Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, Zolli Candy grew from an idea Alina Morse tested at her kitchen counter. She wanted a sweet that could support healthy teeth, and the search for that solution pulled her into the early steps of entrepreneurship. Those small steps opened up a world of opportunities, leading to Alina being the youngest person ever to appear on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine! Alina joins us to tell the story of Zoli Candy's rise to the top. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before jazz became a subject for textbooks and framed posters, it lived in families like the Gozzards. Harry Gozzard never worked the factory lines that defined Detroit. His world unfolded late at night, horn in hand, moving from club to club as the big band era held on. His son, Georges, traces those memories across cities and seasons and remembers what it felt like to watch a parent step into a spotlight that few families ever saw. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in December 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was in mourning. His wife had died in a fire two years earlier. His son had been wounded in the Civil War. And the country itself felt beyond repair. That Christmas, he sat down and wrote a poem about the sound of church bells, one that began in sorrow and ended with a quiet return to hope. The words were later set to music and became “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of how one of our most familiar carols was born in one of the darkest years in American history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early nineteenth century, Philadelphia lived with a contradiction. It called itself a free city, yet kidnapping rings operated within it and pulled Black residents back toward the world of slavery. Thomas Shipley was one of the few abolitionists who cared about each person who went missing. He infiltrated murderous mobs, warned would-be victims, and testified against ringleaders throughout his life. Here’s his remarkable story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the history of classic Christmas songs is a story shaped by accidents, migrations, and reinventions. A poem written for one parish grew into a carol that crossed borders. A melody carried across continents found new life in American churches. Other pieces resurfaced during political upheaval and eventually settled into the traditions we now recognize. Together, they formed the foundation of the Christmas music that anchors the season. Ace Collins, author of Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, joins us to share the surprising origins of your favorite holiday tunes. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Saturday morning cartoons defined how studios reached their youngest audiences. The block emerged during a period when television was limited, expectations were consistent, and advertisers knew how to hold attention. Over time, new regulations, new technologies, and new viewing habits loosened its grip. Mark McCray, author of The Best Saturday of Our Lives, explains how these shifts reshaped the medium and why the familiar rhythm of Saturday morning slowly disappeared. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before anyone understood the reach of Star Wars, a small toy company stepped in with an idea that would alter the future of licensing. The first run of 1977 Star Wars figures was modest, yet the response from children and collectors revealed something larger. These toys made the galaxy feel close enough to hold, and that closeness turned the franchise into a merchandising powerhouse. Jarrod Roll—museum director and public historian known for his work preserving and interpreting American material culture—explains how this shift influenced the habits of young fans and redefined what a film could become once it left the screen. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Ruth Handler created Barbie, she was a girl standing behind the counter of her family’s Denver deli, learning how people reveal themselves in the smallest choices. She carried that intuition with her as she and her husband began building Mattel from almost nothing. Years later, it was her daughter who brought that old instinct into focus. As Ruth watched her play with her dolls, she noticed a gap the toy world kept overlooking: young girls didn’t want to play pretend only as mothers—they wanted more. Ruth believed that offering them a figure shaped for possibility could change the way they pictured their own futures. Acting on that belief pushed Mattel into uncertain territory and started the story we now recognize as Barbie.Robin Gerber, author of Barbie and Ruth, follows how one woman’s way of paying attention altered the direction of American childhood. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Kent was just nine years old, he had a very special experience that, many years later, he still can’t seem to shake. Here’s Kent with his story entitled “To Hear the Angels Sing.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a short-term mission trip can feel predictable—until the moment it is not. Stephen Rusiniak shares a story written by his daughter, who traveled to West Virginia expecting hard work and good memories, nothing more. What she found instead was a barefoot child standing in a doorway and a reminder of how acts of kindness can reshape our sense of what matters. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.