The Hobo pictured is
#289: Sweetback Barney, the Dilettante

This illustration was created by
Ape Lad

View this illustration on Flickr

Illustration Description
A "sweetback", as defined by Ralph Ellison in Invisible Man, is a married man who doesn't work and depends on his wife's income. It's also the name of Sade's backup band.

Flickr Tags
  • 700hoboes
  • the areas of my expertise
  • John Hodgman's 700 hobo names
  • e-hobo.com
  • sweetback
  • sade
  • dilettante

Other illustrations of this hobo:
#289: Sweetback Barney, the Dilettante

Good Evening. This site is inspired by the writings of author John Hodgman and his book Areas of My Expertise. It is meant as an homage to the
wandering men and women who chose to ride the rails during and before The Great Depression, and not the contemporary urban (or rural) poor.