From Africa to Appalachia: Celebrating the history of the banjo
In a few days, teachers from across the state will gather at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) to discover why the banjo, originally a primitive gourd instrument brought to the New World by African slaves, has become such a centerpiece in Appalachian folk music. In addition to listening to some of the best banjo pickin’ found in the mountains of Western North Carolina and attending the Mountain Heritage Day Festival, teachers attending the NCCAT seminar will hear lectures/discussions from Cece Conway, a professor of Appalachian studies at Appalachian State University and author of African Banjo Echoes in Appalachia. Read full story
