Born into a world awash in racism and sexism, the singer Billie Holiday soon became a beloved voice, known for her unique, jazz-influenced style. But for Holiday, who was haunted by hardship in her own life, music grew to be more than entertainment.

Long before the civil rights era took hold in America, Holiday recorded a song that poignantly spoke out against the brutalities of Black life in the South, a controversial protest anthem that helped inspire a movement — while deepening the singer’s personal torment.

In this episode of Black History in Two Minutes (or so) hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. — with additional commentary from Robert G. O’Meally of Columbia University and Imani Perry of Princeton University — we meet a bold, inimitable talent whose art fused with her activism.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Robert Smith
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 
Dyllan McGee

SERIES PRODUCER
Kelsi Lindus

PRODUCERS
Chelsea Adewunmi
Oluwaseun Babalola
Kevin Burke
Megan Graham
Vashni Korin
 
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Robert L. Yacyshyn

PRODUCTION MANAGER
Ashley Thomas

POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Veronica Leib

POST PRODUCTION MANAGER
Katherine Swiatek

WRITTEN BY
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 

ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSED BY
Matthew Head

ADDITIONAL WRITING
Kevin Burke 
 
SERIES EDITOR
Reena Mangubat

EDITORS
Cierra Pacheco
Liza Renzulli
Anne Yao

ASSISTANT EDITORS
Ben Pakman
Patrice Bowman
Imani Dean

SUPERVISING PRODUCERS
Will Ventura
Sara Wolitzky
 
ARCHIVAL PRODUCERS
Megan Graham
Jade Edwards-Lovell

DIRECTORS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Seng Chen
Gregory Brutus
Nausheen Dadabhoy

Archival Materials Courtesy of:
Getty Images
Library of Congress
Shutterstock

Additional Material:
New Orleans
Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday

Special Thanks
Jorge Felipe
Amy Gosdanian
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
Romilla Karnick
Robert G. O'MeallyImani Perry
John Thornton
Marial Iglesias Utset
Sara Wicht
Abby Wolf