Don,
I know that my work is controversial and a lot of folks wouldn't agree with my ideas about John Henry. But some folks (for example, Alan Dundes and Lawrence Levine) have suggested that the struggle between black and white may be a significant aspect of the legend. They don't point to much in the way of evidence so I'm looking for it, mostly by looking at lyrics. I've still got a lot of research to do so I don't know what I might find, either to support, refute, or modify my ideas. Even if you don't agree with me, if you're open to the possibility that I might be on to something, you might check my website every six months or so to see what has developed.
Jim Hauser