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Is John Henry a folk hero?
Is John Henry a song?
Why did John Henry die with his hammer in his hand?
Was John Henry based on a true story?
John Henry is a symbol of physical strength and endurance, of exploited labor, of the dignity of a human being against the degradations of the machine age, and of racial pride and solidarity. During World War II his image was used in U.S. government propaganda as a symbol of social tolerance and diversity. [14]
- 1840s or 1850s
- American folk hero
John Henry. Statue of John Henry, near Talcott, West Virginia. John Henry, hero of a widely sung African American folk ballad. 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 the worker’s ...
