Why is John Henry a folk hero exactly?

[lazyfatbum]

Reading the story I thought it was cute until I got to the end and I was sad for days. I dont think it has anything to do with being a negro, I think it's a story that says a man is capable of anything and everything, but at his own cost.

I'm willing to bet the John Henry's story probably was very real and happened many, many times as railroad workers had to compete with machines and work harder and faster.