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     Hobo

 The word "hobo" refers to a migrant worker or vagrant in American culture, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A hobo is someone who travels from place to place seeking temporary work. Unlike "tramps" (who typically avoid work) or "bums" (who are considered idle), hobos prided themselves on working wherever they could find employment.  Economic hardship, expanding railroads, and industrial growth created a class of itinerant workers. Hobos often traveled by "riding the rails"—hopping onto freight trains without paying.  Many men and young people became hobos, traveling to survive. Hobos became iconic figures in American folklore, music, and literature. Jack London's works and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men celebrated or depicted the hobo life. Folk and country songs frequently referenced hobos (e.g., Woody Guthrie's hobo ballads). In art hobos were often romanticized as rugged, free spirits seeking adventure and survival against the odds.


​December 18th 2024

 
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