Summary
An exploration of the US government's campaign to silence Billie Holiday and her performance of the anti-lynching song Strange Fruit.
Highlights
The debut of Strange Fruit
00:00:00
In 1939, Billie Holiday began performing Strange Fruit, a powerful and harrowing song highlighting the racial terror of lynching in America during the Jim Crow era.
Government persecution
00:00:44
The federal government attempted to suppress the song, leading Harry Anslinger of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics to target Holiday. Agents intimidated her, raided her performances, and pressured clubs to stop booking her.
Targeting her character and legacy
00:01:17
Failing to stop the message, the government exploited Holiday's addiction issues to arrest her on trumped-up charges. She ultimately died in police custody, yet the song remains a powerful symbol of protest that continues to be performed today.