Page 5 - Lapbook_OrsolyaFarkas2

This is how it reached Billie Holiday
who was really touched by the lyrics.
Her dad was refused to be taken
care of at a hospital, since he was
Black and he died because of a
serious lungs disease.
In her autobiography she remarks:

: “ It reminds me of how Pop died...But I have to keep singing it, not only because people
ask for it, but 20 years after Pop died, the things that killed him are still happening in the
South.”

After Billie Holiday first
performed the song Strange
Fruit at a NY nightclub it was
followed by mixed reactions
since the nightclub was rather
filled by white men. Those who
felt sympathy were applauding
till they could, but there were
some audience members who
simply just left the place. One
racist individual, Aslinger
,forbade Holiday to perform,
but she refused. As an answer
they framed Holiday, knowing
that she is a drug user, and
sold her heroin.

Billie Holiday’s release
Her release from prison was
in 1948; her career as a
performer was over at the
nightclub.
After her death the song
remained as one of the
greatest songs which was a
political protest and a work
of art at the same time.

5