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.
The Story of the Woman Who Saved the Lewis and Clark Expedition: Sacagawea
Dred Scott in Spikes: The Story of Curt Flood
On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Major League Baseball’s reserve clause bound players to their teams indefinitely, denying them the freedom to negotiate salaries or choose where to play. Curt Flood, a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, decided to challenge that system, risking his career to fight for fairness. Despite facing racial discrimination and industry backlash, Flood’s stand reshaped the business of sports and helped usher in modern free agency. Columnist George Will tells the story.
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The Story of the Only Museum Dedicated to Bad Art
On this episode of Our American Stories, most museums showcase the finer things in history, culture, and the arts—but not the aptly named Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Boston, Massachusetts, where you’ll find masterpieces like A Mariachi in Tiananmen Square, Sunday on the Pot With George, and Self-Portrait as a Bird. Louise Reilly Sacco, the museum’s curator, shares the tale of how it all came to be.
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The “LA Speed Check”: A Story from a Pilot of the Fastest Plane in the World
On this episode of Our American Stories, the late Major Brian Shul shares his legendary “LA Speed Check” story—an absurd and unforgettable moment from the cockpit of the fastest plane in the world, the SR-71 Blackbird.
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My Hitch in Hell: A Soldier Recounts the Bataan Death March in WWII
On this episode of Our American Stories, after the fall of the Philippines in World War II, more than 70,000 American and Filipino soldiers were captured by Japanese forces and forced to endure the brutal Bataan Death March. Over 30 percent of these POWs died in captivity, compared to just three percent of Allied POWs held by the Germans. In his powerful firsthand account, Dr. Lester Tenney recounts one of WWII’s darkest chapters and his miraculous survival against all odds. A special thanks to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans for providing this archival audio.
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Samuel Colt and the Birth of the Revolver
On this episode of Our American Stories, Phil Anschutz writes in Out Where the West Begins: “Samuel Colt’s life was the American story written in capital letters.” Here to tell that story is Ashley Hlebinsky—former co-host of Discovery Channel’s Master of Arms, former curator in charge of the Cody Firearms Museum, and president of The Gun Code, LLC.
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Pepsi Had the 6th-Largest Navy in the World?
On this episode of Our American Stories, as strange as it sounds, Pepsi (yes, the cola manufacturer) once owned a fleet of Soviet warships, briefly making it the sixth-largest navy in the world. Here's The History Guy with the story of how a soft drink company found itself in the middle of Cold War politics and an international trade deal gone sideways.
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The Loyal(ist) Son: The Story of Ben Franklin’s Son Taking Britain’s Side During the Revolutionary War
On this episode of Our American Stories, they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—but that wasn’t true for Ben Franklin and his only son. While Franklin became one of America’s most celebrated founding fathers, his son William remained loyal to the British Crown. In one of the most dramatic father-son divides in history, king and country collided with revolution and independence—the costs were massive. Here’s the astonishing story of how Ben Franklin and his son ended up on opposite sides of history.
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Flannery O'Connor: The Story of America's Master Writer on Good and Evil
On this episode of Our American Stories, Flannery O’Connor wanted to shake her readers awake. Her mother wanted her to write the next Gone with the Wind. Here to tell her story is Jonathan Rogers, author of The Terrible Speed of Mercy: A Spiritual Biography of Flannery O’Connor.
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Tony Mandarich Was the NFL’s Biggest Bust, Then He Rebuilt His Life
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tony Mandarich’s story became immortalized by two Sports Illustrated covers—one hailing him as “The Incredible Bulk” heading into the 1989 draft, and another in 1992 labeling him “The NFL’s Incredible BUST” as his four-year career in Green Bay came to an end. Here’s Tony Mandarich himself, with his story.
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