I just stumbled on this site: Banjo Roots: Banjo Beginnings on MySpace.

The authors say:

This site is the first of the Banjo Roots Network, a 'work-in-progress' being created and hosted by Shlomo Pestcoe and Greg C. Adams. It is a projected series of related sites on MySpace that will explore the many different aspects of the history of the banjo, its Afro-Creole origins in the Caribbean in the 17th century, and its deep roots in the West African family of plucked lutes.

The principal objective of the Banjo Roots Network is to be a platform for public outreach and education through which we can share the latest findings of recent banjo roots research. Likewise, we hope that it will also serve as a springboard for dialogue and collaboration between researchers within the banjo community as well as scholars working in different, but related disciplines.

Please be sure to visit our sister sites:

       * Banjo Roots: West Africa, "Exploring the Banjo's West African Heritage"

       * Ekonting, "A Living Link to the Banjo's West African Heritage"

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There's lots of information, including sound files, video, and images.

~ Becky in Tucson