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Contact: David Wooldridge, 434-352-8987 ext. 236
NPS
Release Date: Immediate Phone No: 434-352-8987 Ext. 236
Appomattox Court House NHP to Dedicate New State Historical Marker for Black Banjoists during 2019 Joel Sweeney & the Banjo Festival
Appomattox, VA –Join Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and the Appomattox 1865 Foundation as we dedicate a new Virginia Historical Marker to Black Banjoists at noon on Saturday, September 7, 2019, as part of the 6th Annual Joel Sweeney and the Banjo Festival. We will unveil this new marker near the Appomattox River in the park with a short ceremony featuring a keynote address and a brief performance by Grammy-Winning musician Dom Flemons.
Each year, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park celebrates the musical contributions of Joel Sweeney, the white popularizer of the banjo. Sweeney was born here, learned the art of the banjo from neighboring black musicians, and introduced the five string banjo to the world stage. Although the enslaved African American musicians who taught Sweeney never saw this stage, their music and their instrument defined American music. Through this marker dedication we honor musicians with stories yet unheard.
This dedication of the marker to the “Black Banjoists” will highlight the history of the banjo’s originators and their role in establishing the roots of American music. Their stories were missing in the original 1972 “Sweeney- Inventor of the Banjo” historical marker. Although mentioned in a new 1997 “Sweeney- Popularizer of the Banjo” sign, the “Black Banjoists” will finally be fully recognized for their contributions to the American musical landscape.
David Woolridge
Last updated: July 12, 2019