The ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history and john henrythe mighty railroad man who could blast through rock faster than a steam drillis a towering figure in our culture. Written at the crossroads where american myth and reality intersect, steel drivin man. Blackafricanafrican american, whiteeuropean americancaucasian. The rest of the book recounts the history of the john henry ballads. Folklorists have long thought john henry to be mythical, but historian scott nelson has discovered that he was a real persona nineteenyearold from new jersey who was convicted of theft in a virginia court in 1866, sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary, and put. Oct 22, 2006 many might be surprised, however, to discover that john henry was a real man. He is said to have worked as a steeldriving mana man tasked with hammering a steel drill into rock to make holes for explosives to blast the rock in constructing a railroad tunnel. But despair sets in again when the railroad sends a steam hammer to replace the crew and burns the contract. Thisconsistedofdriving a metal spike into the rock with a hammer. Steel drivin man scott reynolds nelson oxford university. John henry had a little woman her name was polly anne john henry took sick and was laid up in bed while polly handled steel like a man man man polly handled steel like a man. Steel drivin men like john henry used large hammers and stakes to pound holes into the rock, which were then filled with explosives that would blast a cavity deeper and deeper into the mountain. Many might be surprised, however, to discover that john henry was a real man.
John henry, the untold story of an american legend is a tribute and requiem to the real steel drivin men who built this country. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson recounts the true story of the man behind the iconic american hero, telling the poignant tale of a. When john henry was a little boy, he was sitting on his papas knee. An illustration by robert anning bell from the book poems of shelley 1902. John henry, a freed slave, happens across a railroad building project. Much of the john henry story can be traced to the author guy johnson, who published a book called john henry. John henry, the untold story of an american legend.
This book not only brought him alive for me, but the research and. The mountain was so tall and john henry was so small, he laid down his hammer and he cried, lord, lord, he laid down his hammer and he cried. The legend of john henry has been celebrated in song and story for generations, but my favorite version is the childrens picture book john henry by julius lester, with illustrations by jerry pinkney. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson argues that the john henry. Disneys retelling of the legend of john henry, the steeldriving man. And john henry was the strongest, the most powerful man working the rails. The story of john henry is told in a classic folk song, which exists in many versions, and has been the subject of.
Sep 28, 20 in the race of man against machine, john henry won, but he hammered so hard that he broke his heart. Henry was taken to the penitentiary at virginia and interred at a group grave. Centered on the john henry of both reality and legend, it is a political, cultural, and social history that covers a lot of ground in under two hundred pages. The authors argument in steel drivin man is that the life of john henry was one of oppression multiplied through abuses of the penal system and forced penal labor. Julius lesters john henry is based on the african american folk ballad john henry, the tale of john henry, the steeldriving man who was bigger and stronger than anyone and the competition between him and the steampowered drill in digging a railroad tunnel through a mountain. Each page seems to radiate the vital force that led john henry to challenge a steam drill to a rockdrilling contestand win. It depicts an eight foot tall, muscle bound john henry, standing with his feet spread wide and a hammer in both hands. Henry was a steel drivin man, meaning that his job was to hammer steel bits into the rock where dynamite could then be placed. The ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in america. Historians have long speculated that the john henry ballads, which began.
You are nothing but a common man, before that steam drill shall beat me down. Visiting the great bend tunnel and the statue of john henry, a steel driving man. Steel drivin man john s job was extremely difficult and dangerous. The ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history and john henrythe mighty railroad man who could blast through rock faster than a steam. When john henry was a little baby boy no bigger than the palm of your hand he picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel and said johnny gonna be a steeldriving man yes he is johnny gonna be a steeldriving man johnny gonna be a steeldriving man john henry, he said to the captian i was born to be a steeldriving man.
Now john henry was a steeldrivin man do you guys know what that means that means that he was a dude who worked on a railroad and his job was to kill mountains now the way he did this was some poor sonofabitch named little bill would hold a steel drill in place against the rock while john henry beat this shit out of it with a twenty pound hammer. When john henry was a little fellow,you could hold him in the palm of your hand,he said to his pa, when i grow upim gonna be a steel driving man. John henry was a steel driving man, he had a pretty little wife named polly anne. John, though, has the strength of ten men, and revitalizes all of them. John henry, the steeldriving man, is a story about a. In it, we meet john william henry, a black man from new jersey who found work for the union army just after the civil war at city. John henry was a steeldrivin man eecs at uc berkeley. Consider the legend of john henry and his race against the newly invented steam hammer, a competition in driving steel to build a railroad line.
For the left, henry symbolizes the workingclass hero. He is said to have worked as a steeldriving mana man tasked with hammering a steel drill into rock to make. An american legend is a childrens picture book written and illustrated by ezra jack keats, which tells a story about john henry, who was born with a hammer in his hand and was inspired by the american folk hero of the same name. The animated steel is missing the cape he adapted from superman after he saved john s life in superman. This story recounts the trip an independent journalist hack. John henry drove spikes in the rail tracks, and he was faster than anybody whod ever worked the rails. He was looking down on a piece of steel says, a steel driving man i will be. John henry is a massive for the time, at least and handsome black man. Mar 18, 2017 julius lesters john henry is based on the african american folk ballad john henry, the tale of john henry, the steel driving man who was bigger and stronger than anyone and the competition between him and the steampowered drill in digging a railroad tunnel through a mountain.
Johnson obtained lyrics to the song that he estimated were written down in 1900. In steel drivin man, his fascinating book of popular history, scott reynolds nelson literally brings this classic. They took john henry to the graveyard laid him down in the sand every locomotive comin arolling by by by hollered there lies a steel drivin man man man. John henry, the untold story of an american legend, scott nelson contends that the ballad was based on a real person. Julius lesters john henry is based on the african american folk ballad john henry, the tale of john henry, the steeldriving man who was bigger and stronger than anyone and the competition. They took john henry to the graveyard laid him down in the sand every locomotive comin arolling by by by hollered there lies a steeldrivin man man man. John henry was the greatest of hammerers, as well as the best of gamblers, the biggest of drinkers, nastiest of ghters, and the best of. Henry of virginia who i discuss in my book steel drivin man is listed both in penitentiary records and in the virginia census as john henry. When john henry was a little baby,setting on his mammys knee,he said the big bend tunnel on the c. The 20yearold new jerseyborn africanamerican freeman, john william henry, was a working in the headquarters of the 3rd army corps in 1863. Henry, or john william henry in previouslyunexplored prison records of the virginia penitentiary. The john henry ballads probably originated as work songs for steeldrivers and other rail workers in the 1870s, and became more generalized as chain gang, worker, and prison songs. John henry, the untold story of an american legend nelson, scott. John henry, he would spend his days drilling holes by hitting thick steel spikes.
According to the ballad that made him famous, john henry did battle with a steampowered drill, beat the machine, and died. John henry, the steeldriving man, is a story about a guy who tried to singlehandedly outhammer a machine, won the hammering race, then dropped dead at the end of it. The legendary steeldriving man who was born, and died, with a hammer in his hand comes to life in this dramatic tale of heroism and destiny. But they were also proud of him for saving their jobs. John henry was a steel driving man, he had a pretty little.
This early version was called john henry, steel driving man and contained 12 stanzas. The spark of intelligence blazing in his eyes rivaled only by such characters as batman and steel. John henry said to his captain, captain, you go to town, bring me back a twelvepound hammer, please. Doctor john henry irons was a brilliant weapons engineer for amertek industries, who eventually became disgusted when the bg60, a powerful manportable energy cannon he had designed, fell into the wrong hands and was used to kill innocent people. Glossary civil war the war between the northern and southern states of the united states of. From that day on, they sang a new song as they worked. Nov 20, 20 consider the legend of john henry and his race against the newly invented steam hammer, a competition in driving steel to build a railroad line. Please join our john henry yahoo discussion group read dr. Apr 17, 2017 visiting the great bend tunnel and the statue of john henry, a steel driving man.
Steel drivin man john henry, the untold story of an american legend scott reynolds nelson john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history there are hundreds of version of the john henry ballad, it is routinely taught to american schoolchildren the song is enormously popular. Many americans are familiar with the story of john henry. Historians have long speculated that the john henry ballads, which. The phallic nature of the description is obvious, chappell points out. He looks like he is ready to spring off of his stone base and drive some serious steel. The ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history and john henrythe mighty railroad man who could blast through.
It was a song about john henry, the steeldriving man. American legends and folktales celebrates the wisdom and. The legend of john henry level m 15 16 the other workers were sad to lose john henry. John henry biography at black history now black heritage. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson recounts the true story of the man behind the iconic american hero, telling the poignant tale of a young virginia convict who died working on. In the race of man against machine, john henry won, but he hammered so hard that he broke his heart. Steel drivin man johns job was extremely difficult and dangerous.
John henry the folk legend was said to be a steeldriving man, a. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson recounts the true story of the man behind the iconic american hero, telling the poignant tale of a young virginia convict who died working on one of the most dangerous enterprises of the time, the first rail route through the appalachian mountains. Steel drivin man scott reynolds nelson oxford university press. John henry, the untold story of an american legend, historian scott reynolds nelson detailed his discovering documentation of a 19yearold africanamerican man alternately referred to as john henry, john w. The bronze statue is a testament to the folk legend, whose win over a mechanical steel driver is celebrated in songs and stories. He was born a slave in the 1840s but was freed after the war. Oct 18, 2006 in steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson argues that the john henry story was no tall tale, and henry himself no myth. Garst provides his perspective on ideas presented in dr.
John henry went up on the mountain looked down on the other side lord the mountain was so tall john henry was so small. His job was hitting steel spikes into rocks, and he was the fastest and strongest worker on the line. Taking swings at a myth, with john henry the man the new york. Scott was my advisor in grad school it still impresses me, even after my third time reading steel drivin man, how solid this book is. As the company would have coerced him to retain his services, john faked his death, and eventually came to metropolis. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson argues that the john henry story was no tall tale, and henry himself no myth.
In his premiere episode heavy metal, his rivet guns were replaced with forearmmounted lasers. American legends and folktales american legends and folktales celebrates the wisdom and humor of largerthanlife characters in six traditional stories that reflect the diversity of americas cultural heritage. John henry took sick and went to his bed polly ann drove steel like a man, lord, lord polly ann drove steel like a man john henry had a little baby you could hold him in the palm of your hand the last words i heard that poor boy say my daddy was a steel driving man, lord, lord my daddy was a steel driving man they took john henry to the. In his 2006 book steel drivin man, scott nelson utilizes john william henry, who might have worked in virginias lewis tunnel and died therein. Hes looking at a piece of steel between his legs as he sits on his fathers lap. Not long ago, the fakenews rag the onion cleverly updated an industrial age tale for the digital era.
Steel drivin man by scott reynolds nelson houston chronicle. The new john henry documentary will chronicle the life and legacy of this remarkable animal, and will include interviews with fans, celebrities, dignitaries and other notables that knew him or won big money from his successes. Given his line of work, he probably wears relatively tightfitting clothing, if any to minimize the buildup of heat when working. When men started talking about laying railroad tracks across the prairies and deserts, and right through the mountains, john henry knew he and his hammer had to be a part of it. The last words i heard that poor boy say, my daddy was steeldriving man.
The ballad of john henry, the steeldrivin mannook book. Colson whitehead follows up the brilliant the intuitionist with another strong effort. John henry, the steel driving man live by the johnson mountain boys. An entire crew of freed slaves has been promised land if they can finish by deadline, but theyre exhausted and unable to continue. Oct 04, 2017 the most convincing evidence of john henrys existence was provided relatively recently by historian scott reynolds nelson in his 2006 book steeldrivin man. John henry, the untold story of an american legend 2006, searched for prisoners called john henry, found one who worked on the chesapeake and ohio railroad, and selected the lewis tunnel in virginia, completed in 1873, as a more likely site, as steampowered drills are known to have been used there. Scott nelson, from the college of william and mary, believes he has found the real john henry. When john henry was a little fellow,you could hold him in the palm of your hand,he said to his pa, when i grow upim gonna be a steeldriving man.
Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Did you mean john henry steel driving men john henry the steel driving man pt. Naden 1980, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Sep 28, 2006 the ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history and john henry the mighty railroad man who could blast through rock faster than a steam drillis a towering figure in our culture. On the trail of the real john henry history news network. Describes the life of the legendary steeldriving man who was born and who died with a hammer in his hand.
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