Steel Drivin Man Nelson Summary

In Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry, Scott R. Nelson focuses on the legendary story of John Henry. Nelson explores the harsh realities of industrialization and convict leasing in the southern Appalachian Mountains. These experiences tell us how the rapid growth of railroads and industrial projects transformed the region, at the expense of African American laborers, who were exploited through the convict leasing system allowed by the 13th Amendment. By taking into consideration, the environmental impact, how the landscape was reshaped and the natural world disrupted, we gain a deeper understanding of how the forces of industrialization converged with social injustice and environmental degradation. Through the experiences of John Henry, we can get a sense of
Prison labor allowed states, private businesses and corporations to exploit cheap labor. After the Civil War, and especially during reconstruction, the convict leasing system supplied cheap exploited labor often likened to slavery. Henry, himself being a leased convict, ended up as a steel driver for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). John Henry’s work on railways, especially in the Allegheny Mountains, helped connect much of the region to the Carolinas, Tennessee, etc. The work that men like Henry did during this time reflects on the importance of African American men in the industrialization of the south. His experiences also help to illustrate the exploitation of African Americans in the building of infrastructure. Claiborne R. Mason, a railroad contractor who was involved with the C&O railroad, would eventually lead hundreds of contracted prison workers to their deaths. He was also responsible for the use of slaves and convicts alike when building some of the first railroads in Virginia, prior to the passage of the 13th amendment. These slaves and prisoners were responsible for the grading and laying of the