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 Graphic Design Professor Who Knits While Running Marathons
How Crayola Crayons Came to Be: The True Story Behind America’s Most Colorful Creation
On this episode of Our American Stories, from bifocals and the cotton gin to the automobile and the iPhone, America has a long history of inventions that changed the world. But not every invention was born from necessity—some were created simply for fun. In this episode, author Natascha Biebow joins us to share the colorful true story of Edwin Binney, the inventor of Crayola crayons, as told in her children's book The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons.
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A Lost Boy and the Hippie Jesus Revolution: Pastor Greg Laurie's Story
On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells the story of his life—from growing up in the tumult of the ’60s, to finding God, and ultimately making peace with his family
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What Happened to Bonnie and Clyde When They Came to Small-Town Iowa
On this episode of Our American Stories, to some, they were heroes. To others, they were villains. But when the Barrow Gang rolled into Dexter, Iowa, they were simply strangers. Rod Stanley of the Dexter Museum tells the story.
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Raising Children in the Midst of Tragedy: A Faith Story
On this episode of Our American Stories, Caleb Bailey's father wanted nothing more than to be a firefighter. But just 10 days after Caleb was born, his father died in the line of duty while responding to a structure fire at a pet food factory in Los Angeles in 1998, leaving behind a young wife and two sons. It was the first line-of-duty fatality the L.A. Fire Department had seen in decades. Here's Caleb with his family’s story of hope and redemption after such a devastating loss.
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The Story of the Russian Immigrant Who Created America's Most Beloved Music—Irving Berlin
On this episode of Our American Stories, "White Christmas" and "God Bless America" are both standards of American popular music, and both were written by an immigrant. An astonishing fact—but more astonishing is that they were written by the same man: Irving Berlin. Here to tell Berlin’s story is bestselling author Laurence Bergreen, who wrote the definitive biography As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin.
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The Story of the Japanese Americans Who Fought Against Imperial Japan in WWII
On this episode of Our American Stories, Major General James Mukoyama rose from his blue-collar Chicago neighborhood to become the first Asian American to command a U.S. Army division. General “Mook” is the author of Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader. Here he is with the story of the Japanese Americans who fought for the United States in WWII.
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The Story of Alexander Hamilton
On this episode of Our American Stories, Alexander Hamilton is one of the most controversial and misunderstood Founding Fathers in American history. A brilliant yet complex figure, his ideas helped shape the nation’s financial system, government, and legacy. Historian Ron Chernow—author of the New York Times bestselling biography Alexander Hamilton, which inspired the hit Broadway musical—shares the true story behind the man, the myth, and the musical. We want to thank the Library of Congress for allowing us and our nation access to this wonderful audio, originally from a book talk back in 2018.
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The Story of the Town That Created Mark Twain: Hannibal, Missouri
On this episode of Our American Stories, the river town of Hannibal, Missouri, spared Mark Twain from nothing, exposing him to poverty, death, racism, and the need to make decisions for himself. Here's Richard Garey, a Mark Twain aficionado, with the story of this all-important town.
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"My Grandfather Was the Best Storyteller I Knew"
On this episode of Our American Stories, OAS listener from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the spellbinding story of his grandfather, "Paw" Summers.
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