Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, every December, families chase the idea of a perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes you find it standing in a snowy field. Sometimes you find it in a grocery-store parking lot when the sun’s already down, and the good ones are gone. Jim Johnson knows that chase better than most. His search took him through freezing Minnesota afternoons, crowded tree farms, and a few humbling lessons about real trees, fake trees, and the fragile rituals we build around the holidays. What he discovers along the way says as much about American Christmas traditions as it does about balsam vs. Fraser fir, and why this simple hunt for a tree still pulls us out into the cold every year. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the most famous reindeer in the world was voiced by someone most people have never heard of. Billie Mae Richards, a Canadian actress and mother of five, gave Rudolph his voice in the 1964 holiday special that became a staple of American television. She recorded the part in just a few hours, never expecting the character to last. What followed were decades of reruns, toy lines, and a place in Christmas history. In this rare archival interview, Richards shares how she landed the role, what it meant to her family, and why she’s proud to have played a misfit who found his way. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, every winter, the same question makes its rounds: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? It premiered in the heat of July, packed with explosions instead of sleigh bells, but something strange happened once audiences got hold of it. The film began drifting toward December as if it had been invited all along. Stephen Follows walks us through that slow migration, pulling together the data, the patterns, and the odd cultural habits that turned a barefooted cop into holiday comfort viewing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harvard is often defined by its oldest traditions and its most privileged stories, but some of its lasting influence came from students who began far from that world. James Bradley Thayer and Chauncey Wright grew up in the rural corners of Massachusetts at a time when Harvard seemed reserved only for Boston’s elite. Their path into the university reshaped their lives in uneven ways, revealing how talent, timing, and circumstance can intersect. Andrew Porwancher traces how these two boys reached Harvard Yard and their ongoing legacy. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Elvis Presley’s Christmas album has become a holiday staple, but the story behind it is more surprising than you might think. Greg McDonald was there in the early days, when Colonel Tom Parker was just beginning to shape the Elvis brand. Here’s Greg sharing the story of how the King of Rock and Roll was convinced to lend his voice to Christmas music, changing the season forever. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.