Category: Uncategorized

Barnes, Rhae Lynn. “Working Class Hero to Felon: Picking Apart the Banjo’s Cinematic Character Assassination in Postwar Mass Culture and Film.” Modern American History 7, no. 2 (July 1, 2024): 313–18. Working Class Hero to Felon: Picking Apart the Banjo’s Cinematic Character Assassination in Postwar Mass Culture and Film | Modern American History | Cambridge Core

Blount, Jake. “Jail the Zombie: Black Banjoists, Biopolitics, and Archives.” Modern American History 7, no. 2 (July 2024): 301–6. https://doi.org/10.1017/mah.2024.30. 

Conway, Cecelia. “Black Banjo Songsters in Appalachia.” Black Music Research Journal 23, no. 1/2 (2003): 149–66. https://doi.org/10.2307/3593213. 

Dubois, Laurent. The Banjo : America’s African Instrument. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2016.

Fulwood, Ethan L. “Quantitative Similarities between the Banjo and a Diverse Collection of West African Lutes.” Humanities & Social Sciences Communications 9, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01401-3. 

Khalid, Farisa. “Henry Ossawa Tanner, The Banjo Lesson.” September 9, 2016. Accessed September 19, 2025. https://smarthistory.org/tanner-banjo/. 

Pilgrim, David. “Who Was Jim Crow?” Jim Crow Museum, September, 2000, https://jimcrowmuseum.ferris.edu/who/index.htm. 

Stimeling, Travis D. “Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo’s Hidden History by Kristina R. Gaddy (Review).” Notes (Music Library Association) 80, no. 2 (2023): 346–48. https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2023.a912355. 

Thompson, Joseph M. “Five Strings for Freedom: The Banjo in Cold War America.” Modern American History (Cambridge.) 7, no. 2 (2024): 307–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/mah.2024.32. 

Thornton, Ramsey. “Affrilachian Banjo Lineage: Its Archaeological Trail, Instances of Black/White Exchange, and Lasting Legacy.” Order No. 30575206, Oklahoma State University, 2023. https://umw.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/affrilachian-banjo-lineage-archaeological-trail/docview/2910062412/se-2. 

Winans, Robert B, and Elias J Kaufman. “Minstrel and Classic Banjo: American and English Connections.” American Music (Champaign, Ill.) 12, no. 1 (1994): 1–30. Minstrel and Classic Banjo: American and English Connections on JSTOR 

(Listed in order of appearance)

World Bluegrass Day. “PBS Arts: Give Me the Banjo (2011).” December 13, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkmKzf99EjY.

Bluegrass Country Soul. “Earl Scruggs “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” with JD Crowe Bill Emerson Sonny Osborne and More.” December 27, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af9wHDrkjfk 

Craft in America. “Banjo maker Jim Hartel on the African heritage and American history of the banjo.” October 30, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbCjb6g-bT4. 

Visual Melodies. “Appalachian Bluegrass Banjo & Fiddle Music | Uplifting Happy Music | 🚫ADS.” September 13, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4R936oEuH4. 

Tracy Newman. “Cripple Creek” with Tracy Newman on the 5-string banjo.” August 11, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew6DS2bXYmk. 

“The Humble Genius Of Earl Scruggs.” Southern Songs and Stories, 2023. https://www.southernsongsandstories.com/blog/2023/1/23/the-humble-genius-of-earl-scruggs 

Grossman, Sid. n.d. Pete Seeger Photograph. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Accessed October 16, 2025. https://www.si.edu/object/pete-seeger:npg_NPG.94.85. 

LeDonne, Rob, “Steve Martin Explains His Love of Banjo Music: ‘It Rivals Any Specialized Genre,” Billboard, August 10, 2017, https://www.billboard.com/music/country/steve-martin-banjo-prize-interview-7897956/ ‌

Annie Spratt. “A Field With Trees and Clear Sky.” June 25, 2025. https://unsplash.com/photos/a-field-with-trees-and-clear-sky-WMYGNv7G7_E. 

Scott V. Linford. “Stories of Differentiation and Association: Narrative Identity and the Jola Ekonting.” Yearbook for Traditional Music 48 (2016): 94–114. https://doi.org/10.5921/yeartradmusi.48.2016.0094.

Sora Ngoni (Simbingo). 19th century. Gourd, skin, wood, leather, 88cm x 31cm x 27cm. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Open: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Artstor. https://jstor.org/stable/community.27235563. 

Maker: Mamadou Kouyaté (d. 1991) (bridge by Djimo Kouyaté). Kora. ca. 1960. Gourd, goat skin, antelope-hide, ebony, metal, wood, 45 9/16 × 20 11/16 × 17 in. (115.8 × 52.5 × 43.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Musical Instruments; Rogers Fund, 1975. https://jstor.org/stable/community.15645144.

Aymeric Inspiration Prod Gardey. “African Griots Live.” April 13, 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQMFN-whbEU 

Paul Draper. “Koromanti #1.” June 27, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffU8jknBzzM. 

Created by Unidentified. Gourd Head Banjo. ca. 1859. Gourd with wood and metal, H x W x D: 7 × 26 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. (17.8 × 67.3 × 6.4 cm). National Museum of African American History and Culture; Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://jstor.org/stable/community.31886663. 

Seutter, Matthew. “Map of the New World, with European settlements and American Indian tribes, 1730.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/map-new-world-european-settlements-and-american-indian. 

“Stewart Five-String Banjo | Smithsonian Institution.” 2025. Si.edu. 2025. https://www.si.edu/object/stewart-five-string-banjo:nmah_605689. 

“Gibson Tenor Banjo | Smithsonian Institution.” 2025. Si.edu. 2025. https://www.si.edu/object/gibson-tenor-banjo:nmah_606326. 

Bluegrass Preservation. “The Darlings – Dooley.” June 21, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oELWmTVR_j4. 

I Dream of Jeanie, directed by Allan Dwan (United States; Republic Pictures, 1952), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NqbxQw0rdY. 

Childe, J.W., and Meyer, H. Portrait of Thomas Dartmouth Rice. n.d. Sheet 8 1/2 x 11 3/8 inches. University of Illinois Theatrical Print Collection; Portraits of Actors, 1720-1920, University of Illinois Library. University Library (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Artstor. https://jstor.org/stable/community.12279635.

Pendleton. Thomas Dartmouth Rice as Jim Crow. n.d. Tinted rectangle  5 5/8 x 8 1/4 inches. University of Illinois Theatrical Print Collection; Portraits of Actors, 1720-1920, University of Illinois Library. University Library (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). Artstor. https://jstor.org/stable/community.12277836.

Ikachina. “Jump Jim Crow – Blackface Song and Dance — Extended Version.” Jul 19, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKzTaZLEKd4.

London: City Map. 1812. https://jstor.org/stable/community.13562185. 

Winans, Robert B, and Elias J Kaufman. “Minstrel and Classic Banjo: American and English Connections.” American Music (Champaign, Ill.) 12, no. 1 (1994): 1–30. Minstrel and Classic Banjo: American and English Connections on JSTOR

Plastic Jesus Instrumental – Search Videos. (2025). Bing.com. https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=plastic+jesus+instrumental&mid=DDEA41CB9326D6E6260BDDEA41CB9326D6E6260B&FORM=VIRE

“Taylor Swift—Grammys 2012 Performance!” Just Jared Jr, February 14, 2012, https://www.justjaredjr.com/2012/02/14/taylor-swift-grammys-2012-performance/?photomorehere 

“Darius Rucker: “Wagon Wheel” At New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash” Darius Rucker January 3, 2022 https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=darius+rucker+wagon+wheel+at+new+years&&mid=46CA6F46DE56D775936946CA6F46DE56D7759369&FORM=VAMGZC

“Dolly Parton Apple Jack” Dean Hammons February 8, 2009 https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=dolly+parton+apple+jack&&mid=2CA2ECCEACD91AB2933C2CA2ECCEACD91AB2933C&&FORM=VRDGAR

“Don Flemmons – In the Jailhouse Now” Don Flemmons October 15, 2013 https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=don+flemmons+in+the+jailhouse+now&mid=774ECB8E92CACFA54083774ECB8E92CACFA54083&FORM=VIRE

“Rhiannon Giddens Julie ” Macfoto February 11, 2015 https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=rhiannon+giddens+julie&mid=1FAF696D83D9CB75FED81FAF696D83D9CB75FED8&FORM=VIRE

“Amythyst Kiah – Darling Cora” July 5, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovzdZLXWnIg

Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson – John Henry Rhiannon Giddens & Nonesuch Records April 16, 2025https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=rhiannon+giddens+and+justin+robinson&mid=CD59BEDB430416F81323CD59BEDB430416F81323&FORM=VIRE

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For our project, our group agreed that we were interested in studying the history of a musical instrument.

After searching for different instruments, we settled on the banjo because of its strong association with American culture, making it an incredibly fitting topic for our documentary and project. We were already somewhat familiar with the instrument, but we did not have any background knowledge on the instrument itself, its invention, history, or antecedents other than the fact that it is viewed as a southern American instrument.

In our documentary, we explore how the banjo emerged as the icon in Bluegrass and Country music that it is today.