55 John Henry Folklore Story

This ballad tells the story of john henry an american folk hero.

John henry folklore story. In the 2006 book steel drivin man. John henry was the strongest and fastest man involved in the project. It describes his contest with a steam drill in which john henry crushed more rock than did the machine but died with his hammer in his hand writers and artists see in john henry a symbol of man s foredoomed struggle against the machine. And in time it has become timeless spanning a century of generations with versions ranging from prisoners recorded at mississippi s parchman farm in the late 1940s to present day folk heroes. Henry or john william henry in previously unexplored prison records of the virginia penitentiary. As the story has it henry was challenged to a workers duel his hammer versus a giant steam drill. Unlike a lot of the tall tales from america s formative years the story of john henry is somewhat based in fact.

Some people say he was able to cut a path of three to six meters a day. There probably really was a john henry who was born a slave in the south in the mid 1800s. One of the most colorful characters in american folklore is the legendary john henry. John henry the untold story of an american legend historian scott reynolds nelson detailed his discovering documentation of a 19 year old african american man alternately referred to as john henry john w. 9 legends of american folklore. The john henry ballads probably originated as work songs for steel drivers and other rail workers in the 1870s and became more generalized as chain gang worker and prison songs. According to legend he was the strongest and fastest railroad workers in his day during the post civil war era.

According to the lore and the song s john henry was a steel driver meaning it was his job to make the tunnels through mountains for railroad tracks. In the late 1800. In later incarnations they became folk blues or protest vehicles for the likes of leadbelly woody guthrie johnny cash harry belafonte and dave van ronk. Whether he was a true historical figure or a fictitious hero carved into the minds of common americans by oral tradition his story has given inspiration to generations. 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. Legend has it that he was around six feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds. The ultimate battle of man versus machine john henry represented the hearts of the working men who struggled to keep their jobs on the railroad as machines began moving in to do their work.

Anonymous the ballad of john henry the ballad and folktale of john henry the tireless railroad worker is the stuff of american legend.