John Henry is an American folk hero who is famous for his skills with a hammer. He isbest known for his contest with the steam drill. His story best describes the black man’s strugglewith the white man. The ballad of John Henry was made when they were building parts of therailroad in West Virginia. John Henry was the hero to many former slaves. (Britannica School).There is a little bit of evidence that John henry was actually a historical man. He wasthought to be an emancipated slave that was over six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds. Alsoa lot of African Americans went to work for the railroad after the Civil War.(blackhistorynow.com)Most of the railroads were expanding west, pushing through the Appalachian mountains.Penetrating through
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But researchers say that the actual location may have been in Alabama.(blackhistorynow.com). C&O was extending into the Ohio Valley and progress was halted by Big Bendmountain in West Virginia. It was a on and a half mile obstruction that they could not go around.It took them three years to blast through the tunnel. Hundreds of African american and whiteworkers died blasting through the tunnel. Most of them died from unsafe working conditions andtwelve-hour working days. Songs and stories about John Henry kept the workers entertained.(blackhistorynow.com).The legend goes as John Henry and his men were working on the tunnel, a salesmanbrought a machine known as the steam engine driver to big bend. John Henry realized that thismachine threatened the livelihood of him and is co-workers. He challenged the salesman for acontest between him and the machine. At the end of the competition, John Henry had drivenmore steel with his fourteen pound hammer than the machine. But shortly after the competition,John Henry died on the spot from exhaustion from his efforts. (blackhistorynow.com)John Henry’s legend inspired many railway workers to work harder at what they do. Tothis day John Henry has inspired many workers of many different jobs. His story describesstrength and determination. (blackhistorynow.com).The legend of John Henry is described as a story that is supposed to
But researchers say that the actual location may have been in Alabama.(blackhistorynow.com). C&O was extending into the Ohio Valley and progress was halted by Big Bendmountain in West Virginia. It was a on and a half mile obstruction that they could not go around.It took them three years to blast through the tunnel. Hundreds of African american and whiteworkers died blasting through the tunnel. Most of them died from unsafe working conditions andtwelve-hour working days. Songs and stories about John Henry kept the workers entertained.(blackhistorynow.com).The legend goes as John Henry and his men were working on the tunnel, a salesmanbrought a machine known as the steam engine driver to big bend. John Henry realized that thismachine threatened the livelihood of him and is co-workers. He challenged the salesman for acontest between him and the machine. At the end of the competition, John Henry had drivenmore steel with his fourteen pound hammer than the machine. But shortly after the competition,John Henry died on the spot from exhaustion from his efforts. (blackhistorynow.com)John Henry’s legend inspired many railway workers to work harder at what they do. Tothis day John Henry has inspired many workers of many different jobs. His story describesstrength and determination. (blackhistorynow.com).The legend of John Henry is described as a story that is supposed to