“I pick the banjo up and they sneer at me,
'Cause I'm black myself…
I don't creep around, I stand proud and free
'Cause I'm black myself
I go anywhere that I wanna go
'Cause I'm black myself
I'm surrounded by many lovin' arms
'
Cause I'm black myself
And I'll stand my ground and smile in your face
'Cause I'm black myself”
— Amethyst Kiah
Few would deny the breadth and depth of Black influence on American music. From Gospel to Blues to Jazz to Rock and Roll, Soul, R&B, and Hip-Hop, Black artists have truly shaped the soundtrack of American life. But there’s a history most people know less about: namely, the critical Black contribution to Country music, often misperceived as a white genre. At a time when the contributions of Black people are being erased from textbooks, historic sites, and museums, it’s imperative that we reclaim this hidden history to demonstrate how deeply multicultural America has always been, even in spaces long believed to be the cultural product of only one group.
In fact, the story of country music begins in West Africa with a gourd-based instrument known as an akonting, which was the musical precursor to the banjo—itself an instrument played pretty much exclusively by Black folks until the middle of the 19th century, long before it became a staple of what came to be called “Hillbilly music.” In the 1920s and ‘30s, Black and white artists performed together on several hillbilly records, which borrowed heavily from the Blues. In short, what we know as country music was a hybrid from the beginning. So why don’t we know the names and stories of the people who inspired some of the best-known stars in country music history?
Because white audiences during Jim Crow couldn’t accept that the music they loved was the product of a multiracial and multicultural society with significant Black roots. The power of white supremacy trumped the willingness of the emerging country music industry to embrace its true origins. Although there have been significant strides in recent years, with Black artists finding greater success in Country than in the past, Black women still fight for attention and airplay, despite the critically acclaimed work of artists like Mickey Guyton, Rissi Palmer, Rhiannon Giddens, and Valerie June.
And, despite the success of Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter,” an album with both traditional and contemporary country elements, many among the country fan base—and within the industry itself—have struggled to accept it as a representation of the genre. Thankfully, with the leadership of folks like those in the Black Opry movement, which promotes the work of Black country artists, the African American roots and branches of this uniquely American musical tree refuse to remain obscured. Black artists are seizing the opportunities provided by new technologies to create, market and distribute their own music to fans without waiting for the approval of industry heads in the country cathedral of Nashville.
TODAY’S PRACTICE
Put your boots on the ground and dance! Play a video from a Black artist in Country (or the genre you love best) and join in.
LEARN MORE
Listen as a dynamic group of artists and scholars reclaim this often ignored history in The Sounds of Us: Intersectionality Matters! podcast with guests: Jake Blount (Musician and Historian), Amythyst Kiah (Banjo Player and Historian), Amanda Ewing (Luthier), Tim Wise (Writer and Racial Justice Educator), Denitia Odigie (Musician).
CALLS TO ACTION
SIGN UP HERE to join us February 18th at 7:30 pm ET to learn how to practice Liberation Table—a space to reflect, connect, and build something meaningful together. Liberation Table is a tradition for Black people of the African Diaspora—an opportunity to gather with friends and family over a meal with African diasporic roots. Register here.
CHECK OUT The Story of Us, “The New McCarthyism: Why Authoritarians Fear Storytellers” moderated by AAPF executive director Kimberlé Crenshaw and featuring Ava DuVernay, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Jacqueline Stewart. Featuring powerful artivism performances by two-time Tony Award winner Kara Young, Tony-nominated, Jon Michael Hill, and Theater and Africana Studies professor, Justin Emeka. Also, check out the Director's Cut from the event.
ADD the 2026 Google Liberation Calendar to your own calendar.
JOIN our WhatsApp community to engage w/ fellow participants!
DOWNLOAD the Liberation Table Guide.