Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, during World War II, U.S. leaders feared German bombers could strike American soil. To protect the nation’s most important treasures—the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Gettysburg Address, and the Magna Carta, Britain’s most important document, which was on loan at the time—they were secretly moved to Fort Knox. Author Steve Puleo of American Treasures shares the remarkable story of how the documents that shaped freedom in both England and America were safeguarded during one of history’s darkest hours. We'd like to thank the U.S. National Archives for allowing us access to this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brian “Head” Welch seemed to have it all. As co-founder and guitarist of the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band KoRn, he was at the center of the nu-metal movement—living in mansions, selling millions of records, and playing for legions of fans around the world—but it was all a lie. Beneath the fame and fortune, his life was unraveling. Addiction, emptiness, and despair left him searching for something more. In his moving testimony, Welch shares what pushed him to leave the band and how he found a peace he had never known before. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sarah Gonzalez’s childhood was filled with warmth and love until the sudden loss of her father changed everything. Overwhelmed by grief, she spiraled into drugs and other destructive escapes that left her feeling more broken than before. Years later in New York City, she reached a breaking point that marked the beginning of something new. In her own words, Sarah shares how she moved through pain and discovered a peace that gave her life back. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Woodstock 1969 has gone down in history as the festival that defined a generation. Nearly half a million people gathered on a quiet New York farm, creating what briefly became the third-largest city in the state. Fears of chaos and violence never came true; instead, it was three days of music, peace, and unexpected harmony. Author Harlan Lebo revisits Woodstock to separate myth from reality and explain why the festival remains one of the most famous music events 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, Before Randall Wallace wrote Braveheart, he was a son taking notes from the way his father lived. His dad never chased the spotlight, but he modeled the kind of character Wallace would later write into heroes on the screen. Looking back, Wallace traces how his father’s example gave him not only a sense of direction, but also the values that anchored his career as a storyteller. Here, he shares how one man’s life at home became the spark behind some of the most powerful stories to come out of Hollywood. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, of all the so-called “robber barons,” J.P. Morgan ranks as one of the most maligned. After all, he was one of the most powerful men in American history. At the height of the Gilded Age, he built a financial empire that made the Morgan family a dynasty. Twice, when the federal government faced collapse, it was Morgan who stepped in to stabilize the nation. Was he a robber baron or a captain of industry? His story shows how one man’s wealth and influence profoundly shaped the American economy, leaving a legacy that still looms large over Wall Street today. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Sue Thomas’s life became the inspiration for the TV drama Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, but the real story is far more powerful than anything Hollywood put on screen. Born profoundly deaf, she grew up learning to read lips and pushed past low expectations to earn a place inside the FBI. There, she became the Bureau’s first deaf agent and proved that disability could be turned into strength. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, shortly after the ratification of the 15th Amendment, which guaranteed the right to vote regardless of race, Thomas Mundy Peterson walked into a polling place in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and made history as the first Black voter in the United States. His ballot was cast at a time when the meaning of the Constitution was still being tested and when many states resisted the idea of true suffrage for African Americans. Historian Elliott Drago of the Jack Miller Center shares how one man’s simple act of civic duty became a milestone in the story of American voting rights. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Brett Favre's father coached the legendary QB on many subjects—most of which shaped his training, practice, and play. The passing game? Not so much. But life itself? Absolutely. Here's Brett himself with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Rich Wingo’s football journey began under legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, whose tough, uncompromising style forged players into men prepared for more than just Saturdays in Tuscaloosa. Bryant’s influence followed Wingo beyond his college years and into the NFL, where he suited up for the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. It was in those two worlds, the Crimson Tide and the Packers, that Wingo’s understanding of discipline, perseverance, and faith deepened. Looking back, he shares how the lessons from a storied college football program and one of the NFL’s most iconic franchises transformed not just his playing career, but his entire outlook on life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.