On this episode of Our American Stories, few filmmakers embody the American dream as vividly as Frank Capra. Born in Sicily in 1897, he carried the memory of arriving at New York Harbor—and his father pointing to the Statue of Liberty—through World War I and into Hollywood’s golden age. In films like It’s a Wonderful Life, Capra celebrated resilience, community, and the strength of ordinary people. Our own Lee Habeeb, along with recordings of Capra himself, shares the story of the immigrant boy who rose to direct some of Hollywood’s greatest films.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Bonnie Brown Rowcliffe prepared to sell her childhood home, she dreaded the moment she would walk through its doors for the last time. Every wall carried the weight of memory, and every room felt like a reminder of her late parents. On her final day in the house, she opened one last cupboard and found something unexpected: her father’s “double spoon,” a small, ordinary object that revealed an extraordinary lesson. In this moving story, Bonnie shares how a simple kitchen utensil became a symbol of connection, comfort, and the quiet ways our parents remain with us even after they’re gone.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, created some of the most famous children’s books of the 20th century. Two of his best-known works, The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, show just how intentional he could be. The Lorax stood among the Truffula trees and spoke for the environment, long before environmentalism was a mainstream cause. The Grinch, meanwhile, offered a parable of greed, redemption, and the deeper meaning of Christmas. Both stories reveal how Seuss used fantasy, humor, and memorable characters to help children think about the world around them. Biographer Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, tells the story of how Seuss’s work combined playful rhymes with moral weight.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as Lower Manhattan filled with smoke and chaos on September 11, 2001, escape routes vanished. Bridges and tunnels were shut down, subways halted, and thousands of people were trapped at the edge of the island with no way out. In that moment, the harbor became their only hope. The call went out: “All available boats.” Fireboats, tugboats, ferries, and even private pleasure craft rushed to the seawall. Together, they carried civilians across the Hudson and East Rivers in what became the largest water evacuation in history—greater even than Dunkirk. This is the story of the FDNY fireboats and ordinary mariners who became heroes on one of America’s darkest days.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when the planes struck the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald was left devastated. The investment firm’s offices spanned the upper floors of the North Tower, leaving no chance of escape. In less than an hour, 658 employees were gone—more lives than any other company lost that day. Among them was the brother of CEO Howard Lutnick. For Lutnick, the grief was immediate and deeply personal, but so was the responsibility. He had to lead a company hollowed out by tragedy while caring for the families who had lost everything. What followed was a story not only of survival, but of loyalty, rebuilding, and the weight of memory. Here, Howard Lutnick reflects on Cantor Fitzgerald’s darkest day and the colleagues and friends who never came home.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before the Stars and Stripes became the national banner, another symbol of liberty flew over American ships. Known as the Pine Tree Flag, or the “Appeal to Heaven” flag, it was one of the earliest wartime flags of the Revolution. In 1775, George Washington ordered it raised on six schooners that made up the first naval force of the colonies. Its white field and green pine tree came from New England symbolism, while its motto reflected John Locke’s political philosophy that when all earthly appeals failed, justice could be sought from above. For colonists, it was both a patriotic emblem and a symbol of liberty at a time when independence was still a daring idea. Our regular contributor, Ashley Hlebinsky, brings the story of this early American flag to life, connecting its 18th-century symbolism to the broader tradition of U.S. banners.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in the mid-20th century, families desperate for answers turned to a radical procedure known as the lobotomy. Promoted as a cure for everything from depression to schizophrenia, its brutal methods left thousands of patients permanently damaged. At the center was Dr. Walter Freeman, whose name became synonymous with the transorbital lobotomy and the dark side of psychosurgery. Yet from these failures came progress. The shortcomings of lobotomy forced doctors and scientists to pursue safer, more effective ways to treat mental illness, ultimately laying the groundwork for modern brain surgery. Dr. Theodore Schwartz—neurosurgeon, professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and author of Grey Matters—traces how a medical misstep opened the door to innovation and helped transform the future of neurosurgery.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Lori Coan was on her second date with a boy she wasn’t sure about when something happened that changed her mind—and her life. A group of troublemakers tripped a girl with polio, sending her sprawling in front of everyone. Most of the students laughed or looked away. Lori’s date didn’t. He jumped up, helped the girl to her feet, and gave her dignity back in a moment when it had been stolen. To Lori, that simple act of courage said more than words ever could. That boy would later become her husband, and together they built a marriage lasting more than fifty years. What began as a small act of kindness in a high school cafeteria grew into a lifelong partnership grounded in respect, compassion, and strength.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, on the frigid night of February 3, 1943, the troop ship USS Dorchester was struck by a German torpedo. Within twenty minutes, the ship slipped beneath the waves. As it did, a Methodist minister, a Jewish rabbi, a Catholic priest, and a Dutch Reformed pastor moved calmly through the panicked crowd—guiding soldiers to lifeboats, offering prayers, and handing out lifejackets until none remained. When the last vests were gone, they gave away their own. Craig Du Mez of the Grateful Nation Project shares their story.

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