Share 'Role of chords in early banjo music'

Here is a total newbie question from a guy who is still building his first minstrel banjo and has only had a four string Vega plectrum banjo from the '20s to fool around with until my banjo is done (any day now, I hope!). Hope this isn't too stupid a question! I am trying to reconcile two conflicting bits of information about the role of chords. The first is Bob Winans' comment in his "The Folk,…