascinating and contradictory figures in the American story, and why those contradictions make him America's first true "everyman." We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for providing this audio to the American public. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/tie-the-knot-blackballed-and-the-wonderful-origins-of-everyday-expressions-pt-23--75473514
Andrew Thompson, author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases, returns with the surprising stories behind some of the expressions we use every day, from "double cross" and "turn a blind eye" to "turn the tables," "two-faced," and more. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>03ae50e1-d468-400c-98bb-b4cc015cccd2Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, why do we say a married couple "tied the knot"? How did rejecting someone become known as "blackballing" them? And what do sailing ships have to do with being "under the weather" or finding yourself in a "touch...
Andrew Thompson, author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases, returns with the surprising stories behind some of the expressions we use every day, from "double cross" and "turn a blind eye" to "turn the tables," "two-faced," and more. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/who-wrote-we-the-people-the-story-of-gouverneur-morris--75473497
Dennis C. Rasmussen, author of The Constitution's Penman and a Jack Miller Center Fellow, shares the extraordinary story of the Founding Father who spoke more often than anyone else at the Constitutional Convention, helped shape the document's final form, and delivered one of its fiercest attacks on slavery. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>cadfc164-1c23-46d1-aeac-b4c8014bfe77Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. James Madison became known as the Father of the Constitution. But the man who gave the Constitution much of its final language, including the famous words...
Dennis C. Rasmussen, author of The Constitution's Penman and a Jack Miller Center Fellow, shares the extraordinary story of the Founding Father who spoke more often than anyone else at the Constitutional Convention, helped shape the document's final form, and delivered one of its fiercest attacks on slavery. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-making-of-justice-scalia-faith-family-and-the-american-dream-pt-2--75473461
James Rosen, author of Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936–1986, continues Scalia's story through his years as a lawyer, professor, government official, and federal judge. He also shares the story of Scalia's marriage to Maureen, his friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the ideas about law that would make him a distinctive figure on the bench. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7f18828a-9c48-4716-9329-b4c8014bfe71Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before Antonin Scalia joined the Supreme Court, he was wrestling with a question that would define his career: What is a judge supposed to do when the law produces a result he doesn't personally like? Scalia's...
James Rosen, author of Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936–1986, continues Scalia's story through his years as a lawyer, professor, government official, and federal judge. He also shares the story of Scalia's marriage to Maureen, his friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the ideas about law that would make him a distinctive figure on the bench. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-making-of-justice-scalia-faith-family-and-the-american-dream-pt-1--75473465
James Rosen, author of Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936–1986, shares how that upbringing helped shape the future justice. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>decec632-1bb5-4cad-8f36-b4c8014bfe74Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before Antonin Scalia became the first Italian American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, he was "Nino," the only child of an Italian American family growing up in Queens. His father had arrived from Sicily...
James Rosen, author of Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936–1986, shares how that upbringing helped shape the future justice. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-a-bible-verse-became-one-of-america-s-most-famous-metaphors--75473523
Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares how a biblical image carried across the Atlantic became one of the most enduring phrases in American life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f68d6e1f-9f37-44ca-a04f-b4c8014bfe76Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1630, John Winthrop and hundreds of Puritan settlers crossed the Atlantic hoping to build a new community in New England. Before they arrived, Winthrop delivered a warning. Their success or failure would not...
Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares how a biblical image carried across the Atlantic became one of the most enduring phrases in American life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-story-of-america-the-framers-and-the-summer-of-1787-ep-9--75473471
The men who met in Philadelphia were not unanimous in their views, but they shared a belief that reform was necessary. What began as a plan to amend the existing system became an effort to draft an entirely new Constitution. As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, the author of Land of Hope, shares the riveting story of the start of the Constitutional Convention and how the men there set out to create a document meant to last Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3122b860-a67d-4824-938b-b4c800721efcFri, 18 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitutional Convention opened in 1787, the United States was less than a decade old and already struggling. The Articles of Confederation had created a loose union of states with a Congress that...
The men who met in Philadelphia were not unanimous in their views, but they shared a belief that reform was necessary. What began as a plan to amend the existing system became an effort to draft an entirely new Constitution. As part of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Bill McClay, the author of Land of Hope, shares the riveting story of the start of the Constitutional Convention and how the men there set out to create a document meant to last Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-the-founding-fathers-believed-faith-and-freedom-were-inseparable--75473503
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)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4fe7cf59-e3f0-43bb-9f08-b4c800721e0aFri, 18 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn 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,...
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)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-america-s-first-constitution-failed--75473510
Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and author of The Founders' Key, shares the story of how that crisis led delegates to Philadelphia in 1787, intending to repair the Articles and ultimately convinced them to replace them. At the heart of their work was a difficult question: How do you create a government strong enough to govern without making it powerful enough to threaten the liberty it exists to protect? Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5eb8a248-e9f3-42cd-9dc2-b4c800721deeFri, 18 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, The American Revolution had created an independent country. It had not yet created a government capable of holding that country together. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress struggled to raise money,...
Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and author of The Founders' Key, shares the story of how that crisis led delegates to Philadelphia in 1787, intending to repair the Articles and ultimately convinced them to replace them. At the heart of their work was a difficult question: How do you create a government strong enough to govern without making it powerful enough to threaten the liberty it exists to protect? Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/america-s-first-hero-the-story-of-george-washington--75473517
Vince Benedetto, the CEO of Bold Gold Media Group, tells the story of a man who shaped a nation by choosing humility over glory. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5155abd3-4350-4dd8-a0b1-b4c800721de6Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before the United States had a flag or a White House, it had George Washington. He led a band of farmers and tradesmen against the most powerful empire on earth and earned their loyalty by sharing in their...
Vince Benedetto, the CEO of Bold Gold Media Group, tells the story of a man who shaped a nation by choosing humility over glory. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/justice-scalia-on-what-makes-the-constitution-unique--75473536
In a 2011 appearance before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Scalia explained why an independent judiciary, a separately elected president, and two houses of Congress were designed to restrain one another. What Americans sometimes call "gridlock," he argued, was not necessarily a flaw. It was part of the system protecting their liberty. Here's the late Justice Scalia himself to explain. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f6b75fce-b64e-4840-af8c-b4c800721de9Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, a constitution can promise its people all kinds of rights. But what happens when the government becomes powerful enough to ignore them? For Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the Constitution protected...
In a 2011 appearance before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Scalia explained why an independent judiciary, a separately elected president, and two houses of Congress were designed to restrain one another. What Americans sometimes call "gridlock," he argued, was not necessarily a flaw. It was part of the system protecting their liberty. Here's the late Justice Scalia himself to explain. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-ancient-roman-and-greek-politics-shaped-the-birth-of-the-united-states--75473518
Dr. Kenneth Calvert of Hillsdale College shares how the political ideas of the ancient world helped shape the Constitution and the American experiment in self-government. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3dbd0667-8fc5-4b3e-a6b0-b4c8006e1241Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when America's Founders set out to build a republic, they looked backward for guidance. Ancient Greece and Rome offered lessons in democracy, republican government, citizenship, and the dangers that had caused...
Dr. Kenneth Calvert of Hillsdale College shares how the political ideas of the ancient world helped shape the Constitution and the American experiment in self-government. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-revolutionary-idea-behind-america-s-independence--75473475
Dr. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and author of The Founders' Key, explores the timeless principles of limited government, representative democracy, and natural rights that continue to define the American experiment. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>cb850700-2af8-4442-96b7-b4c8006e1250Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution can both be read in just a few minutes, but together they transformed the course of history. Dr. Larry P. Arnn explains why America's founding documents were...
Dr. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and author of The Founders' Key, explores the timeless principles of limited government, representative democracy, and natural rights that continue to define the American experiment. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-sandlots-to-super-bowls-the-birth-of-the-nfl--75473485
John Eisenberg, author of The League, shares how a handful of determined owners kept professional football alive long enough to transform a struggling sport into an American institution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5bfc693c-9804-4af6-9bd1-b4c8006e1201Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, a century ago, professional football was a gamble few people believed would pay off. Players worked factory jobs during the week and battered one another on dirt fields on the weekend. Teams appeared and...
John Eisenberg, author of The League, shares how a handful of determined owners kept professional football alive long enough to transform a struggling sport into an American institution. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/in-the-shadows-of-bataan-the-untold-story-of-the-military-nurses-who-stayed--75473487
Our regular contributor Anne Clare tells the story through one of those nurses, whose strength carried her through surrender and years of captivity. Together, they became known as the Angels of Bataan. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>64c2837e-a773-41f7-83a5-b4c8006e1263Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippines during World War II, a group of American nurses found themselves caught in the fighting on Bataan. Evacuation was still possible, but they chose to stay. In...
Our regular contributor Anne Clare tells the story through one of those nurses, whose strength carried her through surrender and years of captivity. Together, they became known as the Angels of Bataan. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/david-mccullough-on-the-life-and-legacy-of-john-adams--75473513
We’d like to thank the John Adams Institute for allowing us to share this story with our listeners. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>86583bc4-f331-4f25-9a92-b4c2014fd45bWed, 16 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, John Adams carried the weight of a nation that was still fragile and untested. He was the second president of the United States, a man caught between loyalty to his principles and the demands of politics. The...
We’d like to thank the John Adams Institute for allowing us to share this story with our listeners. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2296falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star-so-she-moved-to-yosemite--75473458
Donna shares the funny and deeply personal story of the summer that sent her searching for something bigger and the long road that eventually brought her right back home to Mississippi. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>eba8e147-db10-44fc-b945-b4c2014fd45dWed, 16 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, at 19 years old, Donna Martin had a plan. She was going to leave Forest, Mississippi, spend the summer working as a lifeguard in Yosemite, and use her days off to drive over to Hollywood and become a movie...
Donna shares the funny and deeply personal story of the summer that sent her searching for something bigger and the long road that eventually brought her right back home to Mississippi. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-day-a-soviet-nuclear-submarine-got-run-over-by-an-american-aircraft-carrier--75473470
The History Guy shares the remarkable story of the Cold War collision between two warships carrying nuclear weapons. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2e6f4615-e20b-4a95-89f3-b4c2014fd45eWed, 16 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on the night of March 21, 1984, the USS Kitty Hawk was cutting through the Sea of Japan when a Soviet submarine suddenly surfaced directly in its path. For days, the nuclear-powered K-314 had been stalking the...
The History Guy shares the remarkable story of the Cold War collision between two warships carrying nuclear weapons. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/forgiving-the-drug-dealer-that-killed-my-daughter--75473477
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)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d95290f0-79ba-4067-878b-b4c2014fd45aWed, 16 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn 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....
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)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-the-lobotomy-changed-modern-brain-science--75473521
Dr. Theodore Schwartz, neurosurgeon, professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and author of Grey Matters, shares the story of how a medical misstep opened the door to innovation and helped transform the future of neurosurgery. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a24581b6-6284-4caf-8c87-b4c101728dc8Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in the mid-20th century, families desperate for answers turned to a radical procedure known as the lobotomy. It was sold as a cure for everything from depression to schizophrenia, but its brutal methods left...
Dr. Theodore Schwartz, neurosurgeon, professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and author of Grey Matters, shares the story of how a medical misstep opened the door to innovation and helped transform the future of neurosurgery. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/richard-herzog-from-abuse-to-forgiveness-and-a-new-life-through-football--75473479
Herzog, author of Paydirt, shares how football eventually brought him to Ole Miss and later to a championship-winning career as a coach. But no victory could erase his past. Through therapy, recovery, faith, and forgiveness, Herzog finally confronted what had happened to him and found a new purpose: helping other male survivors of sexual abuse understand that what happened to them does not have to define the rest of their lives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>6d455611-5b69-448a-ac38-b4c101728dc6Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, growing up across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, Richard Herzog found refuge from a troubled home on the playing field. Sports gave him confidence and a place to belong. Then a trusted teacher abused...
Herzog, author of Paydirt, shares how football eventually brought him to Ole Miss and later to a championship-winning career as a coach. But no victory could erase his past. Through therapy, recovery, faith, and forgiveness, Herzog finally confronted what had happened to him and found a new purpose: helping other male survivors of sexual abuse understand that what happened to them does not have to define the rest of their lives. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/christopher-columbus-the-good-the-bad-and-the-four-voyages--75473520
Laurence Bergreen, author of Columbus: The Four Voyages, shares the complicated story of the ambitious mariner behind the legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>e8bb9060-83b1-43bc-9c8e-b4c10175bc35Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Christopher Columbus sailed west in 1492, convinced he could reach Asia across the Atlantic. He was wrong about where he was going, wrong about the size of the world, and yet skilled and determined enough to...
Laurence Bergreen, author of Columbus: The Four Voyages, shares the complicated story of the ambitious mariner behind the legend. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-played-the-titanic-s-captain-then-dove-to-the-wreck--75473542
Lytle shares what it was like to come face-to-face with the ship he had spent years studying and the realization about life and death that struck him on the ocean floor. He also tells the story of Reverend John Harper, a Baptist minister who survived the sinking only to spend his final moments in the freezing Atlantic trying to save the souls of those around him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>55c00864-e14e-4434-ad32-b4c101728dc8Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, for years, Lowell Lytle put on a captain's uniform and portrayed Edward J. Smith at Titanic exhibits around the country. The ship became an obsession, but Lytle never imagined it would take him to the place...
Lytle shares what it was like to come face-to-face with the ship he had spent years studying and the realization about life and death that struck him on the ocean floor. He also tells the story of Reverend John Harper, a Baptist minister who survived the sinking only to spend his final moments in the freezing Atlantic trying to save the souls of those around him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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David Klein himself shares how he turned a crazy idea into a national sensation, only to lose control of the candy he created. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>284423d5-77bf-4662-aa36-b4c101641c1bSun, 13 Sep 2026 15:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, David Klein loved candy so much that he studied candy bars as a kid, sold popcorn out of the back of his car, and eventually walked away from a career in law to make sweets his life. Then, in 1976, with just...
David Klein himself shares how he turned a crazy idea into a national sensation, only to lose control of the candy he created. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Years later, Edie found herself longing for that place and for something she had wanted since childhood: a closer relationship with her mother. Everyone thought of Edie as "the strong one," but being strong could be a lonely thing. With the old barn gone and many of the people who filled it now gone too, Edie shares a deeply personal story about mothers and daughters, the burden of always being strong, and what it means to spend a lifetime searching for home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1346c351-9648-421e-84f1-b4c101641c1dSun, 13 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Edie Hand grew up on 40 acres of rolling hills in Burnout, Alabama, where some of her happiest memories were made inside an old family barn. There were horses to ride, mud pies to make, sweet potatoes waiting...
Years later, Edie found herself longing for that place and for something she had wanted since childhood: a closer relationship with her mother. Everyone thought of Edie as "the strong one," but being strong could be a lonely thing. With the old barn gone and many of the people who filled it now gone too, Edie shares a deeply personal story about mothers and daughters, the burden of always being strong, and what it means to spend a lifetime searching for home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-small-act-of-courage-that-led-to-54-years-of-marriage--75473488
To Lori, that simple act of courage said more than words ever could. That boy would later become her husband, and together they would build a marriage lasting over fifty years. What began as a small act of kindness in a high school cafeteria became a lifelong partnership built on respect, compassion, and strength. We'd like to thank our regular contributor, Leslie Leyland Fields, for giving us the lead on this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c54dd6c9-aefb-4ab4-ac84-b4c101641c1eSat, 12 Sep 2026 15:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Lori Coan was on her second date with a boy she wasn’t sure about when something happened that would change her mind and her life. A group of troublemakers tripped a girl with polio, sending her sprawling in...
To Lori, that simple act of courage said more than words ever could. That boy would later become her husband, and together they would build a marriage lasting over fifty years. What began as a small act of kindness in a high school cafeteria became a lifelong partnership built on respect, compassion, and strength. We'd like to thank our regular contributor, Leslie Leyland Fields, for giving us the lead on this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-story-of-america-the-civil-war-begins-ep-29--75473490
In Episode 29 of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of how the most dire struggle America had yet faced unfolded during the first two years of the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>8382ec38-bc95-4fc8-b558-b4c101641c1cSat, 12 Sep 2026 15:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln entered the Civil War with no military experience and no blueprint for putting down a rebellion of eleven states. The Union had more men, more factories, more railroads, and a powerful navy. But...
In Episode 29 of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of how the most dire struggle America had yet faced unfolded during the first two years of the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-george-washington-s-bible-survived-9-11--75473547
Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the remarkable story of how Washington’s inaugural Bible was recovered after 9/11. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5a67b865-88ad-46be-a134-b4c101641c1eSat, 12 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when George Washington took the oath of office in 1789, his hand rested on a Bible that would become one of America’s most treasured artifacts. That same Bible was on loan to Fraunces Tavern, a Revolutionary...
Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the remarkable story of how Washington’s inaugural Bible was recovered after 9/11. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Brian McDonald, author of Five Floors Up: The Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNY, shares the story of the Feehans and nearly a century of firefighting in New York. That history reached its most tragic chapter on September 11, 2001, when 71-year-old Bill Feehan responded to the World Trade Center. He was still there, serving alongside another generation of New York firefighters, when the North Tower came down. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d8f0e3c3-a734-462e-a142-b4c101783c04Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, William M. "Bill" Feehan spent his life fighting fires in New York City. He rose through every uniformed rank in the FDNY, survived the department's brutal "War Years" of the 1970s, and became one of its most...
Brian McDonald, author of Five Floors Up: The Heroic Family Story of Four Generations in the FDNY, shares the story of the Feehans and nearly a century of firefighting in New York. That history reached its most tragic chapter on September 11, 2001, when 71-year-old Bill Feehan responded to the World Trade Center. He was still there, serving alongside another generation of New York firefighters, when the North Tower came down. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/fdny-fireboats-and-the-largest-water-evacuation-in-history--75473504
Dr. Mike McGee, author of All Available Boats, shares the story of the fireboats that answered the call, including the John D. McKean and the retired John J. Harvey. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4f7c3b20-47de-4c6d-8a08-b4c101783c00Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on September 11, 2001, hundreds of thousands of people reached the southern tip of Manhattan and found themselves trapped between a city under attack and New York Harbor. Then a call went out over the radio:...
Dr. Mike McGee, author of All Available Boats, shares the story of the fireboats that answered the call, including the John D. McKean and the retired John J. Harvey. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/cantor-fitzgerald-s-ceo-remembers-9-11-and-the-brother-he-lost--75473584
Howard Lutnick reflects on Cantor Fitzgerald’s darkest day and the colleagues and friends who never came home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>764a4328-7814-4165-bed1-b4c101783c02Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when the planes struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald was left devastated. The investment firm’s offices spanned the upper floors of the North Tower, leaving no chance of...
Howard Lutnick reflects on Cantor Fitzgerald’s darkest day and the colleagues and friends who never came home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The late Dolan reflects on the wounded warriors, fallen servicemen, and military families he encountered after 9/11. Originally published in The Wall Street Journal, his tribute honors those who sacrificed years, limbs, and sometimes their lives so that millions of Americans could receive what Dolan called "the gift of the future, the gift of tomorrow." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f4f05cc1-50a3-4d2d-8e01-b4c101783c01Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Tony Dolan was inside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001. In the years that followed, he met young servicemen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan without arms or legs,...
The late Dolan reflects on the wounded warriors, fallen servicemen, and military families he encountered after 9/11. Originally published in The Wall Street Journal, his tribute honors those who sacrificed years, limbs, and sometimes their lives so that millions of Americans could receive what Dolan called "the gift of the future, the gift of tomorrow." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/faith-and-friendship-after-the-9-11-pentagon-attack--75473516
Over time, she found herself thinking more about how faith fits into grief and how friendships sometimes grow strongest in the shadow of crisis. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ece508ec-bb6f-4f7a-bbd7-b4c101783c03Fri, 11 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Jocelyn Green didn’t lose anyone on September 11, but she still felt the weight of that day in ways she couldn’t have predicted. Living just a few miles from the Pentagon, she saw how quickly fear moved through...
Over time, she found herself thinking more about how faith fits into grief and how friendships sometimes grow strongest in the shadow of crisis. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/noah-webster-the-man-who-gave-america-its-voice--75473508
Joshua Kendall, author of The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster's Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture, shares the story of the man whose name became synonymous with the dictionary. Webster also fought for copyright protections, carried an early plan for a stronger federal government to George Washington, and spent much of his long life trying to shape the country the Revolution had created. Audio courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>81ba09ca-2613-4612-8209-b4bf0117f7ceThu, 10 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Noah Webster believed winning the Revolution was only the beginning. If Americans were going to become a truly independent people, he thought they needed to stop speaking, spelling, and learning like the...
Joshua Kendall, author of The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Webster's Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture, shares the story of the man whose name became synonymous with the dictionary. Webster also fought for copyright protections, carried an early plan for a stronger federal government to George Washington, and spent much of his long life trying to shape the country the Revolution had created. Audio courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/for-nearly-20-years-the-u-s-nuclear-launch-code-was-00000000--75473561
But for almost two decades, the launch code for America’s nuclear arsenal was just eight zeroes: 00000000. Simon Whistler, host of Today I Found Out and The Brain Food Show, explains why the most important code of the Cold War was so simple to crack. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>fce75e06-9225-4228-8234-b4bf0117f7c9Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, during the height of the Cold War, the United States worked tirelessly to stay ahead of the Soviet Union in the global arms race. Safeguards were put in place to prevent the accidental or unauthorized use of...
But for almost two decades, the launch code for America’s nuclear arsenal was just eight zeroes: 00000000. Simon Whistler, host of Today I Found Out and The Brain Food Show, explains why the most important code of the Cold War was so simple to crack. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-hope-story-of-john-humphrey-prayer-is-a-very-strong-thing--75473537
Ryan Buck brings us The Hope Story of John Humphrey, told by John and his parents, Jennifer and Mark. They share the fear surrounding his diagnosis, the prayers that carried their family through it, and how John's journey ultimately changed the way he understood faith, prayer, and the gift of simply being alive. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1ad69b6c-db8a-4d69-9585-b4bf0117f7c9Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, John Humphrey had been told his heart could stop without warning. Doctors had discovered a dangerous arrhythmia, and surgery was coming. But before the procedure, John wanted one more chance to take the mound...
Ryan Buck brings us The Hope Story of John Humphrey, told by John and his parents, Jennifer and Mark. They share the fear surrounding his diagnosis, the prayers that carried their family through it, and how John's journey ultimately changed the way he understood faith, prayer, and the gift of simply being alive. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ed-sullivan-the-man-who-made-sunday-night-an-american-tradition--75473581
James Maguire, author of Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan, joins our own Lee Habeeb to share how Sullivan built one of the most influential shows in television history. He introduced America to Elvis Presley and the Beatles, championed Black performers on national television, and made everyone from comedians to opera singers feel at home on the same stage. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>af433b10-937e-4c6e-a5a6-b4bf0117f7caThu, 10 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Ed Sullivan couldn't sing, dance, act, or tell a joke. He wasn't even particularly comfortable in front of a camera. Yet for more than two decades, millions of Americans tuned in every Sunday night to watch him...
James Maguire, author of Impresario: The Life and Times of Ed Sullivan, joins our own Lee Habeeb to share how Sullivan built one of the most influential shows in television history. He introduced America to Elvis Presley and the Beatles, championed Black performers on national television, and made everyone from comedians to opera singers feel at home on the same stage. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-confederate-secret-service-s-secret-plot-to-defeat-lincoln-and-spark-a-revolution--75473522
Patrick K. O'Donnell, author of The Unvanquished, shares the hidden history of the Confederate Secret Service and makes the case that its covert war ultimately became entangled with John Wilkes Booth's conspiracy against Lincoln. He also explains how the scouts, spies, raiders, and saboteurs of the Civil War later influenced Wild Bill Donovan as he helped build America's modern intelligence and special operations capabilities during World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>15ec6998-0372-49bd-88e2-b4bf011378dbWed, 09 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, by 1864, the Confederacy was losing the Civil War on the battlefield. But hundreds of miles behind Union lines, Confederate agents were fighting a very different kind of war. Working out of secret bases in...
Patrick K. O'Donnell, author of The Unvanquished, shares the hidden history of the Confederate Secret Service and makes the case that its covert war ultimately became entangled with John Wilkes Booth's conspiracy against Lincoln. He also explains how the scouts, spies, raiders, and saboteurs of the Civil War later influenced Wild Bill Donovan as he helped build America's modern intelligence and special operations capabilities during World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-six-percent-the-middle-aged-couple-who-became-american-spies--75473583
For our ongoing series The Six Percent, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the story of the Dexters and the risks they took to help those fleeing the Nazis. Their relief work also concealed another mission: at age 56, Elizabeth and Robert were agents for the Office of Strategic Services, using their unique access as humanitarian workers to gather intelligence for the United States. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d5d1cb16-5790-4efd-ae0d-b4bf011378dbWed, 09 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1942, Elizabeth and Robert Dexter took charge of the Unitarian Service Committee's relief office in Lisbon, Portugal, as Jews and other desperate refugees fled Nazi-occupied Europe. Many arrived without...
For our ongoing series The Six Percent, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the story of the Dexters and the risks they took to help those fleeing the Nazis. Their relief work also concealed another mission: at age 56, Elizabeth and Robert were agents for the Office of Strategic Services, using their unique access as humanitarian workers to gather intelligence for the United States. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-colt-walker-the-legendary-revolver-that-saved-samuel-colt--75473600
Logan Metesh, founder of High Caliber History LLC, shares the story behind the legendary revolver and the Texas Ranger whose name it still carries. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7d2de799-9663-437f-9463-b4bf011378dcWed, 09 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1847, Samuel Colt's firearms business was all but dead. Then Texas Ranger Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker came to him with an idea for a massive new revolver built for mounted combat. Walker had carried...
Logan Metesh, founder of High Caliber History LLC, shares the story behind the legendary revolver and the Texas Ranger whose name it still carries. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/daniel-and-the-jewish-roots-of-american-liberty--75473533
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, co-author of The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares how Daniel's story inspired a Revolutionary-era preacher challenging British rule, enslaved Americans longing for freedom, and the abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Generations later, Martin Luther King Jr. drew on the story of Daniel's fellow exiles to defend civil disobedience during the Civil Rights Movement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>099fae17-5e57-4406-9fa8-b4bf011378d9Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, from the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement, the biblical prophet Daniel has served as an enduring American symbol of courage in the face of unjust authority. His refusal to abandon his faith,...
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, co-author of The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares how Daniel's story inspired a Revolutionary-era preacher challenging British rule, enslaved Americans longing for freedom, and the abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Generations later, Martin Luther King Jr. drew on the story of Daniel's fellow exiles to defend civil disobedience during the Civil Rights Movement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/dave-cobb-the-record-producer-behind-chris-stapleton--75473603
In this conversation recorded in 2018, Cobb sits down with our host, Lee Habeeb, to share the stories behind Chris Stapleton's breakthrough album Traveller, Jason Isbell's Southeastern, and some of the other records that defined his career. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f075779f-0340-49dd-8d14-b4bf01137905Wed, 09 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Dave Cobb grew up in Savannah, Georgia, listening to everything from church hymns to Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. He didn't discover country music until moving to California and working with Shooter...
In this conversation recorded in 2018, Cobb sits down with our host, Lee Habeeb, to share the stories behind Chris Stapleton's breakthrough album Traveller, Jason Isbell's Southeastern, and some of the other records that defined his career. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-six-percent-the-couple-who-helped-children-escape-the-holocaust--75473526
For our ongoing series The Six Percent, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the story of the McClellands and the agonizing decisions that came with trying to save lives during the Holocaust. Marjorie was eventually given an especially difficult task: choosing which refugee children would be evacuated to the United States. Every name she selected meant a chance at safety for one child, while countless others would remain behind. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4c1b41f1-6b97-48df-aa97-b4ba0161213eTue, 08 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1940, 26-year-old Roswell and Marjorie McClelland put aside the academic and professional lives they had planned and sailed for Europe with the Quakers' American Friends Service Committee. War had already...
For our ongoing series The Six Percent, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the story of the McClellands and the agonizing decisions that came with trying to save lives during the Holocaust. Marjorie was eventually given an especially difficult task: choosing which refugee children would be evacuated to the United States. Every name she selected meant a chance at safety for one child, while countless others would remain behind. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-civil-war-battle-so-fierce-it-cut-down-an-oak-tree--75473567
In this installment of our American Objects series, Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of the Spotsylvania Stump. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b816eb1a-d67c-4914-9347-b4ba0161213eTue, 08 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on May 12, 1864, a large oak tree stood in the middle of some of the fiercest fighting of the Civil War. For nearly 20 hours, Union and Confederate soldiers battled at close range at the Bloody Angle during the...
In this installment of our American Objects series, Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of the Spotsylvania Stump. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-pez-became-an-american-pop-culture-icon--75473515
Shawn Peterson, author of PEZ: From Austrian Invention to American Icon, shares the surprising story of how a failed product launch transformed PEZ into one of the world's most recognizable candies and an icon of American pop culture. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>22dbcb80-5591-48d5-9cf1-b4ba01612141Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before PEZ dispensers came topped with Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, and superheroes, PEZ was a benign Austrian peppermint marketed to adults as an alternative to smoking. Then PEZ came to America and flopped....
Shawn Peterson, author of PEZ: From Austrian Invention to American Icon, shares the surprising story of how a failed product launch transformed PEZ into one of the world's most recognizable candies and an icon of American pop culture. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/victoria-arlen-i-had-prepared-to-die-i-hadn-t-prepared-to-live--75473540
Victoria would go on to win Paralympic gold, become a world record holder and broadcaster, learn to walk after a decade in a wheelchair, and compete on Dancing with the Stars. But behind those extraordinary accomplishments, she was still carrying years of unaddressed trauma. Victoria, author of The View Is Worth It, shares how a devastating breaking point forced her to confront her past, rediscover her faith, find forgiveness, and turn her pain into a purpose of helping others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ef158e46-0ed0-4aee-84cf-b4ba01652829Tue, 08 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, at 11 years old, Victoria Arlen's body began shutting down. Eventually, she lost the ability to move or communicate and spent nearly four years in a vegetative state while doctors told her family she would...
Victoria would go on to win Paralympic gold, become a world record holder and broadcaster, learn to walk after a decade in a wheelchair, and compete on Dancing with the Stars. But behind those extraordinary accomplishments, she was still carrying years of unaddressed trauma. Victoria, author of The View Is Worth It, shares how a devastating breaking point forced her to confront her past, rediscover her faith, find forgiveness, and turn her pain into a purpose of helping others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/it-takes-3-years-and-300-pairs-of-hands-to-make-this-cigar--75473602
Drew Newman, the great-grandson of company founder Julius Caesar Newman, takes us inside the last cigar factory in Tampa and into a craft that begins years before a cigar is ever rolled. Tobacco must be grown, harvested, naturally fermented, aged, blended, and finally rolled by hand. A single cigar can take three years and pass through some 300 pairs of hands before it is finished. Drew shares the history behind an American industry and how his family is working to keep its traditions alive for another generation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7e0e7dbf-1bc5-417b-8ebf-b4ba0161213eTue, 08 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, a century ago, Tampa, Florida, was "Cigar City." Some 150 factories filled the city, where workers rolled more than 500 million cigars by hand each year. One by one, those factories disappeared as the industry...
Drew Newman, the great-grandson of company founder Julius Caesar Newman, takes us inside the last cigar factory in Tampa and into a craft that begins years before a cigar is ever rolled. Tobacco must be grown, harvested, naturally fermented, aged, blended, and finally rolled by hand. A single cigar can take three years and pass through some 300 pairs of hands before it is finished. Drew shares the history behind an American industry and how his family is working to keep its traditions alive for another generation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-a-grocery-store-gave-everything-away-for-free--75473528
Tim couldn't stop thinking about what he had witnessed. When he got home, he wrote about it on Facebook in a post he and Debbie called "The Heart of America." Within days, tens of thousands of people had shared it. Tim Hennessey shares how a grocery store, a winter storm, and a simple act of generosity reminded him of the kindness happening every day across America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>45cbcff8-3cf5-452f-88d8-b4ba0158c4f1Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in February 2021, a historic winter storm brought much of Texas to a standstill. Tim Hennessey and his wife, Debbie, braved the icy roads to pick up groceries for themselves and some friends. Then, while they...
Tim couldn't stop thinking about what he had witnessed. When he got home, he wrote about it on Facebook in a post he and Debbie called "The Heart of America." Within days, tens of thousands of people had shared it. Tim Hennessey shares how a grocery store, a winter storm, and a simple act of generosity reminded him of the kindness happening every day across America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/constantino-brumidi-america-s-michelangelo--75473532
His greatest work waited 180 feet above the Rotunda floor. There, inside the Capitol dome, Brumidi painted George Washington, known to many as "America's Indispensable Man," rising into the heavens surrounded by Liberty, Victory, Fame, and figures representing the original thirteen states. Our own Lee Habeeb shares how an Italian immigrant came to paint The Apotheosis of Washington, earning a remarkable nickname of his own in the process: “America’s Michelangelo.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>e6537553-e1cc-442d-88eb-b4ba0158c4f5Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1852, Constantino Brumidi arrived in New York as a refugee from Rome. He was already an accomplished artist, but in America, he found the work that would consume the rest of his life. For the next...
His greatest work waited 180 feet above the Rotunda floor. There, inside the Capitol dome, Brumidi painted George Washington, known to many as "America's Indispensable Man," rising into the heavens surrounded by Liberty, Victory, Fame, and figures representing the original thirteen states. Our own Lee Habeeb shares how an Italian immigrant came to paint The Apotheosis of Washington, earning a remarkable nickname of his own in the process: “America’s Michelangelo.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-ritz-carlton-co-founder-horst-schulze-defines-excellence--75473492Excellence Wins, built his career around a simple idea: every employee has the power to define an entire organization in the eyes of a customer. Years ago, before speaking to hundreds of managers at a Chicago bank, Schulze decided to experience the bank's heavily advertised customer service for himself. One encounter with a teller gave him a lesson he would repeat for the next fifteen years.

Schulze shares his simple formula for service excellence, explains the difference between merely completing a transaction and earning a customer's loyalty, and shows why leaders can't afford to let even one employee define their organization through poor service. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>576febec-2f02-4c3a-906c-b4ba0158c4f2Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Horst Schulze, co-founder of Ritz-Carlton and author...Excellence Wins, built his career around a simple idea: every employee has the power to define an entire organization in the eyes of a customer. Years ago, before speaking to hundreds of managers at a Chicago bank, Schulze decided to experience the bank's heavily advertised customer service for himself. One encounter with a teller gave him a lesson he would repeat for the next fifteen years.

Schulze shares his simple formula for service excellence, explains the difference between merely completing a transaction and earning a customer's loyalty, and shows why leaders can't afford to let even one employee define their organization through poor service. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/nellie-bly-s-race-around-the-world-in-seventy-two-days--75473599
Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran in Pennsylvania, Bly challenged expectations about what women could do, reported on the lives of factory workers, confronted political repression in Mexico, and famously went undercover inside a New York City mental asylum to expose the horrific treatment of its patients. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of the pioneering reporter, adventurer, inventor, and businesswoman who refused to accept the limits placed on women in her time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1a177072-13e9-415e-9370-b4ba0158c4f3Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1890, Nellie Bly completed a journey that seemed almost impossible, circling the globe in just 72 days. Inspired by Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days, Bly traveled by ship, train, horse,...
Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran in Pennsylvania, Bly challenged expectations about what women could do, reported on the lives of factory workers, confronted political repression in Mexico, and famously went undercover inside a New York City mental asylum to expose the horrific treatment of its patients. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story of the pioneering reporter, adventurer, inventor, and businesswoman who refused to accept the limits placed on women in her time. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/before-rosa-parks-there-was-elizabeth-jennings-america-s-first-freedom-rider--75473538
What followed was a court battle that would turn the city on its head, and Jennings would turn to a young lawyer taking on one of his first cases: future President Chester A. Arthur. Jerry Mikorenda, author of America's First Freedom Rider, shares the remarkable and forgotten story of Elizabeth Jennings, the family that taught her to fight for her rights, and the landmark legal victory that helped challenge segregation on New York City's public transportation decades before the Civil Rights Movement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>6d926a30-351d-422e-a99b-b4ba015a9a02Mon, 07 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Elizabeth Jennings was on her way to church when a New York City streetcar conductor ordered her off. She refused. The conductor and driver forcibly dragged her from the car, leaving her bloodied and bruised....
What followed was a court battle that would turn the city on its head, and Jennings would turn to a young lawyer taking on one of his first cases: future President Chester A. Arthur. Jerry Mikorenda, author of America's First Freedom Rider, shares the remarkable and forgotten story of Elizabeth Jennings, the family that taught her to fight for her rights, and the landmark legal victory that helped challenge segregation on New York City's public transportation decades before the Civil Rights Movement. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/only-human-stubborn--75474328
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/308/archives/audio/263/content.mp3Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeHave you ever noticed how hard it can be to walk in the right direction? Not physically - but metaphorically. Sometimes, we LOOK like we're walking in the right direction, but inside we've straying to the left and to the right. This stubbornness is...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-nation-to-state-why-texas-joined-the-union--75473534
Texas State Historian Monte Monroe tells the story of the Republic of Texas, from the presidencies of Sam Houston and Mirabeau B. Lamar to the political battle that finally brought Texas into the Union in 1845. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>25af408d-e69f-4cd7-b807-b4ba0156bff8Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, after winning its independence from Mexico in 1836, Texas faced a new challenge: surviving as its own country. The young republic struggled with debt, threats from Mexico, conflicts on the frontier, and...
Texas State Historian Monte Monroe tells the story of the Republic of Texas, from the presidencies of Sam Houston and Mirabeau B. Lamar to the political battle that finally brought Texas into the Union in 1845. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-green-bay-packers-the-nfl-team-that-shouldn-t-exist--75473543
This is the remarkable story of how community ownership, championship football, a new stadium, the rise of Vince Lombardi, and a strategic battle over nearby Milwaukee helped keep the Packers in the NFL's smallest market. We'd like to thank Maapify for helping us share this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>6328ab1b-e904-4b46-98f4-b4ba0156bff6Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Green Bay, Wisconsin, has a population of just over 100,000 people. It is smaller than many cities with minor-league baseball teams, yet somehow it is home to one of the most famous and valuable franchises in...
This is the remarkable story of how community ownership, championship football, a new stadium, the rise of Vince Lombardi, and a strategic battle over nearby Milwaukee helped keep the Packers in the NFL's smallest market. We'd like to thank Maapify for helping us share this story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-a-small-town-speaker-held-the-line-during-watergate--75473539
Jeff Bloodworth, professor of American history at Gannon University and a Jack Miller Center Fellow, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2fddf193-614d-471b-bf6b-b4ba0156bff8Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Carl Albert stood just 5 feet 4 inches tall, but during one of America’s biggest political scandals, he carried more than his share of the weight. As the Watergate scandal unraveled the Nixon presidency, the...
Jeff Bloodworth, professor of American history at Gannon University and a Jack Miller Center Fellow, shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/simon-estes-the-jackie-robinson-of-opera--75473545
Simon Estes himself shares the story of how encountering opera for the first time changed the course of his life and took him from small-town Iowa to Juilliard, then across the Atlantic behind the Iron Curtain, and finally onto some of America's greatest stages. Simon's phenomenal documentary is called Simon Estes: A Heart & A Voice. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>13eddd90-e0fd-4b8a-98ae-b4ba0156bff8Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Simon Estes grew up poor in the coal-mining town of Centerville, Iowa, in a tiny house without running water or electricity. His father, the son of former slaves, couldn't read, and segregation shaped Simon's...
Simon Estes himself shares the story of how encountering opera for the first time changed the course of his life and took him from small-town Iowa to Juilliard, then across the Atlantic behind the Iron Curtain, and finally onto some of America's greatest stages. Simon's phenomenal documentary is called Simon Estes: A Heart & A Voice. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/sergeant-alvin-york-the-faithful-pacifist-who-became-a-world-war-i-hero--75473548
Is Sergeant York a true story? What did Alvin York do after the war? Here to share the real history of Alvin York is JD Phillips, host of the popular YouTube channel The Appalachian Storyteller. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d5ad3f76-6494-471f-9ff4-b4b7015b7073Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Sergeant Alvin York, the reluctant World War I infantryman who became one of America’s most decorated soldiers, has stood as a symbol of courage and sacrifice for over a century. Born in the mountains of...
Is Sergeant York a true story? What did Alvin York do after the war? Here to share the real history of Alvin York is JD Phillips, host of the popular YouTube channel The Appalachian Storyteller. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-three-phone-calls-she-made-before-she-passed--75473604
Then, while Leslie was trying to make her way home, a mechanical problem grounded her flight. The delay gave the two friends something neither expected: three final phone calls. Leslie, a regular contributor to Our American Stories and the author of Write Your Story: Change Your Life, shares a deeply personal story about friendship, loss, writing, and learning to pay attention to the wonder of the life we're given. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>6c12aed3-d2f0-4f9c-9eee-b4b7015b7074Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Leslie Leyland Fields flew from her home in Alaska to Indiana to spend two weeks beside her best friend, Linda, who was dying of stage IV ovarian cancer. When it was finally time to leave, Leslie believed they...
Then, while Leslie was trying to make her way home, a mechanical problem grounded her flight. The delay gave the two friends something neither expected: three final phone calls. Leslie, a regular contributor to Our American Stories and the author of Write Your Story: Change Your Life, shares a deeply personal story about friendship, loss, writing, and learning to pay attention to the wonder of the life we're given. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-man-who-made-wayne-gretzky--75473546
In this remembrance, Wayne reflects on what he shared at his father’s funeral and how that quiet support shaped his life, both on the ice and far beyond it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>33cfd7b7-ec7c-47c9-a92d-b4b7015b7074Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Walter Gretzky passed away at 82, people didn’t just remember him as the father of Wayne Gretzky. They remembered the man who stood quietly behind the scenes for decades, offering time, stability, and a...
In this remembrance, Wayne reflects on what he shared at his father’s funeral and how that quiet support shaped his life, both on the ice and far beyond it. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Soon, a stranger brought a photograph he had found to Beeler's church and asked a simple question: What should he do with it? That question helped inspire the National Disaster Photo Rescue, which has reunited more than 18,000 photographs with over 1,000 families from the Joplin tornado alone. Beeler shares how returning seemingly ordinary pieces of paper became a mission to give people something irreplaceable back: their memories. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ccc6c8f7-e15e-483f-b1b2-b4b7015b7076Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when the Joplin EF5 tornado struck on May 22, 2011, entire neighborhoods disappeared in seconds. But the storm took more than lives and homes. It also swept away the irreplaceable pieces of the lives lived...
Soon, a stranger brought a photograph he had found to Beeler's church and asked a simple question: What should he do with it? That question helped inspire the National Disaster Photo Rescue, which has reunited more than 18,000 photographs with over 1,000 families from the Joplin tornado alone. Beeler shares how returning seemingly ordinary pieces of paper became a mission to give people something irreplaceable back: their memories. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-believed-an-innocent-man-was-in-prison-his-faith-wouldn-t-let-him-walk-away--75473550
Then a seminary assignment took him inside Trenton State Prison, where a man serving a life sentence for murder insisted he was innocent. Jim wasn't supposed to get involved. But the more he listened, the more he began to believe him, forcing Jim to confront a question that would change the course of his life: If his faith demanded that he seek justice, could he simply walk away? Jim McCloskey, author of When the Truth Is All You Have, shares his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>0dd8f7d2-0918-4e72-b5f8-b4b70153b4e9Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Jim McCloskey grew up in church, but by adulthood he wanted nothing to do with the faith of his childhood. He pursued the life he thought he wanted, serving in the Navy, working in Japan, and building a...
Then a seminary assignment took him inside Trenton State Prison, where a man serving a life sentence for murder insisted he was innocent. Jim wasn't supposed to get involved. But the more he listened, the more he began to believe him, forcing Jim to confront a question that would change the course of his life: If his faith demanded that he seek justice, could he simply walk away? Jim McCloskey, author of When the Truth Is All You Have, shares his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Nick Ragone, host of This Date in History, shares the story of how Ray Caldwell survived a lightning strike and kept pitching. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ba856c8c-298e-404d-a3ac-b4b70153b4e7Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on August 24, 1919, Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Caldwell made his debut at League Park before a crowd of 20,000. In the ninth inning, with victory in sight, lightning suddenly struck the field and Caldwell...
Nick Ragone, host of This Date in History, shares the story of how Ray Caldwell survived a lightning strike and kept pitching. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-forgotten-jewish-family-who-saved-thomas-jefferson-s-home--75473553
Marc Leepson, author of Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built, shares the remarkable story of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish commodore in the U.S. Navy, and his nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy. Across two generations, the Levy family spent decades and a fortune preserving and restoring Monticello, even fighting a national campaign to take the historic home from them. Without their efforts, one of America's most recognizable landmarks might not look the way it does today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a20adb3b-b6a2-41fb-b3a1-b4b70153b4e8Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, he left behind more than a legacy. He also left a mountain of debt. His family eventually sold Monticello, and within years, Jefferson's famous home had fallen into...
Marc Leepson, author of Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built, shares the remarkable story of Uriah Phillips Levy, the first Jewish commodore in the U.S. Navy, and his nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy. Across two generations, the Levy family spent decades and a fortune preserving and restoring Monticello, even fighting a national campaign to take the historic home from them. Without their efforts, one of America's most recognizable landmarks might not look the way it does today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-job-at-a-big-bank-or-pilot-of-air-force-two--75473617
In this story, Peter shares what happened when he received a phone call shortly after retirement that began with an unexpected question: “Do you still have your uniform?” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c025f2aa-3682-4096-ad3a-b4b70153b4e7Wed, 02 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on the morning of September 11, 2001, Peter Braxton became the first military pilot in the air over the burning Twin Towers on what was his very first day on the job. Not long after, he flew multiple combat...
In this story, Peter shares what happened when he received a phone call shortly after retirement that began with an unexpected question: “Do you still have your uniform?” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Whitman soon began spending his days in Washington's military hospitals, bringing food and small gifts, writing letters, listening, and comforting wounded men far from home. Although he supported the Union, he cared for Northerners and Southerners alike. Hillsdale College professor Kelly Scott Franklin shares how those years of service became what Whitman called “the most profound lesson” of his life and helped shape some of his greatest writing about the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>37001fb2-a79e-4b43-a610-b4b3016a4f9bTue, 01 Sep 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1862, Walt Whitman set out for Virginia searching for his brother, who had been wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg. He found him alive with only a minor wound. But outside a field hospital,...
Whitman soon began spending his days in Washington's military hospitals, bringing food and small gifts, writing letters, listening, and comforting wounded men far from home. Although he supported the Union, he cared for Northerners and Southerners alike. Hillsdale College professor Kelly Scott Franklin shares how those years of service became what Whitman called “the most profound lesson” of his life and helped shape some of his greatest writing about the Civil War. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/when-john-ford-walked-away-from-hollywood-to-fight-world-war-ii--75473554
For our Hollywood Goes to War series, historian and Wild West expert Roger McGrath shares why Ford decided to take his cameras into the thick of World War II, filming under fire at Midway, parachuting behind enemy lines in Burma, and going ashore with American troops at Normandy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>fdedf574-5a17-4194-bf45-b4b3016a4fa1Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, John Ford was at the top of Hollywood. The director of Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, and How Green Was My Valley had money, fame, power, and back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Director. Then, at...
For our Hollywood Goes to War series, historian and Wild West expert Roger McGrath shares why Ford decided to take his cameras into the thick of World War II, filming under fire at Midway, parachuting behind enemy lines in Burma, and going ashore with American troops at Normandy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Drawing from her memoir Slow Dancing with a Stranger, she offers deeply personal insight into the daily realities of Alzheimer's care, from the first signs of cognitive decline to the long road of loss, resilience, and unconditional love. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c6c30d86-e4fb-4a83-a7fa-b4b3016a4f96Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's is often invisible work, but not in this powerful account from Meryl Comer. The Emmy-winning journalist opens up about her husband's early-onset Alzheimer's and the...
Drawing from her memoir Slow Dancing with a Stranger, she offers deeply personal insight into the daily realities of Alzheimer's care, from the first signs of cognitive decline to the long road of loss, resilience, and unconditional love. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/fdr-and-the-largest-mass-prayer-in-history--75473568
Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story of Roosevelt's D-Day prayer and the remarkable moment when a wartime president called a nation to prayer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1bdb596c-e6cc-498f-b92b-b4b3016a4f97Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on June 6, 1944, as Allied troops fought their way onto the beaches of Normandy, Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to an anxious nation. Rather than deliver a conventional presidential address, Roosevelt led his...
Our host, Lee Habeeb, shares the story of Roosevelt's D-Day prayer and the remarkable moment when a wartime president called a nation to prayer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-star-wars-toys-revolutionized-movie-merchandising-part-2--75473560
Jarrod Roll, creator of The Nostalgia Awakens, shares the story of how Star Wars toys went from childhood treasures to truly valuable collectibles. Along the way, he tells his own story of rediscovering the toys of his childhood and eventually turning his collection into a museum exhibit celebrating the generation that grew up with Star Wars. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>78ad57b2-e944-40c6-bb22-b4b3016a4f96Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before VHS, streaming, or even the ability to watch Star Wars whenever they wanted, children had another way to return to a galaxy far, far away: toys. Kenner soon became one of the world's largest toy...
Jarrod Roll, creator of The Nostalgia Awakens, shares the story of how Star Wars toys went from childhood treasures to truly valuable collectibles. Along the way, he tells his own story of rediscovering the toys of his childhood and eventually turning his collection into a museum exhibit celebrating the generation that grew up with Star Wars. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/eisenhower-the-general-who-hated-war--75473611
Ambrose, author of the definitive biography of Eisenhower, shares the story of the character behind Ike's remarkable rise: his honesty, humility, temper, faith, hatred of war, and extraordinary ability to earn the trust of the people around him. We's like to thank the Ambrose Estate for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7e17f0a1-7d27-4ada-8b58-b4b3016a28d6Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, historian Stephen Ambrose considered Dwight D. Eisenhower both a great man and a good one. Born in a rented shack beside the railroad tracks in Denison, Texas, and raised in a deeply religious, pacifist family...
Ambrose, author of the definitive biography of Eisenhower, shares the story of the character behind Ike's remarkable rise: his honesty, humility, temper, faith, hatred of war, and extraordinary ability to earn the trust of the people around him. We's like to thank the Ambrose Estate for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-strange-and-wonderful-life-of-an-american-gondolier--75473556
Our own Lee Habeeb sits down with him for an interview. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c08acc36-fb73-437f-8e3f-b4b3016a28d7Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Angelo Ruffino rows through the canals of Southern California, singing his original music to passengers and perfecting a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. But he’s more than a romantic oarsman. He’s a...
Our own Lee Habeeb sits down with him for an interview. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-story-of-america-president-abraham-lincoln-ep-28--75473585
In Episode 28 of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of Lincoln's First Inaugural Address and his tumultuous first days in office. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5e5b57de-8c73-43df-96a2-b4b3016a28d7Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, by the time Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office in March 1861, seven Southern states had already left the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. Virginia and the rest of the Upper South were...
In Episode 28 of our ongoing Story of Us—Story of America series, Hillsdale College professor Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, shares the story of Lincoln's First Inaugural Address and his tumultuous first days in office. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-the-iphone-radar-and-tv-dinners-changed-the-world--75473557
Economist Tim Harford, author of Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy, shares the unexpected stories behind three inventions that transformed the way we live. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>bd6605ca-26e6-4add-901e-b4b3016a28d9Mon, 31 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, The iPhone, radar, and TV dinners don't appear to have much in common, but each tells a surprising story about how innovation really happens. The iPhone brought together technologies developed over decades,...
Economist Tim Harford, author of Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy, shares the unexpected stories behind three inventions that transformed the way we live. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-great-american-jukebox-the-machine-that-changed-music--75473555
Ed Liss fell in love with jukeboxes as a three-year-old boy in the Bronx and has spent much of his adult life hunting down and painstakingly restoring them. He shares the history of the great American jukebox and explains why bringing these machines back to life isn't simply about preserving old technology. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7dbbfed5-3ecd-42b8-991b-b4b1017ac908Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before Spotify, playlists, and music on demand, there was the jukebox. Drop in a nickel, pick a song, and a machine glowing with lights and color could provide the soundtrack for a bar, restaurant, or teenage...
Ed Liss fell in love with jukeboxes as a three-year-old boy in the Bronx and has spent much of his adult life hunting down and painstakingly restoring them. He shares the history of the great American jukebox and explains why bringing these machines back to life isn't simply about preserving old technology. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/kevlar-was-nearly-discarded-one-woman-fought-to-prove-it-could-save-lives--75473562
Kaela Rider from the Bill of Rights Institute shares how one overlooked discovery became the foundation for the modern bulletproof vest. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c24ce122-1057-4389-a1a2-b4b1017ac908Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Kevlar is now a staple of body armor, trusted by law enforcement, military personnel, and first responders, but when Stephanie Kwolek first developed the fiber in a DuPont lab, it was almost thrown away. The...
Kaela Rider from the Bill of Rights Institute shares how one overlooked discovery became the foundation for the modern bulletproof vest. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/spitfires-the-american-women-who-flew-in-the-face-of-danger-during-world-war-ii--75473563
Their job was extraordinarily dangerous. They could be handed an aircraft they'd never flown before and given little more than a page of instructions. Yet these women became the first American women to fly military aircraft and played a crucial role in keeping Allied planes in the air. Becky Aikman, author of Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II, shares the forgotten story of America's "Atta Girls." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>02b24de9-698f-4fe6-a0a9-b4b1017ac910Fri, 28 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, they wanted to serve their country, but the U.S. military wouldn't let women fly its planes. So in 1942, a remarkable group of American women crossed the Atlantic and joined Britain's Air Transport Auxiliary,...
Their job was extraordinarily dangerous. They could be handed an aircraft they'd never flown before and given little more than a page of instructions. Yet these women became the first American women to fly military aircraft and played a crucial role in keeping Allied planes in the air. Becky Aikman, author of Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II, shares the forgotten story of America's "Atta Girls." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What began on Nancy's kitchen wall eventually became the Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island, Maine, home to covers from more than 70 countries. Nancy shares the story of the world's only museum devoted entirely to umbrella covers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1d52f670-3f1d-426f-871b-b4b1017ac90aFri, 28 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Nancy 3 Hoffman started collecting the little sleeves that come with umbrellas after finding a few while cleaning her house. Soon, friends and family were giving her theirs, along with stories about where the...
What began on Nancy's kitchen wall eventually became the Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island, Maine, home to covers from more than 70 countries. Nancy shares the story of the world's only museum devoted entirely to umbrella covers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Victoria Mars, the founder's great-granddaughter and former chair of the Mars Board of Directors, explains how her family has managed something few businesses survive: passing a global company from one generation to the next. From the Five Principles that guide Mars to the rules, education, communication, and occasional family disagreements required to make it work, she shares what it takes to keep a business in the family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d7d4d1b3-8f43-465f-8839-b4b1017ac070Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, the Mars family makes some of the most recognizable products in the world, from M&M's, Snickers, and Skittles to Pedigree pet food. Yet more than a century after Frank Mars founded the company in 1911, Mars...
Victoria Mars, the founder's great-granddaughter and former chair of the Mars Board of Directors, explains how her family has managed something few businesses survive: passing a global company from one generation to the next. From the Five Principles that guide Mars to the rules, education, communication, and occasional family disagreements required to make it work, she shares what it takes to keep a business in the family. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/legendary-founder-of-the-ritz-carlton-my-employees-are-my-closest-neighbors--75473565https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>184e4083-4561-405c-b6a1-b4b1017ac06fThu, 27 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, a legend and leader in the hotel industry, Horst Schulze has reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business—setting standards that have become world-famous. Over the years, he worked for both...https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Cliff joins us to share his remarkable story. Cliff's book is Cliff Falls: The Missing Pieces. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ffa2c742-5801-4bb8-93d0-b4b1017ac071Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Cliff Shiepe was working his dream job on the backlot of Disney when his body began to fail. A series of unexplained fevers sent him from studio sets to his childhood bedroom, where he would spend the next...
Cliff joins us to share his remarkable story. Cliff's book is Cliff Falls: The Missing Pieces. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Scott had seen Army films depicting Nazi atrocities and dismissed them as propaganda. At Buchenwald, he discovered they were horrifyingly real. Camera in hand, Scott began documenting what he saw until the depravity around him became almost too much to photograph. Historian Rona Simmons, author of The Other Veterans of World War II: Stories from Behind the Front Lines, shares the story of the Black soldier who bore witness to the Holocaust and returned home to join another fight for equality in America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>d0bec721-d6be-4597-97c3-b4b1017ac06fThu, 27 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, William A. Scott III went to war for a country that still treated him as a second-class citizen. Drafted into the segregated U.S. Army in 1943, the young Morehouse College photographer served with an all-Black...
Scott had seen Army films depicting Nazi atrocities and dismissed them as propaganda. At Buchenwald, he discovered they were horrifyingly real. Camera in hand, Scott began documenting what he saw until the depravity around him became almost too much to photograph. Historian Rona Simmons, author of The Other Veterans of World War II: Stories from Behind the Front Lines, shares the story of the Black soldier who bore witness to the Holocaust and returned home to join another fight for equality in America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-forgotten-speech-that-helped-make-abraham-lincoln-president--75473589
The speech helped turn Lincoln into a national political figure and propelled him toward the presidency later that year. Vince Benedetto of Bold Gold Media shares the story of the Cooper Union Address. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>071b88f2-33b2-41e3-b3a2-b4b1017ac070Thu, 27 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in February 1860, Abraham Lincoln traveled to New York City with something to prove. The country was tearing itself apart over slavery, and Lincoln believed he could demonstrate that those demanding its...
The speech helped turn Lincoln into a national political figure and propelled him toward the presidency later that year. Vince Benedetto of Bold Gold Media shares the story of the Cooper Union Address. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-the-battle-of-fallujah-to-the-battle-for-my-soul--75473579
After three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Arroyo returned home carrying nightmares, anger, and a loss of purpose he couldn't escape. Eventually, with a gun in his mouth, he asked God for help. What happened next began a long road through counseling, faith, and a new calling to serve fellow veterans. Fernando Arroyo, author of The Shadow of Death: From My Battles in Fallujah to the Battle for My Soul, shares his story Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>513bcda2-3d40-4ba8-87a9-b4b0011fe135Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Fernando Arroyo knew exactly what he wanted to do after watching the September 11 attacks unfold from his high school classroom. Within weeks, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and volunteered for the 82nd Airborne...
After three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Arroyo returned home carrying nightmares, anger, and a loss of purpose he couldn't escape. Eventually, with a gun in his mouth, he asked God for help. What happened next began a long road through counseling, faith, and a new calling to serve fellow veterans. Fernando Arroyo, author of The Shadow of Death: From My Battles in Fallujah to the Battle for My Soul, shares his story Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/centerline-how-a-stripe-of-paint-saved-the-american-road--75473592
The History Guy tells the surprising story of Edward Hines, whose inspiration may have come from a leaking milk truck, and the decades-long effort to turn a stripe of paint into one of the most universal safety features on the American road. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7a6220bc-e5db-406a-9431-b4b0011fe138Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when automobiles first took over American roads, drivers had speed but few of the rules we now take for granted. Roads often had no marked lanes, traffic laws varied from place to place, and thousands were...
The History Guy tells the surprising story of Edward Hines, whose inspiration may have come from a leaking milk truck, and the decades-long effort to turn a stripe of paint into one of the most universal safety features on the American road. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sausage-king-who-felt-guilty-about-his-success--75473619
Then one afternoon, Stayer read about a Johnsonville employee who had traveled to Hong Kong to adopt a child with special needs. In that moment, he says, the answer finally came. Stayer shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>fd5c5a86-138f-49a9-b8e9-b4b0011fe133Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Stayer had built Johnsonville Sausage into a tremendous success, but the wealth that came with it left him deeply uncomfortable. Raised Catholic, he couldn't shake Christ's warning about the difficulty of...
Then one afternoon, Stayer read about a Johnsonville employee who had traveled to Hong Kong to adopt a child with special needs. In that moment, he says, the answer finally came. Stayer shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, shares the story of how Theodor Geisel used two of his most famous characters to explore materialism, redemption, responsibility, and the power each person has to make things better. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2a5a5916-00c4-4234-a85d-b4b0011fe13dWed, 26 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Seuss believed children could spot a sermon coming from a mile away. That's why the author behind How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and The Lorax worked so carefully to give his stories moral weight without...
Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, shares the story of how Theodor Geisel used two of his most famous characters to explore materialism, redemption, responsibility, and the power each person has to make things better. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/joe-dimaggio-ted-williams-and-baseball-s-unforgettable-summer-of-41--75473588
Yet even Williams' season was overshadowed by what Joe DiMaggio was doing in New York. For 56 straight games, the Yankees star refused to go hitless as radio stations interrupted their programming to tell Americans whether the streak was still alive. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will tells the story of DiMaggio, Williams, and an unforgettable baseball season played in the gathering shadow of America's entry into World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3226acd0-9468-478e-bc73-b4b0011f5508Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, the summer of 1941 belonged to two of baseball's greatest hitters. Ted Williams entered the final day of the season batting .39955. Rather than protect a mark that would have rounded to .400, he played both...
Yet even Williams' season was overshadowed by what Joe DiMaggio was doing in New York. For 56 straight games, the Yankees star refused to go hitless as radio stations interrupted their programming to tell Americans whether the streak was still alive. Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George Will tells the story of DiMaggio, Williams, and an unforgettable baseball season played in the gathering shadow of America's entry into World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/modeling-grace-how-faith-and-friendship-saved-christine-handy--75473566
The diagnosis was an aggressive form of breast cancer. Christine decided she wanted to give up, but her friends refused to let her. Christine herself shares how friendship and faith gave her a reason to keep fighting and ultimately transformed a life built around appearance into one devoted to serving others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>fa2700e8-6913-41e2-8e6c-b4b0011f54d2Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Christine Handy had spent most of her life in front of a camera. She began modeling at 11 and eventually landed campaigns with Pepsi, J.Crew, Petco, and Target. But as her career grew, Christine's sense of...
The diagnosis was an aggressive form of breast cancer. Christine decided she wanted to give up, but her friends refused to let her. Christine herself shares how friendship and faith gave her a reason to keep fighting and ultimately transformed a life built around appearance into one devoted to serving others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-visionary-who-designed-washington-d-c-and-was-fired-before-he-finished--75473593
Constituting America's award-winning student historian, Wyatt Hensley, shares the story of a designer with a vision too strong for his time, and how it still lives on in the streets of the capital. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>91a3e08c-7aec-45af-9efa-b4b0011f54d2Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, he helped fight for America’s freedom, then shaped the city that would represent it. Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed Washington, D.C. with intention: circles, lines, and avenues that all meant something. But...
Constituting America's award-winning student historian, Wyatt Hensley, shares the story of a designer with a vision too strong for his time, and how it still lives on in the streets of the capital. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/gung-ho-cheesy-smile-and-the-wonderful-origins-of-everyday-expressions-pt-8--75473575Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is full of these fascinating stories. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>013b64d1-297c-4368-9a42-b4b0011f549bTue, 25 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson returns with more from his guide to the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how phrases like "gung-ho" and "cheesy smile" came to be. His...Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is full of these fascinating stories. Be sure to check it out! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/why-steelers-founder-art-rooney-believed-you-should-never-miss-a-funeral--75473594
Rooney attended the funeral of a man he hardly knew because he believed showing respect in times of loss mattered more than anything else. O’Brien joins us to share how that simple act left a lasting impression on his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b1f0b1f9-5394-4bf1-92d7-b4b0011f5500Tue, 25 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Art Rooney, Sr., the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, believed that the measure of a man was often found in the quiet things he chose to do. Jim O'Brien, who came to see Rooney as the grandfather he...
Rooney attended the funeral of a man he hardly knew because he believed showing respect in times of loss mattered more than anything else. O’Brien joins us to share how that simple act left a lasting impression on his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-wild-story-of-andrew-jackson-s-inauguration-party--75473608
Then Jackson opened the White House to the people. The crowd poured inside, climbed onto furniture for a glimpse of the new president, broke china, spilled refreshments, and packed the rooms so tightly that Jackson's friends feared he might be crushed. Keith Hardison, former director of interpretation at Jackson's home, The Hermitage, shares the story of the rowdy inauguration that announced the arrival of the "People's President." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c1e0bf1a-4267-45f3-bd0c-b4ac00757a69Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Andrew Jackson arrived in Washington for his inauguration in 1829, thousands of Americans came with him. He was unlike the presidents who had come before, an orphan from the frontier who had risen from...
Then Jackson opened the White House to the people. The crowd poured inside, climbed onto furniture for a glimpse of the new president, broke china, spilled refreshments, and packed the rooms so tightly that Jackson's friends feared he might be crushed. Keith Hardison, former director of interpretation at Jackson's home, The Hermitage, shares the story of the rowdy inauguration that announced the arrival of the "People's President." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-veteran-a-widow-and-the-horses-that-helped-them-heal--75473591
Dawn found an unexpected refuge in wild mustangs. Caring for them quieted her mind and slowly helped her reclaim her life. Then she realized the horses might be able to help others, too. That's how William met Dawn and eventually a horse named Faith. Dawn and William share how horses helped them confront trauma, rediscover trust, and ultimately use their own pain to help save the lives of others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>875754dd-cb34-40cd-b534-b4ac00757a6aMon, 24 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Dawn Newland watched helplessly as her husband took his own life. Army veteran William Lambert came home from three deployments carrying the guilt of surviving when 15 men from his unit did not. Both were...
Dawn found an unexpected refuge in wild mustangs. Caring for them quieted her mind and slowly helped her reclaim her life. Then she realized the horses might be able to help others, too. That's how William met Dawn and eventually a horse named Faith. Dawn and William share how horses helped them confront trauma, rediscover trust, and ultimately use their own pain to help save the lives of others. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-50-000-bet-that-became-ruger-firearms--75473628
Ruger pressed ahead. He expanded into revolvers and rifles, took the company public, survived a costly attempt at building automobiles, and even weathered a controversy that angered some of his most loyal customers. Firearms historian Logan Metesh shares how a handful of men working out of a red barn built Sturm, Ruger & Company into one of America's major firearms manufacturers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>34660676-dc1b-42e0-a1e7-b4ac00757a67Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1949, Bill Ruger and Alexander Sturm started a firearms company with a $50,000 investment and a new .22-caliber pistol. Within months, orders were coming in faster than their small operation could fill them....
Ruger pressed ahead. He expanded into revolvers and rifles, took the company public, survived a costly attempt at building automobiles, and even weathered a controversy that angered some of his most loyal customers. Firearms historian Logan Metesh shares how a handful of men working out of a red barn built Sturm, Ruger & Company into one of America's major firearms manufacturers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-10-a-night-job-that-changed-my-life--75473571
Years later, the Lazy B closed its doors. But Quentin never forgot the place or the lessons he'd learned there. In 2017, he brought the business back to life. Quentin shares the story of how his first job became his own business and why he's working to preserve a piece of the American West for another generation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1ad36f2a-649c-4984-8c5a-b4ac00757a67Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Quentin Wedan was barely out of fifth grade when some friends told him about a summer job at the Lazy B Chuckwagon and Show in Estes Park, Colorado. The pay was $10 a night, the work was hard, and Quentin loved...
Years later, the Lazy B closed its doors. But Quentin never forgot the place or the lessons he'd learned there. In 2017, he brought the business back to life. Quentin shares the story of how his first job became his own business and why he's working to preserve a piece of the American West for another generation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Harlow Giles Unger, author of Dr. Benjamin Rush: The Founding Father Who Healed a Wounded Nation, shares the remarkable story of one of America's most accomplished and overlooked Founding Fathers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>544933eb-be2c-4ce6-9e4d-b4ac004559a8Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Benjamin Rush signed the Declaration of Independence, but politics was only one part of his extraordinary life. A physician by profession and reformer by temperament, Rush treated Philadelphia's poor when other...
Harlow Giles Unger, author of Dr. Benjamin Rush: The Founding Father Who Healed a Wounded Nation, shares the remarkable story of one of America's most accomplished and overlooked Founding Fathers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-winner-who-always-finished-last--75473633
After surgery, a year and a half of radiation and chemotherapy, and months of physical therapy, Sage returned to the track. Cancer had taken much of his strength, and the kid who once raced near the front now finished last. But Sage kept lacing up his shoes. His stepfather, Roger Wrench, shares the story of a young man who learned that winning isn't determined by a clock. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>04d7b429-fbf6-4415-af28-b4ac004559a7Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Sage Hellstern was the fastest runner on his middle school cross-country team. In his final meet that year, he finished 12th out of 169 runners, with everyone ahead of him a year older. Then doctors found a...
After surgery, a year and a half of radiation and chemotherapy, and months of physical therapy, Sage returned to the track. Cancer had taken much of his strength, and the kid who once raced near the front now finished last. But Sage kept lacing up his shoes. His stepfather, Roger Wrench, shares the story of a young man who learned that winning isn't determined by a clock. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-super-bowl-of-sitcoms-how-all-in-the-family-changed-television--75473642
Soon, Norman Lear's unlikely sitcom was watched by nearly one-third of the country. But beneath the shouting and dysfunction were characters audiences recognized and loved. Our own Greg Hengler shares how All in the Family went from a television gamble to the "Super Bowl of sitcoms." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ccc17a1c-e2a4-4186-95e3-b4ac004559a5Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when All in the Family premiered in 1971, even its stars didn't think it would last. The show was abrasive, political, and unlike nearly anything Americans had seen on television. CBS was so nervous about...
Soon, Norman Lear's unlikely sitcom was watched by nearly one-third of the country. But beneath the shouting and dysfunction were characters audiences recognized and loved. Our own Greg Hengler shares how All in the Family went from a television gamble to the "Super Bowl of sitcoms." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-survived-a-mass-shooting-then-came-the-hard-part--75473624
Spady escaped through a packed kitchen as bullets struck the walls around him, eventually finding refuge with strangers in a nearby neighborhood. But surviving was only the beginning. In the days and months that followed, he learned which friends had died and struggled to make sense of why he had lived. Tyler Spady joins us to share his story of faith and hope in the midst of unspeakable tragedy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4ebd9103-ddd0-4786-a676-b4ac004559a7Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, for five years, the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, had been one of Tyler Spady's favorite places to hang out. But on November 7, 2018, as he stood on the dance floor thinking life...
Spady escaped through a packed kitchen as bullets struck the walls around him, eventually finding refuge with strangers in a nearby neighborhood. But surviving was only the beginning. In the days and months that followed, he learned which friends had died and struggled to make sense of why he had lived. Tyler Spady joins us to share his story of faith and hope in the midst of unspeakable tragedy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What followed became the largest and most complex search-and-rescue operation of the Vietnam War. This is the extraordinary story of Bat 21 Bravo and the astonishing price Americans were willing to pay to leave no man behind. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b637e231-1fa3-4a39-bf21-b4ac004524b7Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, on Easter Sunday 1972, 53-year-old Air Force navigator Gene Hambleton was shot out of the sky over Vietnam. He landed wounded and alone in the middle of the North Vietnamese Army's massive Easter Offensive,...
What followed became the largest and most complex search-and-rescue operation of the Vietnam War. This is the extraordinary story of Bat 21 Bravo and the astonishing price Americans were willing to pay to leave no man behind. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-fatal-car-wreck-that-changed-a-deputy-forever--75473569
Then, two days after Christmas, Muniz was called to a horrific wreck outside Antonito, Colorado. A semi had crushed a car carrying four young people, and Muniz suddenly found himself covered in blood and desperately performing CPR on a dying man. The experience nearly convinced him to leave law enforcement for good. Then, weeks later, a young cheerleader walked up to him at a basketball game and said something he would never forget. Our regular contributor Richard Muniz shares the story of the night that changed the way he understood his badge forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1df42843-05c5-4824-b495-b4ac004524b4Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz never imagined himself as a cop. He had a degree in astrophysics and considered himself an intellectual, not the kind of guy who wrestled criminals or rushed toward danger. But when he needed a...
Then, two days after Christmas, Muniz was called to a horrific wreck outside Antonito, Colorado. A semi had crushed a car carrying four young people, and Muniz suddenly found himself covered in blood and desperately performing CPR on a dying man. The experience nearly convinced him to leave law enforcement for good. Then, weeks later, a young cheerleader walked up to him at a basketball game and said something he would never forget. Our regular contributor Richard Muniz shares the story of the night that changed the way he understood his badge forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-storm-that-swallowed-12-modern-ships--75473627
For days, hurricane-force winds, blinding snow, ice, and waves reaching 35 feet battered ships across the Great Lakes. Some captains made desperate runs for shore. Others disappeared without a trace. By the time the storm passed, 12 ships had gone down with all hands and more than 250 sailors were dead. Ric Mixter of Lake Fury shares the story of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>765fc2cd-df55-4a03-8143-b4ac004524b4Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in November 1913, Great Lakes captains were racing to make their final runs before winter shut down the shipping season. Coal, iron ore, and grain still had to move, and the promise of bonuses gave crews...
For days, hurricane-force winds, blinding snow, ice, and waves reaching 35 feet battered ships across the Great Lakes. Some captains made desperate runs for shore. Others disappeared without a trace. By the time the storm passed, 12 ships had gone down with all hands and more than 250 sailors were dead. Ric Mixter of Lake Fury shares the story of the Great Lakes Storm of 1913. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-story-of-black-sam-bellamy-the-richest-pirate-in-history--75473636
Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares the tale and the truth behind one of piracy’s most infamous names. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7d7f2717-9cfe-475c-9add-b4ac004524b6Thu, 20 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, few figures loomed larger on the seas than Black Sam Bellamy. He was young, charismatic, and ruthless enough to seize more ships and gold than nearly any pirate in history. His black flag struck fear into...
Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, shares the tale and the truth behind one of piracy’s most infamous names. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/inside-the-mind-of-a-brain-surgeon--75473582
He eventually became one of America's leading neurosurgeons, operating on thousands of brain tumors and making decisions where a fraction of an inch can separate a cure from catastrophe. Dr. Theodore Schwartz, author of Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, takes us inside the operating room to explain what it's really like to operate on the human brain. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>01c0b29a-c846-4aaf-bb60-b4a6017b1583Wed, 19 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager walking to school in Manhattan, Theodore Schwartz stopped to help a stranger whose car was trapped in the snow. The feeling he got from helping someone who could offer him nothing in return stayed...
He eventually became one of America's leading neurosurgeons, operating on thousands of brain tumors and making decisions where a fraction of an inch can separate a cure from catastrophe. Dr. Theodore Schwartz, author of Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery, takes us inside the operating room to explain what it's really like to operate on the human brain. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-100-women-turned-1-000-checks-into-a-worldwide-giving-movement--75473507
123 women took a chance on her idea. Their first grant helped rebuild a struggling dental clinic in one of Cincinnati's poorest neighborhoods, and the results went far beyond anything Steele expected. Soon, women across the country were calling to ask how they could do the same thing. Wendy Steele shares the story of how Impact100 grew from a spiral notebook into a worldwide movement that has given tens of millions of dollars back to local communities. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b5004438-861b-457f-b38e-b4a6017b157bWed, 19 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Wendy Steele kept meeting women who wanted to help their communities but believed they didn't have enough time, money, or experience to make a difference. Then the Cincinnati banker had an idea: What if 100...
123 women took a chance on her idea. Their first grant helped rebuild a struggling dental clinic in one of Cincinnati's poorest neighborhoods, and the results went far beyond anything Steele expected. Soon, women across the country were calling to ask how they could do the same thing. Wendy Steele shares the story of how Impact100 grew from a spiral notebook into a worldwide movement that has given tens of millions of dollars back to local communities. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/airplane-vs-airship-the-1926-race-to-the-north-pole--75473606
Who would win? Our regular contributor The History Guy shares the story of the dangerous 1926 race that tested two explorers, two technologies, and the future of flight. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>be49d4ab-99e8-4f01-bc02-b4a6017b1576Wed, 19 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, by 1926, explorers had spent decades risking their lives trying to conquer the world's most hostile places. Now, two of the greatest were racing toward the North Pole in radically different machines. American...
Who would win? Our regular contributor The History Guy shares the story of the dangerous 1926 race that tested two explorers, two technologies, and the future of flight. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/honor-and-loyalty-the-story-of-japanese-american-soldiers-in-wwii--75473601
Known as the Nisei, these second-generation Japanese Americans fought in Europe's bloodiest battles and helped redefine what it meant to be American. Major General James Mukoyama, the first Asian American to command a U.S. Army division, shares the story of these remarkable men in his memoir Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4bdb6a72-89f4-4706-890b-b4a6017b156dWed, 19 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, they were Americans by birth but treated as outsiders when the war began. After Pearl Harbor, many Japanese Americans were sent to camps under suspicion of aiding the enemy. Yet from those same camps came...
Known as the Nisei, these second-generation Japanese Americans fought in Europe's bloodiest battles and helped redefine what it meant to be American. Major General James Mukoyama, the first Asian American to command a U.S. Army division, shares the story of these remarkable men in his memoir Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-a-cemetery-taught-me-about-being-an-american--75473605
But their walks through the cemetery became about much more than remembering one man. From an 18-year-old Marine killed in Vietnam to Medal of Honor recipients, the Black sailors lost in the Port Chicago disaster, and Japanese Americans who fought for a country that had imprisoned their families, Bob found stories everywhere. Here's Bob himself to share a few of them. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7bf5c3b1-6213-4ec6-8dc2-b4a60175b748Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, as a boy, Bob McClellan walked through Golden Gate National Cemetery on his way into town. Years later, he returned as a father, bringing his own children to place flags beside the graves on Memorial Day and...
But their walks through the cemetery became about much more than remembering one man. From an 18-year-old Marine killed in Vietnam to Medal of Honor recipients, the Black sailors lost in the Port Chicago disaster, and Japanese Americans who fought for a country that had imprisoned their families, Bob found stories everywhere. Here's Bob himself to share a few of them. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/william-boeing-the-timber-millionaire-who-gave-america-wings--75473590
This is the story of the man who saw the future in the airplane and built his name into one of the giants of American aviation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ab57c882-b37d-4d51-9406-b4a60175b748Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1909, William Boeing watched an airplane fly for the first time and became fascinated by a machine many Americans still regarded as little more than an expensive toy. The wealthy timberman learned to fly,...
This is the story of the man who saw the future in the airplane and built his name into one of the giants of American aviation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-knights-of-the-golden-circle-america-s-would-be-slave-empire-builders--75473632
Mark Kawar, author of America but Bigger, and David C. Keehn, author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War, share the strange story of the organization that ultimately discovered that dreaming of an empire was much easier than building one. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ccc02388-f70a-490b-99a1-b4a60175b73fTue, 18 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before the Civil War, thousands of Southern men joined a secret society complete with castles, passwords, elaborate oaths, medieval costumes, and dreams of conquest. They called themselves the Knights of the...
Mark Kawar, author of America but Bigger, and David C. Keehn, author of Knights of the Golden Circle: Secret Empire, Southern Secession, Civil War, share the strange story of the organization that ultimately discovered that dreaming of an empire was much easier than building one. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-kenny-rogers-found-his-voice-at-40--75473572
By the time Rogers turned to country music, he was nearly 40 and had already bounced through jazz, folk, rock, and pop. Nashville told him he was too old, too pop, and looked all wrong for country. Rogers proved them wrong. With songs like “Lucille,” “Lady,” and “The Gambler,” he crossed musical boundaries and became one of the most recognizable entertainers in America. Our own Greg Hengler, along with the late Kenny Rogers himself, shares the life story of a man who bridged pop and country to create a sound all his own. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>469ab31d-aaf3-42fa-b704-b4a60175b740Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Kenny Rogers grew up poor in a Houston housing project, one of eight children in a family that had little money but plenty of music, faith, and humor. He wanted something more and relentlessly chased a career...
By the time Rogers turned to country music, he was nearly 40 and had already bounced through jazz, folk, rock, and pop. Nashville told him he was too old, too pop, and looked all wrong for country. Rogers proved them wrong. With songs like “Lucille,” “Lady,” and “The Gambler,” he crossed musical boundaries and became one of the most recognizable entertainers in America. Our own Greg Hengler, along with the late Kenny Rogers himself, shares the life story of a man who bridged pop and country to create a sound all his own. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-mit-basketball-shaped-bill-koch-s-view-of-leadership--75473625
Koch shares how a coach, one play, and a group of “nerds” taught him that winning comes when everyone knows their role and works together. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>0cc0d1ed-4c46-45ca-b479-b4a60175b740Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before he was a billionaire businessman and America’s Cup champion, Bill Koch was a student-athlete at MIT learning lessons that would shape his leadership. Told he wasn’t smart or skilled enough, he worked...
Koch shares how a coach, one play, and a group of “nerds” taught him that winning comes when everyone knows their role and works together. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/1941-the-year-america-entered-world-war-ii--75473577
The late historian Stephen Ambrose shares the story of a fateful year and America’s precarious diplomatic balancing act as war raged around the globe. It all came to an end with Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, which suddenly united a divided nation and brought the United States into World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>11fa3c47-3d50-4d67-85b7-b4a6017389acMon, 17 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, at the beginning of 1941, Britain stood virtually alone against Hitler while the United States remained bitterly divided over whether to enter the war. But across the Atlantic and Pacific, events were rapidly...
The late historian Stephen Ambrose shares the story of a fateful year and America’s precarious diplomatic balancing act as war raged around the globe. It all came to an end with Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, which suddenly united a divided nation and brought the United States into World War II. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/william-walker-the-american-adventurer-who-conquered-nicaragua--75473586
Mark Kawar, author of America, but Bigger, shares the remarkable story of an American filibuster who dreamed of an empire stretching across Central America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ef3db6a5-5c75-4df9-91ff-b4a6017389aaMon, 17 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1850s, William Walker had an extraordinary idea: Why not conquer a country of his own? The Tennessee-born doctor, lawyer, and journalist gathered a small army of Americans, invaded Mexico, and declared...
Mark Kawar, author of America, but Bigger, shares the remarkable story of an American filibuster who dreamed of an empire stretching across Central America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-german-immigrant-who-built-coors-brewing--75473630
His great-grandson Pete Coors shares how Adolph survived fierce competition and a devastating flood to build a family business that would eventually give America Coors Banquet. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1c9c2a98-2e27-46ad-82b2-b4a6017389abMon, 17 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before Colorado was even a state, a young German immigrant named Adolph Coors arrived in Golden with years of hard-earned experience and a dream of building his own brewery. He had come to America with no money...
His great-grandson Pete Coors shares how Adolph survived fierce competition and a devastating flood to build a family business that would eventually give America Coors Banquet. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Michael Goergen, CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation, shares the story of how America lost one of its most important trees and how his group is working to bring it back. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>aef9a9fe-01ad-45a0-9874-b4a6017389b7Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, there was a time when billions of American chestnut trees stretched across the eastern United States. In Appalachia, their nuts fed families and wildlife, their harvests provided income, and their rot-resistant...
Michael Goergen, CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation, shares the story of how America lost one of its most important trees and how his group is working to bring it back. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The passage read that morning landed with surprising force and settled the room in a way no debate could have. Here to tell the story is Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>09cec814-d894-4eea-9a10-b4a6017389abMon, 17 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when the First Continental Congress gathered in Philadelphia, the delegates arrived anxious about what Britain might do next and unsure of what they themselves should do. Before they argued or planned, they...
The passage read that morning landed with surprising force and settled the room in a way no debate could have. Here to tell the story is Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America: Defining Moments That Shaped Our Enduring Foundation of Faith. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/john-cazale-the-greatest-actor-you-don-t-know--75473612
Jonjo Powers, author of A Small Perfection: John Cazale and the Art of Acting, shares the remarkable story of the man who brought Fredo Corleone to life, made some of Hollywood's greatest actors better, and died at just 42 years old with a nearly perfect body of work behind him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>60076e13-8518-4195-8c97-b4a30156eff3Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, John Cazale never became a movie star. He never received an Academy Award nomination, and his film career lasted only six years. Yet Al Pacino considered him an acting idol, Meryl Streep fell in love with him,...
Jonjo Powers, author of A Small Perfection: John Cazale and the Art of Acting, shares the remarkable story of the man who brought Fredo Corleone to life, made some of Hollywood's greatest actors better, and died at just 42 years old with a nearly perfect body of work behind him. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1818falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-carole-king-and-gerry-goffin-wrote-a-natural-woman-for-aretha-franklin--75473574
After putting their children to bed, King and Goffin went to work. By the next day, they had written a song specifically for a singer they had never met. Lee Habeeb shares the story of the unlikely collaboration that gave Aretha Franklin one of the defining songs of her career. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>44414ad7-6608-4c17-bed0-b4a30156efd6Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1967, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler approached the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin with an idea. He needed a hit for Aretha Franklin and even had a title in mind: "A Natural Woman."...
After putting their children to bed, King and Goffin went to work. By the next day, they had written a song specifically for a singer they had never met. Lee Habeeb shares the story of the unlikely collaboration that gave Aretha Franklin one of the defining songs of her career. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-six-percent-the-woman-who-worked-with-the-enemy-to-save-lives--75473613
For our ongoing The Six Percent series, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the remarkable story of how Margolis worked with the Japanese and rebuilt Shanghai’s relief operation, helping thousands of Jewish refugees survive. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>20c47a53-7937-44be-b5c2-b4a30156efd3Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Laura Margolis arrived in Shanghai to help Jewish refugees who had fled persecution in Europe. Then Pearl Harbor changed everything. With the city under Japanese occupation and some 20,000 Jewish refugees now...
For our ongoing The Six Percent series, Deborah Dwork, author of Saints and Liars, shares the remarkable story of how Margolis worked with the Japanese and rebuilt Shanghai’s relief operation, helping thousands of Jewish refugees survive. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/clarence-birdseye-the-arctic-adventurer-who-invented-frozen-food--75473637
There, Birdseye noticed how Inuit people could freeze freshly caught fish almost instantly in the bitter cold. Years later, that memory gave him an idea that would change the way Americans eat. Mark Kurlansky, author of Birdseye, shares the remarkable story of the adventurer who turned quick-freezing into an industry. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>62c3859a-712e-4caa-8164-b4a30156efceFri, 14 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Clarence Birdseye was always looking for his next adventure. He hunted coyotes in the American West, collected dangerous ticks in the Rocky Mountains, and eventually took his young family into the frozen...
There, Birdseye noticed how Inuit people could freeze freshly caught fish almost instantly in the bitter cold. Years later, that memory gave him an idea that would change the way Americans eat. Mark Kurlansky, author of Birdseye, shares the remarkable story of the adventurer who turned quick-freezing into an industry. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ralph-cox-the-last-man-cut-from-the-miracle-on-ice-team--75473638
Weeks later, his former teammates pulled off the “Miracle on Ice.” Our own Greg Hengler and Ralph Cox himself share the story of what it was like to watch from the outside and how losing the dream he had built his life around ultimately changed him for the better. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>051ba320-04a2-42b2-9a1b-b4a30156eff8Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Cox had spent years dreaming of representing the United States at the Olympics. In 1980, he came within days of doing it. Then coach Herb Brooks called him into a room and delivered the news: Cox would be...
Weeks later, his former teammates pulled off the “Miracle on Ice.” Our own Greg Hengler and Ralph Cox himself share the story of what it was like to watch from the outside and how losing the dream he had built his life around ultimately changed him for the better. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/america-s-first-animal-celebrities-railroad-dogs--75473618
Paul Koudounaris, author of Go West, Young Dog, shares the story of America's railroad dogs and the legendary Railroad Jack. To a generation of Americans who dreamed of escaping the grind of industrial life, these wandering dogs came to represent something bigger: the freedom to just climb aboard and go. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2791a9e5-3558-41be-89b8-b4a3014c04f5Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in the late 1800s, stray dogs began hopping aboard America's trains and riding wherever the rails took them. Their adventures soon made the newspapers, and some became celebrities known across the country....
Paul Koudounaris, author of Go West, Young Dog, shares the story of America's railroad dogs and the legendary Railroad Jack. To a generation of Americans who dreamed of escaping the grind of industrial life, these wandering dogs came to represent something bigger: the freedom to just climb aboard and go. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-a-farm-boy-invented-television--75473597
The History Guy and Evan Schwartz, author of The Last Lone Inventor, share the remarkable story of Farnsworth and the many other inventors who helped turn television from a dream into a technology that fundamentally transformed American life. Evan's audio originally appeared in the Naked Science video The Invention That Changed The World. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>178ea36c-0114-48ac-90d7-b4a3014c04ecThu, 13 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, as a teenager growing up on a farm in rural Idaho, Philo Farnsworth had an idea that seemed almost impossible: transmit moving pictures through the air. Before long, he had built the first fully electronic...
The History Guy and Evan Schwartz, author of The Last Lone Inventor, share the remarkable story of Farnsworth and the many other inventors who helped turn television from a dream into a technology that fundamentally transformed American life. Evan's audio originally appeared in the Naked Science video The Invention That Changed The World. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-native-american-chief-who-stood-with-george-washington--75473639
Craig Du Mez, president of the Grateful Nation Project, shares the remarkable story of Daniel and his son Abraham Nimham, who fought from Saratoga to New York City before making their final stand against an overwhelming British force at the Battle of Kingsbridge in 1778. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>df157f55-d8cc-4989-b5d4-b4a3014c04e6Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, more than 13,000 Native Americans took part in the Revolutionary War, most fighting alongside the British. Daniel Nimham chose a different path. The last sachem of the Wappinger people of New York's Hudson...
Craig Du Mez, president of the Grateful Nation Project, shares the remarkable story of Daniel and his son Abraham Nimham, who fought from Saratoga to New York City before making their final stand against an overwhelming British force at the Battle of Kingsbridge in 1778. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/are-pro-wrestlers-really-athletes--75473598
Sportswriter Riley Evans of Grandstand Central shares the real story and physical cost of professional wrestling. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>065d0e5e-85dd-4368-a2cd-b4a3014c04e0Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, from the days of Hulk Hogan to modern WWE, wrestlers travel constantly, train relentlessly, and perform feats that demand strength, timing, and endurance. The spectacle may be designed for drama, but the toll...
Sportswriter Riley Evans of Grandstand Central shares the real story and physical cost of professional wrestling. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-america-s-first-female-detective-saved-abraham-lincoln--75473640
Daniel Stashower, author of The Hour of Peril, shares the remarkable story of the Baltimore Plot and Kate Warne, a pioneering detective who posed as Lincoln’s sister and helped smuggle the future president through the city under cover of night. We’d like to thank the Library of Congress for making this audio available to the public. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>ec4e0176-b5d7-4042-9a5d-b4a3014c04e7Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in February 1861, Abraham Lincoln was making a 13-day journey from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C., when warnings emerged of a plot to assassinate the president-elect as he passed through Baltimore,...
Daniel Stashower, author of The Hour of Peril, shares the remarkable story of the Baltimore Plot and Kate Warne, a pioneering detective who posed as Lincoln’s sister and helped smuggle the future president through the city under cover of night. We’d like to thank the Library of Congress for making this audio available to the public. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1648falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/john-brown-the-radical-abolitionist-who-launched-a-holy-war-against-slavery--75473643
David S. Reynolds, author of John Brown, Abolitionist, shares the story of how a deeply religious boy from Connecticut became one of the most feared and controversial men in America. Brown’s crusade against slavery would take him west to the blood-soaked plains of Kansas and eventually to Harpers Ferry, Virginia, where he hoped to ignite a rebellion that would free the enslaved. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b65058a5-1af0-41ea-b161-b4a1002d5edfWed, 12 Aug 2026 07:04:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, to Southerners, John Brown was a dangerous villain. To many Northerners, he was a fanatic. But Brown believed he was an instrument of God, called to wage war against the evil of slavery. David S. Reynolds,...
David S. Reynolds, author of John Brown, Abolitionist, shares the story of how a deeply religious boy from Connecticut became one of the most feared and controversial men in America. Brown’s crusade against slavery would take him west to the blood-soaked plains of Kansas and eventually to Harpers Ferry, Virginia, where he hoped to ignite a rebellion that would free the enslaved. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/james-madison-the-lawgiver-who-gave-us-the-constitution--75473631
Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry P. Arnn shares the story of Madison, the "lawgiver." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>8f1e203d-2dd5-4184-bc88-b4a1002d5ee1Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, James Madison may not have been America's greatest president, but his understanding of the Constitution helped shape the nation long before he entered the White House. A Virginia legislator, author of the...
Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry P. Arnn shares the story of Madison, the "lawgiver." Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-catholics-gave-us-the-mcdonald-s-filet-o-fish--75473621
Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out and the Brain Food Show shares how Groen's creation helped turn a struggling Ohio franchisee into the owner of 43 McDonald's restaurants. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>19535092-5f5d-461d-9686-b4a1002d5ee0Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1960, McDonald's franchise owner Lou Groen had a problem. His Cincinnati, Ohio, restaurant sat in a neighborhood that was 87 percent Catholic, and on Fridays, when many Catholics abstained from eating meat,...
Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out and the Brain Food Show shares how Groen's creation helped turn a struggling Ohio franchisee into the owner of 43 McDonald's restaurants. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>570falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/elijah-and-the-jewish-roots-of-american-liberty--75473580
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, co-author of The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares how Elijah’s rebuke of the tyrannical King Ahab inspired Americans during the Revolution. His “still small voice” would later echo in the words of Frederick Douglass, while the story of his ascent to heaven found new life in the spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>db3825e9-ccce-43d4-943f-b4a1002d5edfWed, 12 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, from the American Revolution to the Civil War, the biblical prophet Elijah has played an important role in the American story, inspiring generations in their fights for liberty and justice. Rabbi Dr. Stuart...
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern, co-author of The Jewish Roots of American Liberty, shares how Elijah’s rebuke of the tyrannical King Ahab inspired Americans during the Revolution. His “still small voice” would later echo in the words of Frederick Douglass, while the story of his ascent to heaven found new life in the spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>600falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-one-man-made-a-million-dollars-selling-pet-rocks--75473641
Our frequent contributor Jesse Edwards shares the tale of the Pet Rock and how clever packaging and a 32-page instruction manual turned an ordinary stone into a cultural phenomenon in 1970s America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3a753f74-15d3-46ee-be76-b4a1002d5edeWed, 12 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, in 1975, advertising copywriter Gary Dahl was sitting in a California bar listening to friends complain about the hassle of caring for their pets when he joked that a rock would make the perfect companion. It...
Our frequent contributor Jesse Edwards shares the tale of the Pet Rock and how clever packaging and a 32-page instruction manual turned an ordinary stone into a cultural phenomenon in 1970s America. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/how-a-recovering-addict-created-the-world-s-hottest-pepper--75473614
Ed Currie, founder of South Carolina's PuckerButt Pepper Company, shares the remarkable story of how a recovering addict turned his fascination with capsaicin into a business that continues to spice up our lives today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4b6fa0f6-c5c8-4676-8b35-b4a100279f2aTue, 11 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, before "Smokin' Ed" Currie created the Carolina Reaper and Pepper X, two of the hottest peppers the world has ever known, his life was being consumed by drugs and alcohol. After hitting rock bottom, an...
Ed Currie, founder of South Carolina's PuckerButt Pepper Company, shares the remarkable story of how a recovering addict turned his fascination with capsaicin into a business that continues to spice up our lives today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2297falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/america-s-150-year-quest-to-get-greenland--75473623
Mark Kawar, author of America, but Bigger: Near-Annexations from Greenland to the Galápagos, shares the remarkable history of America's long fascination with Greenland and why its location, resources, and strategic importance have repeatedly drawn the attention of American leaders...and changed world history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>7849b72f-88f3-4c1d-ac88-b4a100279f27Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when President Donald Trump floated the idea of buying Greenland in 2019, many Americans thought the proposal came out of nowhere. In reality, the United States had been eyeing the Arctic island for more than...
Mark Kawar, author of America, but Bigger: Near-Annexations from Greenland to the Galápagos, shares the remarkable history of America's long fascination with Greenland and why its location, resources, and strategic importance have repeatedly drawn the attention of American leaders...and changed world history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-criticized-her-local-government-then-they-came-after-her-farm--75473616
For our Rule of Law series, Erica and Institute for Justice attorney Kirby West share the story of her fight against the Town of Eagle, and the First Amendment battle over whether local government can punish a citizen for speaking out. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f168f565-7072-4759-a4b6-b4a100279f28Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:01:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Erica Brewer of Eagle, Wisconsin, spoke out in defense of a neighbor she believed was being treated unfairly by local officials, she never expected the town's attention to turn toward her own family. Soon,...
For our Rule of Law series, Erica and Institute for Justice attorney Kirby West share the story of her fight against the Town of Eagle, and the First Amendment battle over whether local government can punish a citizen for speaking out. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-incredible-story-of-harvey-wallbanger-the-racing-buffalo--75473620
Francie M. Berg of Buffalo Grande shares the unlikely but true story of how one buffalo captured America's attention and proved just how wild the frontier spirit could still be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4f2b9647-b974-4248-b5f1-b4a100279f2bTue, 11 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever imagined a buffalo running on a racetrack against thoroughbred horses? In the 1960s, Harvey Wallbanger did exactly that. This larger-than-life buffalo stunned crowds as he thundered past...
Francie M. Berg of Buffalo Grande shares the unlikely but true story of how one buffalo captured America's attention and proved just how wild the frontier spirit could still be. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>480falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/texas-wanted-him-to-spend-750-hours-learning-the-wrong-job--75473595
For our Rule of Law series, Institute for Justice attorney Wesley Hottot tells the remarkable story behind Patel v. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the six-year legal battle that reached the Texas Supreme Court and became a landmark victory for economic liberty and the constitutional right to earn a living. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c85bfa3e-5d5c-410e-a442-b49e009444f0Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:03:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, when Ash Patel opened his eyebrow threading business in Texas, he followed the law as it existed. Then state regulators decided eyebrow threading counted as cosmetology and demanded that his experienced...
For our Rule of Law series, Institute for Justice attorney Wesley Hottot tells the remarkable story behind Patel v. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the six-year legal battle that reached the Texas Supreme Court and became a landmark victory for economic liberty and the constitutional right to earn a living. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/my-dad-died-saving-a-stranger-but-he-never-stopped-saving-lives--75473622
Instead, it became the beginning of an extraordinary story of redemption. Caleb shares how his father's sacrifice transformed his uncle's life, how another firefighter stepped in to become the father he never had, and why, more than two decades later, his family remembers that tragedy not for what was lost, but for everything God built from it Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>505a05ba-b08a-46bf-8e35-b49e009444eeMon, 10 Aug 2026 07:02:00 +0000GIJoeOn this episode of Our American Stories, ten days after Caleb Bailey was born, his father, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Joseph Dupee, was killed in the line of duty while trying to rescue one of his own firefighters during a warehouse fire in...
Instead, it became the beginning of an extraordinary story of redemption. Caleb shares how his father's sacrifice transformed his uncle's life, how another firefighter stepped in to become the father he never had, and why, more than two decades later, his family remembers that tragedy not for what was lost, but for everything God built from it Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1079falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/snail-mail-week-1--75474315
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/291/archives/audio/248/content.mp3Sun, 24 May 2026 14:32:00 +0000GIJoeThe days of receiving a hand-written letter in the mail are almost gone forever. It seems like a lost art form. If someone were to take the time to hand write a letter, it must be something special and important. This week, we'll start looking at...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4203falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/strong-church-secret-sauce--75474313
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/290/archives/audio/247/content.mp3Sun, 17 May 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe have been on quite a journey learning about how to build a #strongCHURCH. We shouldn't neglect any of what we've already discussed. But the truth is, there's one thing - a secret sauce - that ties it all together, and is the whole reason we can...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>4470falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/rolling-stones-easter-sunday--75474335
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/279/archives/audio/241/content.mp3Sun, 05 Apr 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeThe most pivotal moment in all of history is the moment when the stone at Jesus' tomb was rolled away - not by men, but by God himself - prpoving that Jesus was who He said He was. We all carry stones that are too big for us to handle. But that...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2207falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-my-strength--75474323
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/278/archives/audio/240/content.mp3Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeThis week, the mood of Psalm 23 takes a turn in a different direction. It can seem bad at first, but if we allow its message to penetrate our hearts, it actually can bring us great comfort. But there's something we tend to miss that ties it all...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2829falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-my-guide--75474339
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/277/archives/audio/239/content.mp3Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeWould it surprise you to know that NOTHING in this life is really about us? We love the recognition, the glory, and the 15 minutes of fame, but it's really not supposed to be that way. We were designed for something greater than patting ourselves...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2926falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-my-rest--75474343https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/276/archives/audio/238/content.mp3Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoe2771falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-my-shepherd--75474319
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/275/archives/audio/237/content.mp3Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe're all pretty familiar with the 23rd Psalm. Even if you've never read the Bible, you've heard it quoted more times than you can imagine. But do you LIVE there? This week, we'll kick off a new series that walks us through Psalm 23 in a way that...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2869falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/secure-enough-to-surrender--75474333
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/274/archives/audio/236/content.mp3Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeMost of our trust issues with God aren't about His character, they're about our identity! When our identity is secure, trust becomes possible no matter your circumstance.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2526falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/beyond-the-song-worship-in-action--75474321
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/272/archives/audio/235/content.mp3Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeNow that we've learned the heart, posture, and object of worship, it's time to put it all into action. How do we get ourselves out of the "occasional worship" mindset and into a LIFE of worship. This week, we'll close out with a special guest, and...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2979falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/beyond-the-song-the-object-of-worship--75474325
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/271/archives/audio/234/content.mp3Sun, 15 Feb 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe all worship something. Sometimes, it's by choice. But sometimes, it's because we haven't really set our hearts on the things that are truly worthy of our worship. If we aren't intentional about the object of our worship, we're prone to worship...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1919falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/beyond-the-song-the-posture-of-worship--75474345
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/270/archives/audio/233/content.mp3Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeGame time. Beach trip. Date night. Disney! If you're like most, when you read those words your mind immediately went to a partiular "state of mind." It's natural - we like to prepare ourselves for the good things in our lives. But how do we prepare...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2289falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/beyond-the-song-the-heart-of-worship--75474331
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/269/archives/audio/232/content.mp3Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeSometimes we become so familiar with a word or a concept that it's true meaning gets lost. When we go to church, we always talk about "Worship". We treat it likes it's a thing we can carry around in our pocket and use when we need it. But the true...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2368falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chasing-joy-part-4--75474312
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/267/archives/audio/231/content.mp3Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe've all heard it, "Practice makes perfect." It's one of those great ways to motivate our kids (and maybe ourselves) to do something we don't like to do. One thing's for sure, practice can be beneficial whether we like it or not. In fact, it's one...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chasing-joy-part-3--75474329
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/266/archives/audio/230/content.mp3Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe're so used to living life based on the "merit system" that it really doesn't even affect us anymore. The strong survive. To the victor go the spoils. We get what we deserver in this life. While those things might be true, they don't offer much...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2671falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chasing-joy-part-2--75474332
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/265/archives/audio/229/content.mp3Sun, 11 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeIf we made a list of things that can steal or kill our joy, it would probably be pretty long. In fact, it might even be hard to list EVERYTHING that can kill our joy. It's a safe bet that any list we made would be missing one very important (and...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2507falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/chasing-joy-part-1--75474338
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>https://storage.churchcasting.io/companies/1/brands/1/tenants/NipuyfHe0UkFLmYfP9va3As2WD6uXUDU/channels/1/events/264/archives/audio/228/content.mp3Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:30:00 +0000GIJoeWe hope you've had a Wonderful Holiday season filled with all the Joy we hope for this time of year. But chances are, that Joy has already begun to fade. It's natural. We pursue joy in the hopes that it will last, but it always ends up fading and...
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2560falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-8-harold-arlen--75473368https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/R_OqT9k87EUuLn2xcvBJVYBAvrKgE48QyOaX0iAb3LcTue, 13 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000GIJoe“Over the Rainbow”, “Get Happy”, “Come Rain or Come Shine”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, travel somewhere over the rainbow into the singular...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2621adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse8fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-7-george-ira-gershwin--75473380https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/WeegreGXOb-uLLO1umL8LSt1ykgl5zkv_ON5a8NXWQgTue, 06 Dec 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“I Got Rhythm”, “Summertime”, “The Man I Love”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, the men you love are at the forefront: George and Ira Gershwin,...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>3441adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse7fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-6-cole-porter--75473371https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/i8ln4LF5bMoqiWYaFSouxMHtH1M5eKt4dcXFlWRX594Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“You’re the Top”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”, “Love for Sale”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, you’ll fall freely in love with Cole Porter, the...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2271adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse6fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-5-lerner-loewe--75473376https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/_YYbJZk_sU_ZsfYfTDTbvk0E2GK6KZE3wnKaXkyJVLITue, 22 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly”, “Get Me to the Church on Time”, “If Ever I Would Leave You”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! This week’s episode is guaranteed to be “loverly”,...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2147adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse5fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-4-yip-harburg--75473369https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/WmTxrAWgXlai5p7SxDYPdfI7ZQQnDz_saXoGrDZEFHcTue, 15 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“Paper Moon”, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”, “Over the Rainbow”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, feast your ears on a wealth of knowledge as we...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2911adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse4fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-3-johnny-mercer--75473373https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/2C2zDtpm-yEtbXKoET16o1NDO5v2I_C3kK4CEris7DATue, 08 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000GIJoe“Moon River”, “Days of Wine and Roses”, “Hooray for Hollywood”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, we say hooray and honor of the life of Johnny...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2962adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse3fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-2-jule-styne--75473381https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/1z9UdRsOXzgjEGcnPrMe8kZ8jo_JPTACYsK__GzTHlkTue, 01 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“People”, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, everything’s coming up Jule Styne,...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2739adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,funny girl,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,lounge,lyrics,musical theater,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-1-harry-warren--75473377https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/PV--VRSukIsAhzPV4cplsSXTdhHo_szvahlRKghROhwTue, 25 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0000GIJoe“At Last”, “Lullaby of Broadway”, “That’s Amore”. These are the songs you have been singing your whole life, and now is your chance to learn about who wrote them! In this week’s episode, come along and listen as we take a deep dive into the life and...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2945adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalse1fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/trailer-introducing-setting-the-standard-stories-from-the-great-american-songbook--75473379https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/4UgQdRpgNEMX0-5tE-sy2qKILRjzu2xX5zdN85JBBhUThu, 13 Oct 2022 12:59:01 +0000GIJoeA new podcast from Warner Chappell Music, BANG and Audiation, Setting the Standard: Stories from the Great American Songbook, cordially invites you to listen along as we answer the question: “Who wrote these classic songs”? From Johnny Mercer to Cole...https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>153adult standards,american,american culture,big band,easy listening,great american songbook,jazz,jazz blues,jule styne,justin tranter,lounge,lyrics,music industry,rufus wainwright,songs,soul,stride,swing,torch song,vocal jazzfalsetrailerhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-embargo-act-of-1807--75473390
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a9d1594a-6298-4e3e-b457-9bfe998ce48bTue, 17 Dec 2019 19:11:39 +0000GIJoeIn the midst of trade and international issues with Great Britain and France, the United States tries to assert economic power and leverage through the use of the Embargo Act..so what happens?
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b78f10b4-76f2-441c-827b-3bce363f0698Tue, 17 Dec 2019 18:45:18 +0000GIJoeToday we explore the Judiciary Act and its impact on the United States Judicial System. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>245false120fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-treaty-of-ghent--75473391
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>225b9338-f7c7-4c84-b47f-10cd538da529Tue, 17 Dec 2019 17:46:11 +0000GIJoeThe Treaty Of Ghent brings an informal end to the War of 1812, today in our Great Stories of History Podcast we look at the circumstances of this treaty. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>211false120fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-federalist-papers--75473393
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>a3023723-ee8c-4536-abde-29d12e8e3835Tue, 17 Dec 2019 17:31:06 +0000GIJoeOne of the most well-known pieces of writing, the Federalist Papers.  Today we explore why Hamilton pushed to have these written and the process by which the men that penned them chose to approach.  
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b39a5787-ee26-4697-8d3a-b4d36009db9aTue, 17 Dec 2019 17:19:35 +0000GIJoeIn today's episode, we look at the French Revolution and what leads to this major event.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>505false118fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/james-monroe-the-minister-of-france--75473412
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>bc87c327-5133-460b-8df6-35db7f5ec136Tue, 17 Dec 2019 17:02:05 +0000GIJoeIn this episode, we explore the role of James Monroe as the minister of France for the United States. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>348false117fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/james-madison-the-war-of-1812--75473399
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>caa3b3f7-65c0-4f11-bb4e-7d03615bfe9aTue, 17 Dec 2019 16:43:05 +0000GIJoeToday we will explore events that center around President Madison's role in the War of 1812.
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>c7244a22-d79e-44bf-b0db-3d07217e30c2Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:25:15 +0000GIJoeIn 1805 the United States Marines attacked Derna as part of the nation's attempt to take back control of access to the Mediterranean from the Barbary Pirates.  Let's check it out!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>238false115fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-battle-of-fallen-timbers--75473416
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>94b9f47d-e2d3-4f80-920b-17fa438e3c90Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:10:23 +0000GIJoeToday we explore a controversial battle in the expanding of the west...the Battle of Fallen Timbers. 
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>747d71de-2663-4524-ac8e-9565307f560fTue, 17 Dec 2019 15:54:17 +0000GIJoeToday we are going to explore the home of George Washington...Mount Vernon.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>254false114fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/president-monroe-the-native-americans--75473420
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>968d7da1-a7a9-f26a-cd53-5e279b33ce48Tue, 17 Dec 2019 14:28:57 +0000GIJoeOne of the many challenges that the presidents of the nation-building period faced was dealing with relations with the Native Americans.  Let's explore how President Monroe handled this complex situation. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>283false113fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/rattling-case-of-marbury-v-madison--75473421
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5da0fd3d-d031-ead4-53e5-07ab2dc6f527Fri, 13 Dec 2019 21:29:10 +0000GIJoeThe story of Marbury v Madison and how it impacts the Supreme Court. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>296falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/monroe-doctrine--75473395
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>124f0c23-2878-2b2e-7384-67deac466b54Fri, 13 Dec 2019 19:18:19 +0000GIJoeLet's explore how the United States enters the world diplomacy stage, the Monroe Doctrine.
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b892032c-f182-451d-fba5-e576c747f18bFri, 13 Dec 2019 18:08:53 +0000GIJoeIn the midst of the early nation-building period, we see the economy take a dramatic hit as cotton prices plummeted and the nation faces the challenge of trying to avoid a major economic disaster. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>203falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-enabling-act-and-the-story-of-ohio-in-1802--75473422
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>0dcd661f-522b-20b9-673e-6cbf1ec188e3Fri, 13 Dec 2019 18:00:07 +0000GIJoeIn 1802 Thomas Jefferson worked to expand in the western territories.  One key moment is the Enabling Act and its impact on the settling of Ohio.  
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>08335cb3-6c40-a947-f521-9884285c6518Fri, 13 Dec 2019 17:09:44 +0000GIJoeWe will explore what everything centered around the story that is the Missouri Compromise. 
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>1877ef53-ce30-c884-c110-948a5e3c15b1Fri, 13 Dec 2019 16:45:41 +0000GIJoeLet's explore more about one of the most famous land acquisitions in American history...the Louisiana Purchase. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>303falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/what-the-heck-history-louisiana-purchase--75473413
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>b9f18764-5181-8330-3063-48213c00ef4aFri, 13 Dec 2019 16:22:34 +0000GIJoeI'm talking about the Louisiana purchase and enjoying me
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>5c999168-b331-7db3-92c9-6d05db7ca32dWed, 11 Dec 2019 19:18:36 +0000GIJoeAs America continues to attempt to expand and add new territories to the nation we see the power of two key political figures in the acquisition of the territory of Florida.  James Monroe and John Qunicy Adams successful negotiate the Key Adams-Onis...
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>f68db01f-0eb7-8d2b-5ff1-787237f9f567Wed, 11 Dec 2019 18:49:30 +0000GIJoeWe will be exploring the origins of the Volunteer State and how it became part of the United States. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>221false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/thomas-jefferson-whiskey--75473408
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>933169c3-f77e-1220-e58d-cd859149ba91Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:18:17 +0000GIJoeThomas Jefferson was a man of many talents, but one that many people may not know about his is artistry in making whiskey.  Let's explore the story behind Jefferson and his whiskey. 
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>322false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cumberland-road-bill-paving-a-way-to-the-west--75473424
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>e828e12c-4beb-fb9a-54cd-1b27da5923a2Wed, 11 Dec 2019 16:57:15 +0000GIJoeAs the young nation begins to expand west we see the need for adequate transportation routes.  The Cumberland Road became one of the first attempts to create infrastructure to allow easier access to the west.  Let's explore the story that is the...
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Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unscripted-america--7423192/support.]]>2cabff32-7885-20fa-911a-cb387e322362Wed, 11 Dec 2019 16:21:44 +0000GIJoePriscillia, an enslaved person of Mount Vernon, has a unique and interesting story to tell us.  Today we will explore the life of Priscilla and the tragic conclusion that separates her family. 
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