[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Banjo"

[Shapiro, Fred]

banjo (OED 1764)

1736 _New York Weekly Journal_ 7 Mar. in Laurent Dubois _The Banjo_ (2016) 73

This morning I heard my Landlord's black Fellow very busy at tuning of his Banger, as he call'd it, and playing some of his Tunes; I, who am always delighted with Music, be it never so rustic, under a Pretence of Washing came into the Kitchen, and at last asked, what the Meaning was of his being so merry?  He started up and with a blithsom Countenance answered, _Massa, to day Holiday; Backerah no work; Ningar no work; me no savy play Banger; go yander, you see Ningar play Banger for true, dance too; you see Sport to day for true._

Fred Shapiro

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