The Terror of Lynching and the Birth of “Strange Fruit”

Between 1900 and 1939, the United States witnessed 2,805 reported lynchings. In 1937, a Jewish teacher named Abel Meeropol came across a photograph of Black men who had been lynched—bodies hanging from tree branches. Such images were disturbingly common in the South, often displayed publicly like twisted trophies. Some were even turned into postcards and souvenirs.

Horrified, Meeropol wrote a poem titled Bitter Fruit, later renamed Strange Fruit. The lyrics graphically depict the haunting image of the hanging bodies:
“Blood on the leaves, blood at the root // Here is a strange, bitter crop.”
He shared the piece with Black musician Laura Duncan, who first performed it at Madison Square Garden. The song later gained fame through the powerful voice of Billie Holiday.

Billie Holiday’s Personal Connection to Injustice

Holiday was deeply moved by the lyrics. They reminded her of her father, a World War I veteran who had developed a lung disorder from mustard gas exposure. When he sought treatment, segregation laws denied him care. By the time he was admitted to the Jim Crow ward, it was too late—he died. America had accepted his service in war but treated him as disposable in peace.

Holiday began performing Strange Fruit at the end of her sets. Her audiences were mostly white, and she demanded their full attention—lights dimmed, service stopped, and a single spotlight fixed on her face. After the song, she left the stage. No encore. Just the haunting message left behind.

Silenced By The Industry

Holiday faced strong resistance from her record label. Columbia Records refused to release the song, fearing backlash. Eventually, she found support from the independent label Jazz Commodore, which agreed to release it. Since then, the record has sold over a million copies.

Meeropol’s Hidden Identity and Acts of Courage

Meeropol published under the more Anglo-sounding name Lewis Allen to conceal his Jewish heritage. In 1940, a New York State Legislative Committee investigated him on suspicion of spreading communist ideology in schools. He admitted to being a member of the American Communist Party but denied any political motive in writing Strange Fruit. No charges were filed.

In 1953, the Jewish couple Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for allegedly passing secrets to the Soviet Union, leaving their sons orphaned. Due to the stigma attached to their parents, no one would adopt the boys—until Abel Meeropol and his wife stepped in and raised them as their own.

Holiday’s Final Battle

Meanwhile, Holiday struggled with drug addiction and became a target of Harry Anslinger, a known racist and the U.S. Narcotics Commissioner. When he failed to have Strange Fruit banned, he allegedly orchestrated her arrest on drug charges.

Frank Sinatra, a close friend, later confirmed that Holiday had asked him to find her one final fix. Despite his mob ties, he was unable to obtain any heroin. In 1959, as she lay dying in a hospital bed, Anslinger’s agents raided her room and arrested her for heroin possession. Many believe the drugs were planted and that the arrest was part of a calculated sting operation.

Holiday died a month later, with only 77 cents to her name. Instead of receiving care, she was criminalized and further traumatized in her final days. She was just 44.

Nina Simone’s Explosive Protest: “Mississippi Goddam”

In 1964, at the height of her career, Nina Simone released Mississippi Goddam (And I Mean Every Word of It). Even the title sparked controversy—taking the Lord’s name in vain was especially offensive in the Bible Belt.

The previous year, Mississippi had witnessed the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers in his own driveway and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, which killed four Black girls. The civil rights movement was in overdrive, and Simone’s song captured the urgency and fury of the time.

Set to a fast-paced soul rhythm, the song feels like a stream of consciousness. Simone called out the government’s broken promises:
“You lied to me // While the whole country is full of lies, you’re gonna die and die like flies.”
Southern radio stations banned it, and Simone received broken copies of the record in the mail. Still, she performed the song across the country—including at Carnegie Hall, fulfilling a lifelong dream—and during the Selma March, attended by Martin Luther King Jr.

The Toll of Activism

Simone continued to create politically charged music, including Backlash Blues, Ain’t Got No, I Got Life, and even a cover of Strange Fruit. As her career became more political, she once remarked,
“I think that the artists who don’t get involved are probably happier. But you see, I have to live with Nina—and that is very difficult.”

The emotional and psychological toll eventually caught up with her. In 1974, she moved to West Africa, and in 1993, she settled in France, where she lived for the rest of her life.

Honourable Mentions

What’s Going On? – Marvin Gaye

The King is Dead – Nina Simone

A Change is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron

Coming Next: Women’s Rights Through Song: Voices of Power and Protest.

The fifth part of this project will investigate how women have used song to express their rights.