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.
Why a Rhodes Scholar Walked Away from Oxford to Fight in the Vietnam War
How Faith, Family, and Hockey Helped a Man Survive Syrian Prison
On this episode of Our American Stories, Sam Goodwin had already visited 180 countries, but when he entered Syria, he vanished. Captured and held without explanation, his fate became a test of everything he believed about God, family, and himself. In his darkest moments, it wasn’t politics or power that saved him. It was faith. In this unforgettable story of redemption, Sam shares how love, prayer, the St. Louis Blues, and the quiet strength of his parents helped bring him home.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Ancient Roman and Greek Politics Shaped the Birth of the United States
On this episode of Our American Stories, what did the Founding Fathers find in the ruins of Greece and Rome? A vision for how a free people might govern themselves. From Athens’ early experiments in democracy to the Roman Republic’s lessons in checks and balances, Dr. Kenneth Calvert of Hillsdale College unpacks how classical political thought shaped the government we know today.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Native American Chief Who Stood with George Washington
On this episode of Our American Stories, long before Manhattan became a skyline of steel and glass, it was home to the Wappinger tribe and one of its most courageous sons, Daniel Nimham. As a tribal chief and fierce defender of both his people and the emerging idea of America, Nimham fought alongside George Washington in some of the war’s harshest moments. Craig Du Mez of the Grateful Nation Project shares how this Native American chief became a symbol of loyalty, honor, and the complex legacy of America’s earliest defenders.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Salem Witch Trials, the Puritans, and the Myth of The Crucible
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Salem Witch Trials of 1692–1693 have become a symbol of religious hysteria and injustice, but how much of what we think we know is true? For decades, a cultural silence surrounded the real story until Arthur Miller’s The Crucible gave it a new narrative. Dr. Stephen Nichols unpacks the deeper history of the Puritans, the role of religion in the Salem witch trials, and how popular portrayals have reshaped American memory.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Titanic’s Last Hero: The Man Who Became Captain Smith
On this episode of Our American Stories, Lowell Lytle was one of the few people who actually visited the Titanic’s wreck at the bottom of the North Atlantic. He also spent years bringing its story to life, portraying Captain Smith at Titanic museums around the world. While Lowell has since passed away, in this powerful story, he reflects on what it felt like to dive 2.5 miles below the surface—and why he believed the real legacy of the Titanic lies in the heroism shown on its final night.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
John Wooden’s Definition of Success and the Legacy It Built
On this episode of Our American Stories, Coach John Wooden led UCLA to 10 national championships, but his legacy runs deeper than wins. His Pyramid of Success reshaped how we think about coaching, competition, and character. Told through the voices of those who knew him best, this story explores how a humble Indiana native became one of the most respected figures in sports history.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Surviving Persecution: Mariam Ibrahim’s Journey from Sudan to America
On this episode of Our American Stories, what does freedom of religion really mean? For Mariam Ibrahim, it meant the difference between life and death. Born in Sudan and sentenced to execution for her Christian faith, Mariam escaped religious persecution and built a new life with her family in the U.S. Her journey is a powerful reminder of the cost of belief—and the courage it takes to live it.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How the Comstock Lode Created America’s First Silver Millionaires
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Silicon Valley and the oil booms, there was the Comstock Lode. Nevada’s legendary silver discovery created the Silver Kings: John Mackay, James Fair, William O'Brien, and James Flood, four men who rose from poverty to unimaginable wealth. Historian Roger McGrath shares how this once-remote mining camp became the epicenter of one of the most powerful fortunes in U.S. history.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Big Four Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad
On this episode of Our American Stories, before America had coast-to-coast rail lines, four men risked everything to make it possible. Known as the Big Four, they built the Central Pacific Railroad and played a crucial role in completing the first transcontinental railroad. Historian Roger McGrath shares how Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Collis P. Huntington, and Mark Hopkins changed the course of American history with steel, vision, and sheer determination.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.