Covering every hamlet and precinct in America, big and small, the stories span arts and sports, business and history, innovation and adventure, generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love, past and present. In short, Our American Stories tells the story of America to Americans.
About Lee Habeeb
Lee Habeeb co-founded Laura Ingraham’s national radio show in 2001, moved to Salem Media Group in 2008 as Vice President of Content overseeing their nationally syndicated lineup, and launched Our American Stories in 2016. He is a University of Virginia School of Law graduate, and writes a weekly column for Newsweek.
For more information, please visit ouramericanstories.com.
What One Young Woman Learned From Growing Up With Clubfoot
The Story of America: How the Bill of Rights Was Added to the U.S. Constitution [Ep. 13]
On this episode of Our American Stories, when the U.S. Constitution was drafted, it created a new national government but left many Americans uneasy. There was no clear statement of individual rights, and critics feared that without one, the federal government could overstep its authority. These debates shaped what are now our first ten amendments, also known as the Bill of Rights.
As part of our ongoing The Story of Us—The Story of America series, Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, explains how the Founding Fathers created one of the most influential documents protecting hard-won American freedoms.
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Cecil Wax and the Night He Faced Death in the Battle of the Bulge
On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, Allied forces fought through one of the most dangerous stretches of World War II in Europe. Cecil Wax, a young American soldier, was ordered to drive a supply truck loaded with fuel and ammunition down a frozen mountain road in the dark. But when the truck began to slide toward disaster, Cecil turned to prayer. What followed became the defining moment of his life.
Marilyn Jensen shares the story of that night, when her father believed God intervened and guided him to safety.
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The CEO Who Stripped His Jet to Say He Was Sorry
On this episode of Our American Stories, when a major deal with Mercedes-Benz went wrong, Roger Penske didn’t send an email or a team of lawyers. He took the seats out of his own private jet to fit a race car inside, then flew across the world to deliver both the car and a personal apology. Here’s Penske with his incredible story.
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Steve Jobs, Apple, and the Pursuit of a Perfect Product
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Walter Isaacson began working on his biography of Steve Jobs, he quickly saw that Jobs approached Apple with a different kind of discipline. He believed a product should be built with care from start to finish, even if the customer would never see it.
Walter Isaacson shares how that mindset shaped Apple’s growth, from its early days with Steve Wozniak to its place today under CEO Tim Cook. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for allowing us access to this audio.
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Tyler Hamilton and the Truth Behind Lance Armstrong
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tyler Hamilton spent years competing at the highest level of professional cycling, including riding alongside Lance Armstrong at the peak of his Tour de France career. As one of Armstrong’s teammates on the U.S. Postal Service cycling team, he saw firsthand how widespread doping in cycling had become. Eventually, he chose to speak publicly about what was happening inside the sport, helping expose one of the biggest scandals in sports history. Here's Tyler with his story.
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After Losing His Fingers in a Fire, One Boy Faced the Impossible—with a Piano
On this episode of Our American Stories, when John O’Leary was nine years old, a house fire left him with burns over 100 percent of his body. Doctors said he wouldn’t survive. He did. They said he’d never walk again. He did.
When he returned home, his mother insisted he do one more thing no one thought possible: learn to play the piano. John had no fingers, but she believed he had more strength than anyone could see.
The bestselling author of On Fire shares how one act of motherly determination helped him face the world again and taught him that no obstacle is bigger than love, hope, and the will to try.
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The Kidnapping That Ended With One Oilman Outsmarting Machine Gun Kelly
On this episode of Our American Stories, Charles Urschel had money, influence, and a target on his back. When Machine Gun Kelly broke into his home and took him hostage, it seemed like just another high-profile crime in a lawless era.
But Urschel didn’t panic. Instead, he took mental notes, tracking every moment, every voice, every clue. His memory became the FBI’s secret weapon and helped lead to one of the first major takedowns of America’s new wave of gangsters.
With insight from Joe Urschel and Dr. T. Lindsey Baker, this is the story of how a businessman played a crucial role in bringing down one of the most infamous criminals of the 1930s.
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The Unexpected Olympic Friendship That Defied Hitler’s Propaganda
On this episode of Our American Stories, Jesse Owens arrived in Berlin for the 1936 Olympics as one of the fastest men in the world. The long jump competition placed him beside Luz Long, a German athlete competing under the watchful eyes of the Nazi regime and in a stadium built to showcase its ideals.
During the event, Long noticed Owens struggling with his approach and quietly offered advice that helped him stay in the competition. The two men spoke easily, competed fiercely, and walked off the field together in front of a crowd that had not expected to see them side by side. Elliott Drago of the Jack Miller Center shares the story of how a single Olympic event created a bond that outlived the medals.
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"High and Dry" and "Let the Cat Out of the Bag": The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English language, this time diving into how the phrases “high and dry” and “let the cat out of the bag” came to be. His book, Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions and Fun Phrases, is a must-read. Be sure to check it out!
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