Strange Fruit Mention of the Day | Rosenberg Fund for Children

#strangefruitmotd

Apr 28, 2023

Earlier this month on April 20th marked the anniversary of Billie Holiday recording "Strange Fruit" in 1939. The song was originally written by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish activist, poet, and high school… Read More

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Apr 07, 2023

Happy birthday to activist artist Billie Holiday, born #OnThisDay in 1915. She is perhaps best known for her performances of Abel Meeropol's powerful anti-lynching song, "Strange Fruit."

Sculpture "Strange Fruit" by Claudia McGinness crafted in the shape of a thorny tree growing roots, wrapped in chains. Materials include wire and red beads.

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Mar 21, 2023

Today's Strange Fruit Mention of the Day comes to us from Torri Williams, a Coalition Leader of the Marion Community Remembrance Project. The city of Marion in Indiana served as the inspiration for… Read More

Nina Simone seated at the piano as she performs

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Feb 21, 2023

Happy birthday to activist artist, feminist and civil rights icon Nina Simone, who would have turned 90 today. In 1965 Simone recorded her own harrowing rendition of "Strange Fruit," the powerful… Read More

A happy family portrait of the Meeropols at their home at Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. (From left to right: Abel, Anne, Michael and Robert)

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Feb 14, 2023

On this day (February 14, 1910) Abel Meeropol was born. He was a teacher and a poet, most famous for writing the anti-lynching poem, "Bitter Fruit," which he would later adapt to music and retitle as… Read More

Billie Holiday sings at the mic on stage

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Feb 03, 2023

Today's Strange Fruit Mention of the Day comes all the way from Spain, where our former Granting Coordinator Tori Montemurro now lives and works. She reached out to share an interesting connection to… Read More

Nile Alicia Ruff and Davione Gordon, center, with members of Spectrum Dance Theater, perform in “Strange Fruit” at the Peak Performances series at Montclair State University.

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Jan 18, 2023

Strange Fruit Mention of the Day: Tomorrow (Jan 19th), PEAK Performances has announced a slate of five films to be released capturing live stage productions, with footage edited and directed by Alla… Read More

Screenshot of black and white footage of Billie Holiday singing "Strange Fruit"

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Jul 11, 2022

A new #StrangeFruitMOTD courtesy of NBC's recent video clip celebrating Black Music History month. The clip highlights Billie Holiday and her performance of "Strange Fruit," originally a poem by Abel… Read More

NBT's CEO Sade Lythcott (bottom center) and Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory (top left) join WBGO Journal host Doug Doyle

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Jul 06, 2022

This exciting news & programming from the National Black Theatre in Harlem is today’s #StrangeFruitMOTD and comes to us via WBGO.org: “These are exciting times for the National Black Theatre in… Read More

Off With Their Heads | Hand In Glove, 2022, Chromogenic print. The artist (Genevieve Gaignard) poses for the artwork.

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Jun 06, 2022

Today's #StrangeFruitMOTD comes from Genevieve Gaignard's solo exhibition, "Strange Fruit," for Los Angeles Vielmetter, "a collection of pieces which agitate against the historical and modern-day… Read More

Tonya Pinkins performing "Strange Fruit, Revisited" in a recording studio behind the microphone

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May 26, 2022

Today's #StrangeFruitMOTD is a haunting reimagining of Abel Meeropol's anti-lynching song, "Strange Fruit." Tony award winner Tonya Pinkins delivers a powerful performance of "Strange Fruit,… Read More

Tank and the Bangas performing. A close-up of lead singer Tarriona “Tank” Ball at the microphone.

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May 16, 2022

Today's #StrangeFruitMOTD comes from Tank and The Bangas' song, “Stolen Fruit,” which they released ahead of their latest album, "Red Balloon." The song is a commentary on slavery in the U.S. and… Read More

The violinist Jennifer Koh and the bass-baritone Davóne Tines, who collaborated on the performance project “Everything Rises,” pose together for a photo. Koh stands to the left of frame with her arms on her hips, and Tines stands neutrally on the right facing center.

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Apr 21, 2022

#StrangeFruitMOTD: Violinist Jennifer Koh and singer Davóne Tines recently premiered their collaboration, a multimedia show “Everything Rises,” which is "an hourlong work that [the pair] have been… Read More

#strangefruitmotd

Apr 07, 2022

Today's #StrangeFruitMOTD comes from Austin, TX where a Houston native high school student, Douglas Mills, Jr. auditioned for this season of American Idol with a powerful rendition of "Strange Fruit…

Andra Day as Billie Holiday in "The United States vs. Billie Holiday." Credit: Takashi Seida

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Apr 04, 2022

Strange Fruit Mention of the Day: Congratulations to the hugely talented Andra Day for her Grammy win last night for "United States vs. Billie Holiday" in the "best compilation soundtrack for visual… Read More

Black and white photo of Nina Simone smiling, close-up on her face.

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Apr 01, 2022

Today’s #StrangeFruitMOTD is a haunting, a cappella rendition of Nina Simone's cover of the protest song originally made famous by Billie Holiday – "Strange Fruit." The stripped-down track allows the… Read More

Iconic Uptown Charlotte "Strange Fruit" mural, at Spirit Square near the corner of North Tryon and East 7th Streets in Uptown.

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Mar 14, 2022

This #StrangeFruitMOTD highlights “Dammit Wesley,” a visual artist from Charlotte, NC. “One of his most iconic murals ... named ‘Strange Fruit’ is a nod to the words from the songs [popularized] by… Read More

Billy Keane and Wanda Houston record their original song, “It's About More,” at The Guthrie Center in Great Barrington.

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Mar 03, 2022

This Strange Fruit MOTD comes from Pittsfield, MA where the Black Legacy Project, a national initiative to foster racial unity, will premiere on March 6.

"What the RFC does is totally unique, lending financial and in many ways spiritual support to the people who lay everything on the line for the betterment of our world. It gives us a great sense of pride to be aligned with such a noble and vital organization."

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