Forgotten History with Dan O'Donnell

The indelible yearning for freedom sparks a revolution that echoes through time.

A train ride with America's founding documents helps prove the nation's commitment to its ideals and strikes a significant blow against segregation.

A down-on-his luck copywriter with dreams of becoming a novelist instead comes up with the quintessentially American Christmas character.

A year before the first Thanksgiving, the very first pilgrim to set foot on American soil wasn't a governor or wealthy investor--it was a young girl overwhelmed with joy and excitement over the promise of a new and better life.

A skinny kid from Pennsylvania becomes a legend for his heroism and sacrifice in Israel.

In the most destructive fire in American history, a priest witnesses a miracle while helping save as many people as he can.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but one of the most iconic (and fun) pieces of Americana was invented entirely by accident.

It's said that the price of love is grief, but through that grief, the price can be paid in brilliance and innovation that changes the world forever.

A brave woman fights for America's independence and then returns home to fight for eqaulity.

On the Fourth of July, 1827, everyday citizens build what their government could not.

The American spirit is infused with the hunger for discovery, and when that hunger is matched by an insatiable work ethic, the most incredible discoveries can come from the most unexpected sources.

A hard-nosed President shows his soft side and creates an Easter tradition.

The biggest St. Patrick's Day party in America isn't in Boston or New York, it's in Savannah, Georgia. Here's the fascinating reason why.

What does psychological warfare have to do with American attitudes toward breakfast? Quite a bit, actually.

A brilliant, adventurous woman goes on the expedition of a lifetime and sacrifices everything in the name of human exploration.

The things we don't do can have just as big an impact as the things we do, and even the smallest decisions can change our destiny...and that of America itself.

A true Christmas miracle lives forever as perhaps history's greatest embodiment of peace on Earth and goodwill to men.

The wounds of war fade in a powerful story about the power of friendship and forgiveness.

What happens when the impossible becomes possible just days after even pursuing it is deemed a foolish pursuit? The miracle of human ingenuity.

Think Republicans and Democrats are divided now? Once upon a time, they couldn't agree on what date Thanksgiving should be an celebrated it on different days!

A wannabe actor seeks Hollywood immortality but instead creates an undead classic.

A radio cast frantically works on a new story that they are all convinced will be a disaster, but the show they perform shocks the entire world.

A furious desire for revenge produces the most lopsided football game ever and threatens to ruin a great coach's legacy.

A new language develops as an island in New England becomes a deaf utopia.

During Queen Elizabeth's very first visit to California, a terrifying drive through the mountains helped to strengthen her bond with President Ronald Reagan.

During Queen Elizabeth's very first visit to California, a terrifying drive through the mountains helped to strengthen her bond with President Ronald Reagan.

An armed rebellion against the United States ends after just a few hours...and too much partying to continue the fight.

A strange thing happens when George Washington has the Declaration of Independence read to his troops just a few days after it was ratified.

An act of extreme compassion and mercy proves the common ties of humanity are even stronger than the horrors of war.

A tough Civil War soldier comes up with a tender way to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the Union.

America normally battles against severe weather, but on one incredible afternoon it seemed as if the weather was fighting for America.

A brave, heroic Navy officer says everything without saying a single word.

A young military colonel discovers the secret to winning elections in pre-Revolutionary America

One of the most controversial and censored films of all time produces an historic first.

A traditional celebration of an Irish saint becomes an all-American holiday.

A young soldier from Wisconsin makes good on a promise to dedicate his life to serve God if only his life would be spared from the battlefield.

An extraordinary act of bravery sparks a State of the Union tradition.

A dedicated man and a deep-seated desire to differentiate America from its enemies create a big change in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Is a dream just a dream? Or is it a warning from the other side?

An American GI with nothing to give but himself makes Christmas merry for children in war-torn Luxembourg.

A Christmas special so poorly animated and voiced that its creators worried the had killed the beloved characters who starred in it instead becomes one of television's biggest hits of all time.

A writer's fantastical tale causes a stir and helps to create one of America's most beloved Christmas traditions.

An entire nation gives thanks to a woman who refused to give up until Thanksgiving was declared a federal holiday.

The story of the brave sailors and marines who refused to leave the side of a fallen soldier on his final trip home.

A rough and tumble youth takes on and defeats all comers, but his real strength is the sense of sportsmanship and fairness that takes him far further than his athletic career ever could.

The scariest part of the scariest film of all-time wasn't anything on screen; it was a real-life horror that makes the frights of "The Exorcist" seem tame.

One of the darkest, most haunting chapters of the American story might have been written by something frighteningly ordinary.

The inspiring story of two Marines who felt called to put on their old uniforms and dig.

The tragic story of the first Native American professional baseball player.

How far would you go to bring a loved one home? One woman took on the U.S. Military.

Did America already have its first female president but never realized it?