The lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in 1930 was the inspiration for which song?

Question

The lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in 1930 was the inspiration for which song?

Question #148406. Asked by serpa.
Last updated Apr 16 2021.
Originally posted Apr 15 2021 10:30 PM.

pehinhota

Answer has 11 votes

Currently Best Answer

pehinhota

11 year member
444 replies avatar

Answer has 11 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

"Strange Fruit", a song written by Abel Meeropol, recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939.

"Strange Fruit" originated as a poem written by Jewish-American writer, teacher and songwriter Abel Meeropol, under his pseudonym Lewis Allan, as a protest against lynching. In the poem, Meeropol expressed his horror at lynchings, inspired by Lawrence Beitler's photograph of the 1930 lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit#Poem_and_song

Response last updated by gtho4 on Apr 16 2021.
Apr 16 2021, 1:40 AM

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Answer 1

wellenbrecher

Answer has 5 votes

wellenbrecher

20 year member
712 replies

Answer has 5 votes.

Here is a beautiful live rendition by Billie Holiday herself in 1959:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DGY9HvChXk

Apr 16 2021, 2:31 AM