History of the Banjo | Kentucky Studies

The American banjo has its roots in diverse African cultures. As Africans were forcibly brought to the Americas during the slave trade, they were not able to bring personal possessions with them, but they did bring their knowledge and traditions, including their knowledge of how to make and play musical instruments. They used the materials found in their new environments to create instruments that resembled the instruments of their homelands. Over time, these instruments continued to evolve.