In 1937, a Bronx-born teacher wrote a poem "Strange Fruit" after seeing a photo of a lynching, which begins with the words "Southern trees bear a strange fruit / Blood on the leaves and blood at the root." The poem was set to music and later recorded by Billie Holiday in a powerful performance.
Strange Fruit
A poignant poem, "Strange Fruit", was penned by Abel Meeropol, a Bronx-born high school teacher, in 1937, inspired by a haunting photograph of a lynching in the American South.
