John Henry

John Henry is a common name, which may refer to any of the following people:

• John Henry (folklore), an African-American folk hero.
• John Henry (horse), racing horse named after the above.
• John Henry (senator), (1750-1798), U.S. Senator for and Governor of Maryland.
• John Henry (representative), (1800-1882), U.S. Representative for Illinois.
• John Henry (album), a They Might Be Giants music album, released in 1994.
• John Flournoy Henry, (1793-1873), U.S. Representative for Kentucky

John Henry was also the title of a 1931 novel by Roark Bradford, based on the legend. It was made into a Broadway play and later a musical featuring Paul Robeson.

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John Henry (album)

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

John Henry is the name of They Might Be Giants' fifth album, although it is the sixth disc in their discography. It is the first album in which they utilized a full band, as opposed to playing most or all of the instruments themselves. Many of their fans were disappointed in the change; others embraced the new sound.

The track listing is as follows:

1. Subliminal
2. Snail Shell
3. Sleeping in the Flowers
4. Unrelated Thing
5. AKA Driver - While the lyrics to the song refer to a 'Nyquil driver,' legal issues--whether real or perceived--required a title with no reference to the medicine, and the lyrics to the song are omitted from the CD insert.
6. I Should Be Allowed To Think
7. Extra Savoir-Faire
8. Why Must I Be Sad?
9. Spy
10. O, Do Not Forsake Me
11. No One Knows My Plan
12. Dirt Bike
13. Destination Moon
14. A Self Called Nowhere
15. Meet James Ensor
16. Thermostat
17. Window
18. Out of Jail
19. Stomp Box
20. End of the Tour
    
    

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    John Henry (folklore)

    (From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

    "John Henry was a steel driving man".

    An African-American folk hero, John Henry has been the subject of numerous songs, stories, plays and novels. Like other "Big Men" (Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Iron John), John Henry was a mythic representation of a particular group within the melting pot of the 19th century working class. In the most popular story of his life, Henry is born into the world big, mean and strong as ten men. He grows to be one of the greatest "steel-drivers" in the mid-century push to extend the railroads across the mountains to the west. The complication of the story is that, in order to save money, the owner of the railroad buys a steam-powered hammer to do the work of his mostly black driving crew. In a bid to save his job, and the jobs of his men, John Henry challenges the inventor to a contest: John Henry VS. the Steam-Hammer. John defeats the Steam-Hammer in driving spikes, but in the process he suffers a heart attack and dies a martyr.

    The story of John Henry was re-worked in a comic song by the songwriting duo The Smothers Brothers. In their version, John Henry takes on the Steam-Hammer and is narrowly defeated, but ends saying 'I'm gonna get me a steam-hammer too!'

    While he was probably not a real character, Henry became an important symbol of the working man. Particularly important was his rejection of the classic "work ethic" so popular in the 19th century (and even today). The basic claim of the legend is that, even if you are the greatest worker that ever lived, management remains ambivalent to your health and well-being. They worked John Henry to death, and then replaced his men with a machine anyway. Because of this message, the legend of John Henry has been a staple of leftist politics, labor organizing and American counter-culture for well over one hundred years.
    
    

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    John Henry (horse)

    (From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

    John Henry is a thoroughbred race horse named after the folk hero John Henry. He is a gelding (a castrated male horse). A foal of 1975, John Henry was from breeding that might best be described as plebian. His sire, Ole Bob Bowers, once sold for just $900, and was not in much demand by breeders; his dam, Once Double, was an undistinguished runner and producer, but was sired by Double Jay, who had proven to be a useful broodmare sire.

    John Henry was sold as a yearling for $1,100 at the Keeneland January Mixed sale. From there, he was shuffled around through a series of owners and trainers, making his mark as a workmanlike racehorse who earned money in minor stakes, allowance races and mid-level claiming races.

    In 1979, John Henry was sent to trainer Ron McAnally in California. Whether it was hall-of-famer McAnally's handling of him, the change of scene from the east coast to the tracks in California, or just that the late-maturing John Henry was finally coming into his own as a racehorse cannot be determined; but it was at this point that the small, plain, dark bay or brown gelding started hitting his stride.

    Racing through the age of 9, John Henry became a force to be reckoned with in the handicap and turf stakes races of the time. He twice won the Santa Anita Handicap (once by disqualification); twice won the Arlington Million Stakes; his final race record stood at 83 starts, 39 wins, 15 seconds, and 9 thirds with $6,497,947 in earnings. He was twice voted Horse of the Year.

    John Henry's owner, Sam Rubin, sent the horse to the Kentucky Horse Park to live in the Hall of Champions barn there, sharing company with other retired champions. In the annals of racing, John Henry earned his place of greatness through toughness, tenacity, and hard work rather than intrinsic brilliance.
    
    

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    John Henry (senator)

    (From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

    John Henry (November 1750- December 16, 1798) was a Governor of Maryland and member of the United States Senate. He was born near Vienna in Dorchester County, Maryland.

    He was a member of the Episcopal Church and the United States Democratic-Republican Party.

    He attended West Nottingham Academy in Cecil County, Maryland and graduated from the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University) in 1769; he then studied law at the Middle Temple (one of the Inns of Court where English barristers are trained) in London, England. He returned to the United States in 1775 and practiced law in Dorchester County.

    He served as a member of Maryland State House of Delegates from 1777 to 1780 and a member of the Maryland State Senate from 1780 to 1790. During that time he was chosen as a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland from 1778 to 1780 and from 1785 to 1786; during his service, he was a member of the committee that prepared the ordinance for the government of the Northwest Territory. He was elected to be one of the first two Senators from Maryland, serving 1789 till his resignation on December 10, 1797, to take the Governorship. He received 2 electoral votes for President of the United States in the 1796 election. He served as Governor of Maryland from 1797 to 1798. He died in Dorchester County, Md. at the same estate, named "Weston," where he had been born.