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‘John Henryism’: The hidden health impact of race inequality
The stress of racial inequality can be deadly. In the latest in our series Wise Words, we explore how a black American folk hero gave a name to the...
It was a story of man against machine.
In the 1800s, the black American railroad worker John Henry faced a contest that would tax his strength enough to kill him.
- Richard Fisher
- BBC
According to the legend, Henry’s job was to hammer metal rods into rock, ready for explosives.
One day, he was pitted in a race against a steam-powered drill, which required much less toil, and threatened the workers’ livelihoods.
Against the odds…