Famously performed by billie holiday and nina simone. Meeropol was a member of the american communist party, but would later quit. Anne meeropol sang and played it on her nylon string guitar at teachers union events at the end of that year and in early 1939. These words describe the bodies of black people who were lynched apart from the law, with no chance at justice. The poem specifically focuses on the horrific lynchings that took place primarily across the american south, in which. Questions about a poem strange fruit by abel meeropol. Strange fruit originated as a poem written by abel meeropol, as a protest against lynchings. Many people know that the man who wrote the song was inspired by a.
Abel meeropol, white jewish schoolteacher in new york city, after being so moved by an image of a lynching speculated that the photo is the lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith in marion indiana wrote a poem about it. Imagery here understood as descriptive language to convey visual images is present throughout the poem as each stanza. The song strange fruit was first exposed as a poem written by abel meeropol who may be better recognized under his alias, lewis allan. Users who reposted strange fruit, a poem by lewis allan abe meeropol read by rm. Strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. The meeropol sons tell the story of how they came to be adopted by the writer of strange fruit, after their parents had been killed for a crime they didnt commit, as michael. Analysis of the poem the blood on the leaves by abel meeropol. Download this entire guide to strange fruit as a printable pdf. He likely used the pseudonym because he was a member fo the american communist party. The words to strange fruit where the poem was titled bitter fruit reveal the tragic nature of some of the darkest times in american history.
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. Southern trees bear strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. His bestknown song is strange fruit 1937, especially as recorded by billie holiday. The song strange fruit originates from the dark horrific poem called bitter fruit written in 1937 by abel meeropol, aka lewis allen, a jewish schoolteacher from the bronx meerpool.
Meeropol was a member of the communist party, not uncommon for antiracist activists in the 1930s. Throughout the poem, the poet abel meerepol describes black people who have been murdered and hung up to the poplar trees by the racist americans in most likely south america. Strange fruit billie holiday the lyrics of this song describe the crime of lynching, committed by white supremacists in the american south to terrorize african americans. Song writer abel meeropol and singer billie holliday worked together to produce perhaps one of the most heart wrenching songs ever written. In the poem, meeropol expressed his horror at lynchings, inspired by a photograph of the 1930 lynching of two people in indiana. Nprs elizabeth blair has the story of abel meeropol, a man with two extraordinary life stories.
He published it in a union publication in 1937 and then set it to music. A ghost story is a wild ride through the american slave trade to a modern day haunted house and is inspired by the protest poem by abel meeropol and the haunting musical versions by nina simone and billie holliday and the many others who have done this ode justice. Playlists containing strange fruit, a poem by lewis allan abe meeropol read by rm. Strange fruit, written by jewish schoolteacher abel meeropol in 1937, takes a harrowing and unflinching look at american racism.
Abel meeropol february 10, 1903 october 30, 1986 was an american writer, teacher and songwriter, whose works were published under his pseudonym lewis allan. Abel meeropol february 10, 1903 october 30, 1986 was an american writer, teacher and songwriter, best known under his pseudonym lewis allan and as the adoptive father of the young sons of julius and ethel. In this activity we will be looking at strange fruit by abel meeropol and billie holiday. Pastoral scene of the gallant south, the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, scent of.
Jul 17, 20 strange fruit written by abel meeropol as a poem. The trees that meeropol writes about here, however, are spattered with blood. It was written by abel meeropol 19031986, a teacher, poet and songwriter, who published under the name lewis allan. Strange fruit by billie holiday essay 1037 words cram. The man behind strange fruit is new york citys abel meeropol, and. It was a shocking photo and it haunted me for days. Strange fruit was finalized in the late 1930s, the same time that african americans in the south were being lynched by white supremacist groups in the days of americas post abolition movement. May 12, 2016 strange fruit the story behind the song of the century duration.
The man behind strange fruit is new york citys abel meeropol, and he really has two stories. Strange fruit would sit comfortably in a list of the top 20 songs of all time, let alone a list of the top 20 political songs. Strange fruit originated as a poem written by jewishamerican writer, teacher and songwriter abel meeropol, under his pseudonym lewis allan, as a protest against lynchings. Strange fruit by abel meeropol by irene hu on prezi. Strange fruit not only chronicles the civil rights movement from the 30s on, it examines the lives of the beleaguered billie holiday and abel meeropol, the white jewish schoolteacher and communist sympathizer who wrote the song that would have an impact on generations of fans, black and white, unknown and famous, including performers lena. Jul 21, 2016 meeropol was inspired to write strange fruit by a photograph of the 1930 lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith in indiana. The poem strange fruit by abel meeropol is filled with imagery and metaphors. Gottlieb strange fruit was written by abel meeropol, a white english teacher from new york city, as a protest against the horrors of lynching. Lewis allan 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. Abel wrote the lyrics of strange fruit, a song sung by billie holliday which highlights. Sep 05, 2012 the man behind strange fruit is new york citys abel meeropol, and he really has two stories. Read all poems of abel meeropol and infos about abel meeropol. On august 7, 1930, lawrence beitler took the pictur s.
Holiday has arguably the greatest voice in the history of popular music, and it stretches to breaking point on the line here is a strange and bitter crop. The poem refers to lynching, which is the act of hanging african americans, slaves and other protestors in public venues for a spectacle. Instead of apples and oranges, they bear the grisly fruit of racial terrorism. Users who like strange fruit, a poem by lewis allan abe meeropol read by rm. Strange fruit this antilynching poem was written by abel. Anne meeropol sang and played it on her nylon string guitar at teachers. Literary analysis theme imagery personification there wasnt even a patter of applause then a lone person began to clap nervously. The song strange fruit had its beginnings sometime in the early 1930s when a young and liberalminded schoolteacher called abel meeropol he later changed his name to lewis allan saw a photograph of a lynching. His first version was a poem called bitter fruit, published in a union magazine in 1937. Strange fruit, a poem by lewis allan abe meeropol read by.
Strange fruit is a song recorded by billie holiday in 1939, written by abel meeropol and published in 1937. He wrote strange fruit 1937, which was recorded by billie holiday. The man behind strange fruit is a man from new york city named abel meeropol. The tragic story behind billie holidays strange fruit. More tracks like strange fruit, a poem by lewis allan abe meeropol read by rm. Imagery here understood as descriptive language to convey visual images is. Strange fruit the story behind the song of the century duration. By abel meeropol 1930 strange fruit southern trees bear strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze, strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Meeropol was an antiracism activist and went about showing his detestation of racism through his poetry. Lynching was considered sport in some ways and postcards were taken of crowds of people picnicking under hanging. A metaphorical reading of abe meeropols strange fruit. He sometimes published under the pen name lewis allan, after two sons who were stillborn. Pastoral scene of the gallant south, the bulging eyes and the twisted mouth, scent of magnolia, sweet and fresh. Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze. This antilynching poem was written by abel meeropol, a teacher, songwriter, and member of the american communist party. Abel changed the title to strange fruit and set the poem to music in november of 1938. Considering the vivid images and sustained metaphor of the song strange fruit, it shouldnt be surprising that it began as a poem. Here is fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, for the sun to rot, for the trees to drop. Context out of which the song grew films metaphors reference a tree or a shrub with typically creamy pink.
Strange fruit wikipedia strange fruit on abel meeropolin salanimella lewis allan kirjoittama ja billie holidayn vuonna 1939 levyttama kappale. Strange fruit, analyzing the lyrics piscataway high school. Strange fruit wri en by abel meeropol publishing as lewis allan. 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, abel meeropol, who wrote it, first as. Like in kanyes blood on the leaves, kanye uses the nina simones cover of strange fruit and not the original. Strange fruit this antilynching poem was written by abel meeropol, a teacher, songwriter, and member of the american communist party. Written by teacher abel meeropol as a poem and published in 1937, it protested american racism, particularly the lynching of african americans. He and his wife anne cared for and adopted michael and robert, the two young sons of julius and ethel rosenberg, who were orphaned after their. Dec 30, 2012 nprs elizabeth blair has the story of abel meeropol, a man with two extraordinary life stories. Jun 28, 2015 strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. They both begin at dewitt clinton high school, a public high school in the bronx that has an. Written by the teacher abel meeropol as a poem, it exposed american racism, particularly. Strange fruit international journal of epidemiology.
Meeropol was inspired to write strange fruit by a photograph of the 1930 lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith in indiana. In his reference to bloody leaves and roots, meeropol seems to be extending his metaphor further, invoking family treescharts that show a familys. About strange fruit strange fruit is a song performed most famously by billie holiday, who first sang and recorded it in 1939. Feb 10, 2016 strange fruit originated as a poem written by abel meeropol, as a protest against lynchings. Strange fruit composed by abel meeropol aka lewis allan. It was most famously performed by billy holiday, who first sang strange fruit in 1939.
Abel meeropol is better known under his pseudonym lewis allan names of his two stillborn children. Lynching was a practice that involved mobstyle execution without trial, most often by hanging, and most often of african americans. He wrote the song strange fruit about lynching that became one of the most important songs of the. 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. In the guardian news article by caryl phillips he says, meeropol was motivated to write the poem after seeing a photograph of two black teenagers, thomas shipp and abram smith, who had been lynched in. Strange fruit download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Strange fruit is a poem written by abel meeropol, a white, jewish high school teacher from the bronx and a member of the communist party, as a protest against lynchings. Lynching was a practice that involved mobstyle execution without trial, most often by hanging, and most often of. There is a long history behind the sample of strange fruit and. Abel meeropol february 14, 1903 october 29, 1986 was an american songwriter and poet whose works were published under his pseudonym, lewis allan.
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