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The story of John Henry is usually told through a folk song called a ballad. The ballad describes a contest between John Henry, a strong African American man who works on the railroad, and a new machine. The machine is supposed to do the same job as the railroad workers but better and faster.
An African American man named John Henry was the hero of former slaves and the people who built the railroads. He was known for his strength. Railroads began to link the United States together in...
John Henry: The Steel Driving Man - American Folklore. Retold by S.E. Schlosser. A West Virginia Legend. Now John Henry was a mighty man, yes sir. He was born a slave in the 1840’s but was freed after the war. He went to work as a steel-driver for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, don’t ya know.
The Legend of John Henry. Tall Tale (fiction), 712 words, Level M (Grade 2), Lexile 550L. John Henry is one of the most famous American tall tales. Readers will be introduced to John Henry, who grew up enslaved and went on to be known as the fastest and strongest steel driver on the railroad.