Disneys retelling of the legend of john henry, the steeldriving man. But despair sets in again when the railroad sends a steam hammer to replace the crew and burns the contract. John henry is a massive for the time, at least and handsome black man. Naden 1980, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. 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. 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. He was born a slave in the 1840s but was freed after the war.
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. The ballad john henry is the most recorded folk song in american history and john henrythe mighty railroad man who could blast through. John henry, the steel driving man live by the johnson mountain boys. When john henry was a little baby,setting on his mammys knee,he said the big bend tunnel on the c. John henry said to his captain, captain, you go to town, bring me back a twelvepound hammer, please. 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. John henry was a steel driving man, he had a pretty little wife named polly anne.
He looks like he is ready to spring off of his stone base and drive some serious steel. Much of the john henry story can be traced to the author guy johnson, who published a book called john henry. Not long ago, the fakenews rag the onion cleverly updated an industrial age tale for the digital era. Given his line of work, he probably wears relatively tightfitting clothing, if any to minimize the buildup of heat when working.
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. 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. John henry drove spikes in the rail tracks, and he was faster than anybody whod ever worked the rails. 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.
The bronze statue is a testament to the folk legend, whose win over a mechanical steel driver is celebrated in songs and stories. Scott nelson, from the college of william and mary, believes he has found the real john henry. And john henry was the strongest, the most powerful man working the rails. Taking swings at a myth, with john henry the man the new york.
The last words i heard that poor boy say, my daddy was steeldriving 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. Describes the life of the legendary steeldriving man who was born and who died with a hammer in his hand. 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. Steel drivin man john s job was extremely difficult and dangerous. In his 2006 book steel drivin man, scott nelson utilizes john william henry, who might have worked in virginias lewis tunnel and died therein. Historians have long speculated that the john henry ballads, which began. 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. 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. Many might be surprised, however, to discover that john henry was a real man. 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. The ballad of john henry, the steeldrivin mannook book. He was looking down on a piece of steel says, a steel driving man i will be. 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. 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.
Steel drivin man by scott reynolds nelson houston chronicle. 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. 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. Steel drivin man scott reynolds nelson oxford university. Please join our john henry yahoo discussion group read dr. 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. Did you mean john henry steel driving men john henry the steel driving man pt. John henry, a freed slave, happens across a railroad building project. But they were also proud of him for saving their jobs. The story of john henry is told in a classic folk song, which exists in many versions, and has been the subject of. It was a song about john henry, the steeldriving man.
John henry, the untold story of an american legend, scott nelson contends that the ballad was based on a real person. When john henry was a little boy, he was sitting on his papas knee. The phallic nature of the description is obvious, chappell points out. 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. 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. 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, he would spend his days drilling holes by hitting thick steel spikes. 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. The animated steel is missing the cape he adapted from superman after he saved john s life in superman.
John henry went up on the mountain looked down on the other side lord the mountain was so tall john henry was so small. Blackafricanafrican american, whiteeuropean americancaucasian. In his premiere episode heavy metal, his rivet guns were replaced with forearmmounted lasers. 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. From that day on, they sang a new song as they worked. 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. 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. John, though, has the strength of ten men, and revitalizes all of them. 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. In the race of man against machine, john henry won, but he hammered so hard that he broke his heart. John henry was a steel driving man, he had a pretty little. His job was hitting steel spikes into rocks, and he was the fastest and strongest worker on the line. 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. 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. 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. In steel drivin man, his fascinating book of popular history, scott reynolds nelson literally brings this classic. 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.
Many americans are familiar with the story of john henry. 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. 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. John henry, the untold story of an american legend nelson, scott. Each page seems to radiate the vital force that led john henry to challenge a steam drill to a rockdrilling contestand win. The legend of john henry level m 15 16 the other workers were sad to lose john henry. An illustration by robert anning bell from the book poems of shelley 1902. On the trail of the real john henry history news network.
According to the ballad that made him famous, john henry did battle with a steampowered drill, beat the machine, and died. Glossary civil war the war between the northern and southern states of the united states of. This early version was called john henry, steel driving man and contained 12 stanzas. John henry biography at black history now black heritage. Steel drivin man johns job was extremely difficult and dangerous. This story recounts the trip an independent journalist hack. The spark of intelligence blazing in his eyes rivaled only by such characters as batman and steel. Garst provides his perspective on ideas presented in dr. For the left, henry symbolizes the workingclass hero. John henry was a little baby boy you could hold him on the palm of your hand and his papa cried out this lonesome farewell son youre gonna be a steel driving man lord, lord son youre gonna be a steel driving man. This book not only brought him alive for me, but the research and. He is said to have worked as a steeldriving mana man tasked with hammering a steel drill into rock to make. American legends and folktales celebrates the wisdom and.
Johnson obtained lyrics to the song that he estimated were written down in 1900. Hes looking at a piece of steel between his legs as he sits on his fathers lap. 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. 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. 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. In the folk ballads, the central event took place under such conditions. You are nothing but a common man, before that steam drill shall beat me down. In steel drivin man, scott reynolds nelson argues that the john henry story was no tall tale, and henry himself no myth. Sep 28, 20 in the race of man against machine, john henry won, but he hammered so hard that he broke his heart. The 20yearold new jerseyborn africanamerican freeman, john william henry, was a working in the headquarters of the 3rd army corps in 1863. 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 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. John henry, the untold story of an american legend is a tribute and requiem to the real steel drivin men who built this country.
Visiting the great bend tunnel and the statue of john henry, a steel driving man. 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. The rest of the book recounts the history of the john henry ballads. Colson whitehead follows up the brilliant the intuitionist with another strong effort. 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. Historians have long speculated that the john henry ballads, which. 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 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. Henry was a steel drivin man, meaning that his job was to hammer steel bits into the rock where dynamite could then be placed. Written at the crossroads where american myth and reality intersect, steel drivin man. John henry the folk legend was said to be a steeldriving man, a. John henry, the untold story of an american legend. 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. 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 was a steeldrivin man eecs at uc berkeley. Apr 17, 2017 visiting the great bend tunnel and the statue of john henry, a steel driving man. Henry was taken to the penitentiary at virginia and interred at a group grave. 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. Thisconsistedofdriving a metal spike into the rock with a hammer.