The folktales and stories about heroes (and scoundrels) we hear about are usually assumed to be made-up stories. But these three well-known characters are not only real. They’re part of our culture.
#1 Stagger Lee – He’s been the subject of songs, chants, rhymes, and poems but was a street hustler. One night, after having one too many drinks, he got into a fight and killed a man who threatened him. Though he faced tough trials and public opposition, he stood up to authority.
#2 John Henry—This railroad worker is an American legend who was so strong that he outperformed a steam-powered drill but then dropped dead. In real life, he was a 19-year-old “steel drivin’ man” whose life reminds us that we aren’t machines to be exploited by white people.
#3 Cooter Brown – Though some historians aren’t sure about Brown’s origins, others say he was a Black and Cherokee man who refused to fight in the Civil War. To avoid fighting to preserve enslavement or having to serve Union soldiers, he decided to stay so drunk that he would be useless to both sides. Soldiers called him “drunk Cooter Brown.” He refused to be used.
These legends remind us that the power of a story can span and inspire across time. What legacy would you leave for Black liberation if you were a folktale character?