The Banjo: Music, History, and Heritage

Course Overview

Course No. 30460

Open your eyes and ears to the rich—and surprising—cross-cultural history of the banjo with GRAMMY®-Award winning artist Rhiannon Giddens.

This 10-episode journey explores:

• The banjo’s African roots and Afro-Caribbean origins
• Its evolution through minstrel shows, jazz, and bluegrass
• Key figures like Joe Thompson, Earl Scruggs, and Béla Fleck
• The instrument’s role in America’s cultural conversations
• Modern revivals by artists like Mumford & Sons

Video Lectures

01: Hearing the Banjo’s Journey from Africa (24 min)

Discover the banjo’s African origins and the “gourd banjo” while exploring African-European musical exchanges.

02: The Banjo and the Fiddle Together (23 min)

Examine the African American string-band tradition through musician Joe Thompson’s legacy.

03: Minstrel Banjo (27 min)

Confront the complex history of blackface minstrelsy that popularized the banjo in mainstream America.

04: The Spiritual Roots of the Banjo (24 min)

Uncover the banjo’s sacred connections in African/Caribbean culture and processes of cultural appropriation.

05: The Banjo in Ragtime and Jazz (22 min)

See how the banjo’s syncopation found a home in early jazz and ragtime ensembles.

06: The Irish Banjo (24 min)

Trace how Irish immigrants adapted the banjo to Celtic rhythms while maintaining Afro-Caribbean ties.

07: The Banjo’s Evolution in Ireland (22 min)

Track technical developments from gourd banjos to tambourines and modern “cross-picking” techniques.

08: Migration, Music, and Commercialization (21 min)

Analyze bluegrass’s rise with Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs, plus Béla Fleck’s genre-expanding innovations.

09: The Banjo in String Bands and Bluegrass (18 min)

Understand why African Americans stopped playing banjos and how folk music reclaimed rural traditions.

10: Banjo Revival and Our Collective Story (23 min)

Celebrate modern banjo reinventions by Mumford & Sons, Billy Strings, and Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Bonus Performances

11: “Kitchen Girl” with Enda Scahill (3 min)

Irish banjo performance demonstrating traditional techniques.

12: “Old Corn Likker” with Justin Robinson (3 min)

African American string-band style performance.

13: “Better Git Yer Learnin'” (3 min)

Modern folk revival performance.