Strange Fruit is a song written by Abel Meeropol, and a version of it was recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939. Laura Duncan performed the song at a protest in New York City in the 1930s, and the song has since been covered by key musicians, such as Diana Ross and Dee Dee Bridgewater.
The song was, in part, inspired by the horrific photo by Lawrence Beitler, which depicted the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana (1930). It conveys a message about the lynching of Black Americans, with the victims being compared to that of "strange" fruit on trees.
Initially, the poem was titled "Bitter Fruit", but Meeropol later changed the name when it became popular and frequently used at protests. Holiday’s cover has received the most recognition, with a version being inducted into the 1978 Grammy Hall of Fame. The song has also been largely associated with the Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968).
