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.
William Faulkner Turned His Mississippi Hometown Into Literary History
How a Log Cabin Helped Spark the Great Awakening in Early America
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the early 1700s, a small log cabin in Pennsylvania became the center of a growing religious movement in the American colonies. Built by Presbyterian minister William Tennent, a devoted pastor and educator, the humble school, later known as the “Log College,” trained a handful of young men who would go on to lead revivals across the colonies and help shape early American Christianity during the Great Awakening.
Robert Morgan, author of 100 Bible Verses That Made America, shares how the Bible influenced early American history, the Great Awakening, and the spirit that helped lead toward the American Revolution.
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From Montserrat to America: Patrice Onwuka’s Story of Opportunity
On this episode of Our American Stories, Patrice Onwuka was born on the Caribbean island of Montserrat before her family immigrated legally to the United States in search of greater opportunity. After arriving in a rough neighborhood outside Boston during the 1980s, Onwuka watched her parents work exhausting jobs, sacrifice endlessly for their children, and slowly build a new life from scratch.
Years later, the little girl who grew up watching political commentary shows with her parents became one of the voices she once saw on television. Onwuka shares her story of immigration, hard work, education, and the American Dream.
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Brett Favre’s Tribute to His Father
On this episode of Our American Stories, NFL legend Brett Favre reflects on one of the most emotional games of his career. After the passing of his father, Irvin Favre, in December 2003, Brett took the field and threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a memorable Monday Night Football victory over the Oakland Raiders. During his 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech, he shared the story of that unforgettable tribute to his dad.
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The USS Enterprise Coffee Disaster
On this episode of Our American Stories, Americans drink millions of cups of coffee every day, and the United States Armed Forces have long depended on it too. Our regular contributor out of Colorado, Richard Muniz, traces the history of coffee in America through wartime stories before sharing a hilarious tale from the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), where one sailor’s attempt to make the greatest cup of coffee on the ship went spectacularly wrong.
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The Cuban Immigrant Behind the Famous Coors Light Silver Bullet Can
On this episode of Our American Stories, after fleeing Cuba as a young man during the rise of Fidel Castro, Marc Barrios arrived in America searching for a fresh start. Years later, while working in advertising for Coors Brewing Company, he helped create the now-famous Coors Light Silver Bullet can.
Barrios shares the story of starting a new life in the United States and eventually making his mark on the American advertising industry
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The Olympic Marathon Where Drinking Water Was Banned
On this episode of Our American Stories, the 1904 Summer Olympics marathon in St. Louis looked nothing like the race we know today. Runners competed through brutal heat on dusty roads while cars drove alongside them, kicking dirt into the air. Water stations were scarce because many officials believed drinking water during a race was dangerous. One runner hitched a ride in a car. Another survived on raw eggs, brandy, and rat poison used as a stimulant. Susan Brownell, author of The Anthropology of Sport, shares the story of the disastrous and bizarre 1904 Olympic marathon.
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Steve McQueen Escaped a Broken Childhood and Became Hollywood’s Biggest Star
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Steve McQueen became the “King of Cool,” he spent much of his childhood in trouble, bouncing between relatives and reform schools after his family fell apart. Marshall Terrill, the author of Steve Mcqueen: In His Own Words, shares the story of how McQueen slowly rebuilt his life and became the unforgettable star of Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven.
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Why Memorial Day Matters: The Uncle Lee Habeeb Never Knew, Killed in WWII
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Habeeb was born, his family joined the long list of American families forever changed by World War II. One afternoon in 1944, two Army officers arrived at his mother’s apartment building with news that her brother John had been killed overseas.
Lee shares how that loss stayed with his family for generations and how he remembers his fallen uncle every Memorial Day.
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A Medal of Honor Recipient Through the Eyes of His Father
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Brice turned the story into the hit song I Drive Your Truck, Paul Monti was driving his late son Jared’s pickup truck through the back roads of Massachusetts just to feel close to him again. Jared Monti, a U.S. Army soldier later awarded the Medal of Honor, was killed in Afghanistan while trying to save a fellow soldier pinned down under enemy fire.
Paul Monti shares the story himself in an interview he gave to Our American Stories shortly before his passing in 2022.
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