John the Conqueror second cousin/That little Johnny Conqueroo", and in "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" it is called "John De Conquer Blue". John the Conqueror was an African prince who was sold as a slave in the Americas. Despite his enslavement, his spirit was never broken and he survived in folklore as a sort of a trickster figure, because of the tricks he played to evade his masters. Joel Chandler Harris's Br'er Rabbit of the "Uncle Remus" stories is said to be patterned after High John the Conqueror. Zora Neale Hurston wrote of his adventures ("High John de Conquer") in her collection of
The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit chicanery of the protagonist would not matter so much, nor would the sometimes positively homicidal humor of the material." and concluded "This misbegotten resurrection is a terrible waste of very considerable talents. Julius Lester comes through at his irresistible best, as a compelling and frequently hilarious teller of tall tales. Every single illustration by Jerry Pinkney is fastidious, inspired and a marvel of delightful imagination. Perhaps Mr. Lester and Mr. Pinkney will soon collaborate on new material more worthy of their labors. Certainly, I hope so." The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit The Tales of Uncle