On this episode of Our American Stories, Sophia and Deshaun Olds were married in 2004 but didn’t immediately think about starting a family. They were busy serving overseas and pursuing their education. That all changed when, after 13 years without children, they became a family of nine—literally overnight. Here they are with their story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, if you have ever ordered at Chick-fil-A, you know the reply almost by heart: “My pleasure.” But this chicken giant didn't come up with its famous catchphrase.

The phrase traces back to a visit founder Truett Cathy made to the Ritz-Carlton, where he noticed how consistently employees used those same two words with guests. The language was part of the hotel’s service standard, and it stayed with him long after he left. Cathy later adopted the phrase inside Chick-fil-A, where it became a defining part of the company’s culture. Horst Schulze, the co-founder of the Ritz-Carlton, shares the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, more than half a century after Mary Poppins premiered in 1964, it still sits near the top of the list of most beloved family films. But getting it made took years of persistence and a long fight over rights, creative control, and what the story should look like on screen. Our own Greg Hengler shares how Mary Poppins came to life and the filmmaking breakthroughs that helped turn it into a classic that continues to reach new generations.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, some competitions end when the plates are cleared. This one kept going in the form of a nickname. Lindsey Gallant shares the story of being challenged to an eating contest at church and walking away with a legendary nickname, “The Stomach.”

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The Age of Discovery launched European exploration across the Atlantic, but Columbus’s motivations were more complicated than simple curiosity or greed. He wrote about prophecy, Christian expansion, and the belief that history was moving toward a final reckoning.

George Grant, author of The Last Crusader: The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus, shares how faith, medieval politics, and apocalyptic expectation shaped Columbus' vision, and why the man saw himself not as a navigator, but as a servant in a divine plan.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti was able to keep and drive a meaningful memorial of his son, Jared, who was killed in action while defending his comrades. Those experiences later inspired the song “I Drive Your Truck,” recorded by country artist Lee Brice. Our own Lee Habeeb shares the story.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Malin Burnham, a San Diego business leader, shares his story of community development and philanthropy, including how he helped bring the USS Midway to San Diego and transform the retired aircraft carrier into the USS Midway Museum, now one of the city’s most visited landmarks and a lasting civic legacy.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, by the time the United States sent troops to Iceland, the war in Europe was already reshaping the Atlantic. Iceland declared neutrality, but its location placed it squarely inside the expanding European theater of World War II. Control of sea lanes, supply routes, and air coverage made the island too important to ignore.

The History Guy walks through the timeline that brought American forces to a neutral country and explains how this move fit into the larger World War II European campaign.

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