John Henry

John Henry is an American folk hero. An African American freedman, he worked as a "steel-driving man"—hammering steel drills into rock to create holes for explosives used in railroad tunnel construction.

His legendary story, immortalized in a classic blues folk song with many variations, centers on his famous contest against a steam-powered rock drilling machine. According to the legend, John Henry proved his superior strength by winning the race against the machine, only to die from heart failure immediately afterward, hammer still clutched in his hand.

Several locations claim to be the site of this legendary contest, including Big Bend Tunnel in West Virginia, Lewis Tunnel in Virginia, and Coosa Mountain Tunnel in Alabama.

The competition highlighted the skilled partnership between hammermen like John Henry and their "shakers." While John Henry would strike the drill with his hammer, the shaker would hold the chisel-like drill against the rock and then "rock and roll" it—wiggling and rotating to maximize its effectiveness. The steam drill, despite its mechanical power, couldn't clear away rock chips and frequently broke down, giving the human team their advantage.

John Henry's story has inspired numerous stories, plays, books, and novels that explore themes of human dignity, the struggle against mechanization, and African American strength and resilience.