Bibliograph

Steel drivin' man, John Henry, the untold story of an American legend, Scott Reynolds Nelson

Type

Label

Steel drivin' man, John Henry, the untold story of an American legend, Scott Reynolds Nelson

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

resource.biographical

individual biography

Illustrations

illustrationsmaps

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

Steel drivin' man

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

69021073

Responsibility statement

Scott Reynolds Nelson

Review

"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 drill - is a towering figure in our culture. But for over a century, no one knew who the original John Henry was - or even if there was a real John Henry."

Sub title

John Henry, the untold story of an American legend

Summary

"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. Using census data, penitentiary reports, and railroad company reports, Nelson reveals how John Henry, victimized by Virginia's notorious Black Codes, was shipped to the infamous Richmond Penitentiary to become prisoner number 497 and was forced to labor on the mile-long Lewis Tunnel for the C & O railroad. Nelson even confirms the legendary contest between John Henry and the steam drill.""Equally important, Nelson captures the life of the ballad of John Henry, tracing the song's evolution from the first printed score by blues legend W.C. Handy, to Carl Sandburg's use of the ballad to become the first "folk singer, " to the upbeat version by Tennessee Ernie Ford. We see how the American Communist Party appropriated the image of John Henry as the idealized American worker, and even how John Henry became the precursor of such comic book superheroes as Superman and Captain America."--Jacket

Table Of Contents

The search for John Henry -- To the White House -- Wiseman's grocery -- Ward-well -- Man versus mountain -- The Southern Railway Octopus -- Songs people have sung: 1900-1930 -- Communist strongman

Classification