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 America: When the Countryside Became the City
When a Tornado Took Family Photos, He Brought Them Back
On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Joplin tornado struck in 2011, entire neighborhoods disappeared in minutes. Among the debris were family photographs, wedding portraits, baby pictures, graduation snapshots, carried by the wind and dropped miles from home. Thad Beeler began collecting the photos he found and searching for the people in them. What started as a small act of kindness became a mission to return memories that the storm had nearly taken forever. Beeler joins us to tell the story.
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From Church Hymns to Hit Records: Pat Boone Remembers
On this episode of Our American Stories, many people remember Pat Boone as one of the biggest pop stars of the 1950s and '60s, but his story began in a church choir. He grew up learning how to hold a melody, lead voices in harmony, and carry a room without a single instrument behind him. Those simple lessons in discipline and presence became the foundation for a career that lasted longer on the charts than even Elvis Presley. Boone looks back on those early days in the choir loft and reflects on how they shaped his voice, his confidence, and his path into music.
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“We’re All Jews Here”: How Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Defied the Nazis
On this episode of Our American Stories, what would you do if armed guards ordered you to give up your men? In a Nazi POW camp, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds stood before his captors and refused. When they demanded the Jewish soldiers step forward, he told his men to stay in line and answered, “We are all Jews here.” With those words, he saved more than 200 American soldiers from being singled out. Edmonds never spoke of it after the war, and his family only learned the truth years later. Here's Roddie's son with the story of a quiet hero whose courage might have been forgotten had it not been for a class assignment given to his daughters.
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The Puritan Who Brought Scripture to New England’s Tribes
On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever heard of a Puritan pastor who learned a new language so he could preach the Bible to Native Americans in their own words? In the 1600s, John Eliot did exactly that. He became known as the “Apostle to the Indians” for translating Scripture into Algonquian and sharing it across New England, leaving behind the first Bible printed in North America. Robert J. Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares the story of John Eliot’s mission and its place in America’s early history.
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Jack Marucci Created a Baseball Bat For His Son in His Backyard. Now He Runs The Biggest Bat Company in America
On this episode of Our American Stories, what began as one handmade wooden bat for his son grew into the most popular and respected bat company in America. Today, Marucci Sports is trusted by players at every level, from Little League to the majors. Jack Marucci shares how a backyard project for his boy turned into a brand that changed the game.
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Why Steelers Founder Art Rooney Believed You Should Never Miss a Funeral
On this episode of Our American Stories, Art Rooney, Sr., the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, believed that the measure of a man was often found in the quiet things he chose to do. Jim O'Brien, who came to see Rooney as the grandfather he had been missing, remembers one moment that revealed exactly who Rooney was. Rooney attended the funeral of a man he hardly knew because he believed showing respect in times of loss mattered more than anything else. O’Brien joins us to share how that simple act left a lasting impression on his life.
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One of the First Vietnam POWs: Larry Spencer’s Hanoi Hilton Story
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Navy pilot Larry Spencer was captured in North Vietnam, he entered a world that few Americans would ever see. He spent years as a prisoner of war, first in a camp called “The Zoo” and later in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Survival meant finding strength in small moments and holding on to hope that freedom would come again. Spencer tells his story in his own words, offering a rare and personal account of what it meant to live and survive inside North Vietnam’s most notorious prison.
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Why One Man Helped Over 10,000 Stranded Drivers
On this episode of Our American Stories, for decades, Thomas Weller was a familiar sight along San Diego’s highways. Drivers with flat tires, empty gas tanks, or broken-down cars often saw him pull over to help, expecting nothing in return. Known as “The San Diego Highwayman,” he lived by a simple rule: if you can help, you should. Now, Weller joins us to share his story.
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The Incredible Story of Harvey Wallbanger, the Racing Buffalo
On this episode of Our American Stories, have you ever imagined a buffalo running on a racetrack against thoroughbred horses? In the 1960s, Harvey Wallbanger did exactly that. This larger-than-life buffalo stunned crowds as he thundered past racehorses, turning a novelty act into an unforgettable chapter of racing history. Francie Berg of Buffalo Tales and Trails shares the unlikely but true story of how one buffalo captured America’s attention and proved just how wild the frontier spirit could still be.
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