“Strange Fruit”
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More than 4,000 Black people were publicly murdered in the United States between 1877 and 1950.
Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the 1930s, she found a poem written by a Jewish American teacher disturbed by how black people were treated in America. The poem was titled "Bitter Fruit."
Billie was hesitant to embrace politics through her music. She was concerned about getting targeted by the government for exposing the ugly truth. Billie was moved by the poem's powerful message and decided to sing it.
The song's impact was profound; when Billie sang it, the room would fall silent as the spotlight illuminated her face. She performed the song each night without an encore, and while some left the room in discomfort, others were deeply moved by the raw emotion and significance of her performance. She closed every show with "Strange Fruit." Despite resistance from southern radio stations, "Strange Fruit" became a massive success, selling one million copies and becoming her highest-selling record.
Billie Holiday faced opposition from racist figures like Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner Harry Anslinger. He was determined to silence her message about segregation and racism, demanding that she stop performing "Strange Fruit." Billie continued to sing the song, and in an attempt to destroy her life, Anslinger's agents framed her for heroin possession. This led to her spending a year in jail and losing her cabaret performers license in 1948, ending her nightclub career.
She continued to perform at concert venues, Billie struggled with the memories of her past and fell back victim to drug addiction. In 1959, she was hospitalized with heart, lung, and liver problems. Anslinger had his agents handcuff her to a hospital gurney and prevented doctors from providing treatment. Billie Holiday passed away on July 17, 1959, at the age of 44.
Her legacy endured, and in 1999, "Strange Fruit" was named Song of the Century by Time magazine.
In 2000, Billie Holiday was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring her courage to confront social issues through her art.
HELLA INSPIRED.
Billie Holiday was born on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the 1930s, she found a poem written by a Jewish American teacher disturbed by how black people were treated in America. The poem was titled "Bitter Fruit."
Billie was hesitant to embrace politics through her music. She was concerned about getting targeted by the government for exposing the ugly truth. Billie was moved by the poem's powerful message and decided to sing it.
The song's impact was profound; when Billie sang it, the room would fall silent as the spotlight illuminated her face. She performed the song each night without an encore, and while some left the room in discomfort, others were deeply moved by the raw emotion and significance of her performance. She closed every show with "Strange Fruit." Despite resistance from southern radio stations, "Strange Fruit" became a massive success, selling one million copies and becoming her highest-selling record.
Billie Holiday faced opposition from racist figures like Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner Harry Anslinger. He was determined to silence her message about segregation and racism, demanding that she stop performing "Strange Fruit." Billie continued to sing the song, and in an attempt to destroy her life, Anslinger's agents framed her for heroin possession. This led to her spending a year in jail and losing her cabaret performers license in 1948, ending her nightclub career.
She continued to perform at concert venues, Billie struggled with the memories of her past and fell back victim to drug addiction. In 1959, she was hospitalized with heart, lung, and liver problems. Anslinger had his agents handcuff her to a hospital gurney and prevented doctors from providing treatment. Billie Holiday passed away on July 17, 1959, at the age of 44.
Her legacy endured, and in 1999, "Strange Fruit" was named Song of the Century by Time magazine.
In 2000, Billie Holiday was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, honoring her courage to confront social issues through her art.
HELLA INSPIRED.