John Henry was a steel driver, a key laborer in building tunnels. His job was to make holes in the rock face for explosives that would blast away the rock to create the tunnel. To do this, he used a heavy long-handled hammer to drive a steel drill into the rock. When the drill reached the proper depth, it was removed, and the hole was packed with explosives before the rock was blasted free. This process was repeated over and over as they worked their way through the mountain.

Each steel driver worked closely with a partner called a turner or shaker, who held the drill steady and turned it after each strike of the hammer. The two-man teams had to be highly coordinated as timing and precision were crucial for the work to be done safely and efficiently. These teams faced dangerous, grueling conditions.