John Henry and His People: The Historical Origin and Lore of

John Henry and His PeopleThe Historical Origin and Lore of America's Great Folk Ballad\nAuthor(s): John Garst\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: McFarland & Co Inc, United States\nImprint: McFarland & Co Inc\nISBN-13: 9781476686110, 978-1476686110\nSynopsis\nThe song \""John Henry,\"" perhaps America's greatest folk ballad, is about an African-American steel driver who raced and beat a steam drill, dying \""with his hammer in his hand\"" from the effort. Most singers and historians believe John Henry was a real person, not a fictitious one, and that his story took place in West Virginia--though other places have been proposed. John Garst argues convincingly that it took place near Dunnavant, Alabama, in 1887.\n\nThe author's reconstruction, based on contemporaneous evidence and subsequent research, uncovers a fascinating story that supports the Dunnavant location and provides new insights.\n\nBeyond John Henry, readers will discover the lives and work of his people: Black and white s.