# Black Banjo Renaissance: Five Strings Toward a Black Horizon

On July 21, 2026, the American Folklife Center hosted “Black Banjo Renaissance: Reflections on the Future,” a symposium co-organized with Joe Z. Johnson. The event brought together musicians, scholars, and banjo makers involved in the Black Banjo Renaissance, a movement to reclaim and sustain the legacies of African American banjo players. This panel discussion focuses on the experiences of contemporary Black Banjo performers, exploring issues of inheritance and invention.

The session features Jake Blount, Demeanor, and Joe Z. Johnson, in conversation with moderator Lilian Werbin.

- Kind: Talk
- Year: 2026
- Runtime: 56 min
- By: Werbin, Lilian
- Archive: [Library of Congress](https://www.loc.gov/item/video-12486/)
- Licence or status: Rights statement at the Library of Congress (as the archive states it)
- Credit: Library of Congress
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/loc/video-12486?play=1)