RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – The Library of Virginia will host author and musician Kristina Gaddy for a free book talk and performance Wednesday, July 1, at 6 p.m. to discuss the banjo's roots in Black history and culture and perform music from 18th- and 19th-century Virginia. 

In her book “Well of Souls: Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History,” Gaddy tells an extraordinary story unfolding across 200 years, uncovering the banjo’s key role in Black spirituality, ritual and rebellion. She will also perform selections from “Go Back and Fetch It: Recovering Early Black Music in the Americas for Fiddle and Banjo,” co-authored with Rhiannon Giddens. Registration is required at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/16757051.

For her writing and research, Baltimore-based Gaddy has received the Parsons Award from the Library of Congress, the Logan Nonfiction Fellowship, residencies at Hedgebrook and The Mastheads, and a Robert W. Deutsch Foundation Rubys Artist Award. A book signing will follow the talk.

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ABOUT THE LIBRARY OF VIRGINIA 
The Library of Virginia is the leading source of information on Virginia’s history, government and people. The Library’s collections, containing more than 134 million items, document and illustrate the lives of both famous Virginians and ordinary citizens. Our online resources draw nearly 2 million website visits per year, and our on-site records, exhibitions and events bring in thousands of visitors annually. The Library is located in downtown Richmond near Capitol Square at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Learn more at www.lva.virginia.gov.