John Henry
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John Henry is an American folk hero. An African American freedman, he is said to have worked as a "steel-driving man"—a man tasked with hammering a steel drill into a rock to make holes for explosives to blast the rock in constructing a railroad tunnel.
May 13, 2024 · John Henry, hero of a widely sung African American folk ballad. It describes his contest with a steam drill, in which John Henry crushed more rock than the machine did but died ‘with his hammer in his hand.’
Folklorists have long thought John Henry to be mythical, but historian Scott Nelson has discovered that he was a real person—a nineteen-year-old from New Jersey who was convicted of theft in a Virginia court in 1866, sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary, and put to work building the C&O Railroad.
Jan 13, 2021 · John Henry - Spirit of the Working Man - American - Extra Mythology - YouTube. Extra History. 3.54M subscribers. Subscribed. 16K. 333K views 3 years ago. Watch Extra Mythology...
John Henry - Learn about the amazing feats and history of John Henry the 'the steel-driving man' Famous for his speed and strength when digging into Rock by hand. Dicover John Henryism, and his Role in American Civil Rights Movement.
Feb 18, 2014 · The railroad tracks that crisscross West Virginia pass through the state's mountains - an engineering feat made possible by the steam-powered drill, or, according to legend, a man named John...
It's as varied as the thousands of people - menial workers, scholars, professional musicians - who have studied, sung and recorded it over the years. The story of John Henry, told mostly through ballads and work songs, traveled from coast to coast as the railroads drove west during the 19th Century.
Along with Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed, John Henry is one of the most famous American folk heroes. The story of John Henry is usually told through a folk song called a ballad. The ballad describes a contest between John Henry, a strong African American man who works on the railroad, and a new machine.
Apr 13, 2024 · John Henry is a legendary figure in American folklore, known for his incredible strength and prowess as a steel driver during the construction of the railroads in the late 19th century. His story has been passed down through generations, inspiring songs, ballads, literature, and art that celebrate his heroic deeds.
Sep 2, 2002 · Above all, "John Henry" is the single most well known and often recorded American folk song. For NPR's ongoing series Present at the Creation, musician and researcher Stephen Wade...
