Andra day, 32, paid homage to the influential legacy of billie holiday at the 2017 global citizen festival with an impassioned performance of the infamous protest ballad, strange fruit. Background strange fruit strange fruit was written by abel meeropol, a jewish school teacher and union activist. Release dates 11 also known as aka 2 release dates usa may 2002 seattle international film festival usa 30 july 2002 woods hole film festival usa september 2002 breckenridge film festival usa 6 november 2002 new york city, new york usa 8 january 2003 san. Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck for the sun to rot, for a tree to drop here is a strange and bitter crop. Strange fruit performed by members of fantashique adult company 62015.
It is the story of billie holiday and abel meeropol in their quest to shed light on racial injustice, especially lynching, in america. Strange fruit explores the tribulations of william boyals, a successful new york lawyer and gay africanamerican who comes home to the life from which he escaped to investigate the lynching of his alsogay childhood friend, kelvin. Holiday may have popularized strange fruit and turned it into a work of art, but it was a jewish communist teacher and civil rights activist from the bronx. It is the story of billie holiday and abel meeropol in their quest to shed light. Credits strange fruit page credits for videomakers of videos used on this page. The songs evolution tells a dramatic story of americas radical past using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as its epicenter. Strange fruit is a 2004 film written and directed by kyle schickner and starring kent faulcon as william boyals and berlinda tolbert as emma ayers. Strange fruit was first performed at a new york teachers union meeting and was brought to the attention of the manager of cafe society, a popular greenwich. In an extract from his history of protest songs, dorian lynskey explores the power of strange fruit. Named in 1999 the song of the millennium by time magazine, and bestknown from billie holidays haunting 1939 rendition, the song strange fruit is a harrowing portrayal of the lynching of a black man in the american south. On august 9th, 2014 an unarmed 18yearold named michael brown was killed by officer darren wilson. Joel katz documentary from 2002 is very touching, very moving movie about. Nprs elizabeth blair has the story of abel meeropol, a man with two extraordinary life stories. With dorothy thigpen, milton gabler, farah jasmine griffin, c.
The peaceful daily routine of father and son is interrupted by an encounter of an unfamiliar boy, different from them in color. Oct 20, 2007 this film won 4th place at the 2006 national history day. Southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root. Shimi asresay and hili noy graduation short film from bezalel academy of art and design, jerusalem. The film focuses on the personal lives of the band members and those closest to. Strange fruit page credits for videomakers of videos used on this page. Strange fruit was an early cry for civil rightssome might even say it was the beginning of the civil rights movement. In billie holidays song strange fruit, the theme demonstrates the horror of lynching in postcivil war america in the deep south. It was first performed at a new york teachers union rally and was brought to the.
Reviews the historical events, contexts and incidents of racial hatred that the songs title represents, and then the subsequent performances by billie holiday that brought the song and its message to a national audience. Bestknown from billie holidays haunting 1939 rendition, the song strange fruit is a harrowing. With brian blu, brittany enos, michelle perks, jed curtis. Primus played an important role in the presentation of african dance to american audiences. In 1937, after seeing a photo depicting the lynching of a black man in the south, bronxborn high school teacher abel meeropol wrote a poem entitled strange fruit that begins with the words. The film tells a dramatic story of americas past by using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as its epicenter.
Bob dylan cited strange fruit as an influence in the 2005 documentary no direction home. Won 2003 atlanta jewish film festival, audience winner, joel katz director won 2002 doubletake documentary film festival, jury award honorable mention, joel katz won 2003 organization of american historians, honorable mention, joel katz won 2002 usa film festival, nonfiction, joel katz. Independent television service oniera films california newsreel firm. This project analyzes how the song strange fruit encounter, and allowed others to encounter, the problem of lynchings in the united states. The library of congress honored the song as one of 50 recordings chosen that year to add to the national recording registry. A reinterpretation of the poem by abel meeropol in modern times, october travels down middle american main street and finds himself trapped in a fatal cycle. Time magazine named strange fruit as best song of the century in its issue dated december 31, 1999. Southern trees bear a strange fruit, begins the protest song made famous by billie holiday and recorded. Strange fruit is the first documentary exploring the history and legacy of the billie holiday classic. As the song progresses, a much deeper interpretation of racial prejudice emerges. Strange fruit is a 1944 bestselling novel debut by american author lillian smith that deals with the thenforbidden and controversial theme of interracial romance. Joel katzs mesmerizing strange fruit is a documentary essay exploring the history and legacy of a song unique in the annals of american music. Pearl eileen primus november 29, 1919 october 29, 1994 was an american dancer, choreographer and anthropologist.
Oct 07, 2015 strange fruit performed by members of fantashique adult company 62015. In 1985 baltimore, maryland erected a statue of billie holiday that was completed in 1993 with additional panels of images inspired by her seminal song strange fruit. First performed by billie holiday in 1939, the song, a slow lament, is a metaphorical. A compelling history of strange fruit, exploring the alliance between american jews and african americans during a time of racial inequality and injustice. Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees pastoral scene of the gallant south the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth scent of magnolia sweet and fresh and the sudden smell of burning flesh. Strange fruit 2007 a compilation of 1950s videos of billie holiday performing her hits. In her autobiography, singer billie holiday wrote that smith chose to name the book after her song. Strange fruit is the first documentary exploring the history and legacy of the billie. He wrote the song strange fruit about lynching that became one of the most important songs of the.
A examination of the antilynching protest song made famous by billie holiday. Reviews the historical events, contexts and incidents of racial hatred. Early in her career she saw the need to promote african dance as an art form worthy of study and performance. Moved by the infamous photograph taken that night, abel meeropol, a jewish high school teacher in new york city, wrote a protest song entitled, strange fruit. This video is a documentary about the antilynching song strange fruit. The strange story of the man behind strange fruit one of billie holidays most iconic songs is strange fruit, a haunting protest against the inhumanity of racism. Strange fruit sung by billie holiday university of hawaii.
An allegory to the phenomena of racism as an acquired cultural epidemic. Strange fruit california newsreel film and video for. The atlanta journalconstitution listed the song as number one on 100 songs of the south. It condemned american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans that had occurred chiefly in the south but also in. In 2019, chirlane mccray announced that new york city would build a statue honoring holiday near queens borough hall. December 19, 2002 this is a film well worth seeing.
Jul 23, 2017 the short film strange fruit is a comparison and contrast between the lynching and hangings that once frequently occurred in the south to the recent officer involved shootings of african americans. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of. Billie holiday was not the fist singer to perform strange fruit. The song strange fruit was written by lewis allan and was first released by billie holiday and her orchestra in 1939.
The plot concerns a fictional 1970s rock band named strange fruit, who, after being split up for two decades, are persuaded to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig. Strange fruit, a polished, wellstructured documentary written and directed by joel. While many people assume strange fruit was written by billie holiday, it actually began as a poem by a jewish schoolteacher and union activist from the bronx, who later set it to music. Southern trees bear a strange fruit, begins the protest song made famous by billie holiday and recorded by artists as various as ella fitzgerald, pete seeger, tori amos. The short film strange fruit is a comparison and contrast between the lynching and hangings that once frequently occurred in the south to the recent officer involved shootings of african americans. Short animated movies strange fruit shimi asresay and hili noy graduation short film from bezalel academy of art and design, jerusalem. Once dubbed reagan country for the staunchness of its republicanism, it sends right.
This history of the songs evolution tells a dramatic story of americas radical past using one of the most influential protest songs ever written as its epicenter. Cafe society, and an early cry for civil rights, that strange fruit was once described by record. This concept is fully expressed by a metaphor of lynched bodies being. Still crazy is a 1998 british comedy film directed by brian gibson. Originally using the working title jordan is so chilly, smith later changed the title to strange fruit prior to its publication. Cover versions of strange fruit written by lewis allan. Jul 17, 2010 strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday.
Eleanora fagan april 7, 1915 july 17, 1959, professionally known as billie holiday, was an american jazz singer with a career spanning nearly thirty years. Disturbed by a photograph of a lynching, abel meeropol wrote the stark verse and brooding melody about the horror of lynching under the pseudonym lewis allan in 1938. After writing it, meeropol put music to his lyrics and the song gained attention in new york. Amidst the sultry beauty of the bayou, william is forced to wade through a bog of conspiracy involving an insidious network of local law and a. William boyals, a successful, black, gay attorney in new york, is drawn back to the small, rural louisiana town he long ago escaped from to investigate the lynching of a black gay childhood friend. The film focuses on the personal lives of the band members and those closest to them, and their individual experiences with approaching middleage and the success that eluded them. Such content is used under the rules of fair use to further the educational objectives of. Record producer ahmet ertegun called the song a declaration of war, and jazz writer leonard feather said it was the first significant protest in words and music, the first unmuted cry against racism. The sources of all quoted and paraphrased text are cited. Stranger fruit, an explosive documentary retracing the events surrounding the 2014 shooting of michael brown, begins with an image of the ferguson, missouri. Nicknamed lady day by her friend and music partner lester young, holiday had a seminal influence on jazz music and pop singing. Billie holidays 1939 song about racist lynchings redefined popular music. May 02, 2014 short animated movies strange fruit shimi asresay and hili noy graduation short film from bezalel academy of art and design, jerusalem. Learn about the legendary singer who put strange fruit on the map billie holiday page from jazz series this page features a brief biography and a handful of audio clips from holidays recordings.
Strange fruit southern trees bear a strange fruit blood on the leaves and blood at the root black body swinging in the southern breeze strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees pastoral scene of the gallant south the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth scent of magnolia sweet and fresh and the sudden smell of burning flesh. Strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday. The new statesman listed it as one of the top 20 political songs. Strange fruit explores the history and legacy of a song unique in the annals of american music. In 2002, the library of congress honored the song as one of 50 recordings chosen that year to be added to the national recording registry. Filmmaker joel katz discusses why he made strange fruit, how audiences have reacted to the film and how a song can change the world.
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