The Banjo: Music, History, and Heritage

Jump into the history of the banjo! As you will discover right away, there is much to learn about this versatile instrument—starting with its origins in Africa and its link to African American culture. Explore the anatomy of the “gourd banjo” and consider the cross-cultural conversation between African and European music.

Continue your exploration of the gourd banjo as an African instrument and see how music as an entertainment crosses racial lines. You will learn about the connection between the banjo and the fiddle as you dig into the old-time country music of the African American string-band musician Joe Thompson.

As musical and comedy entertainment, minstrel shows have left a scar across American history due to the legacy of blackface. Although difficult to study today, minstrel shows play an important part in the banjo’s history, as it was through these shows that the banjo became a mainstream instrument in America.

While we may think of the banjo as an instrument for entertainment, the buried history reveals it has powerful spiritual roots in African and Caribbean culture. Delve into the connection between religious symbols and the early banjo—and reflect on the complex processes of cultural appropriation.

The late 1800s and early 1900s saw an explosion in historical, cultural, social, and technological change, and this change paved the way for the great American art form of jazz. From ragtime to New Orleans jazz, examine how the banjo’s capabilities for syncopation earned the instrument a prominent spot in exciting new music.

While African American music was transitioning from minstrel shows to jazz clubs, Irish immigrants were bringing their own cultural experiences to America—and the banjo fit right in with the rhythms of traditional Celtic music. Meet some of the early figures of the Irish banjo, which has strong connections to Afro-Caribbean culture.