BBRP In the News

The banjo is almost as symbolic of U.S. culture as the Washington Monument, and, just like the obelisk, it was created by people from the African continent.

That history is what Hannah Mayree, co-founder of The Black Banjo Reclamation Project, wants people to know. So this Sunday, July 13, at 924 Gilman in Berkeley, they’re hosting a Banjo Reclamation Showcase.

Greetings to our online community of supporters and collaborators!
Wishing everyone a happy Summer! For those of us in the Northern hemisphere I hope you are enjoying the popsicles and water activities and staying cool. Or perhaps you are attending a music camp, concerts or practicing your own music. We wanna stay journeying with you as we officially transition out of our fiscal sponsorship with OCF.

Dear Supporters,
I am coming to you in the best of spirits and with a reassuring notion attached to news of change.
We found out this week that we will no longer be able to use Open Collective as our non-profit fiscal sponsor due to the Open Collective Foundation dissolving.

As another year comes to an end, Black Banjo Reclamation Project celebrates 5 years of this growing organization!

As we enter another year we are in both reflection of 2023 accomplishments as well as excitement for the year ahead.

We are hoping this message find you all in a good place. We have good news to share today about the our most recent project! The weekend of October 14th -16th was a historic moment for the Black Banjo Reclamation Project as we rallied together with a unique and special group of Black artists and cultural workers to create hand-built banjos over a 4 day period.

Hello! This is Hannah with an update as we enter the later part of Summer 2023.

While the last 2 years I was participating in and leading banjo builds around the country, this summer has been a very different vibe for me! BBRP has been my baby over the last 5 years, a project very close to my heart that I’ve been able to co-create and build with many of you.

We invited the Black Banjo Reclamation Project’s Hannah Mayree to collaborate on a piece for this month’s Breakdown.

The organization holds many fellowship events, like a camp where participants get to build their own banjo and are taught about its history while learning to play it.

Of all the melodic musical instruments in the world, perhaps none is more connected to the land it comes from than the banjo.