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.
Advertisement
Videos
Videos
You May Also Like
Videos
Despite continued exclusionary practices, Black Americans slowly but surely made their way into the workforce after the Civil War. With continued persistence and perseverance,...
Videos
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination not only further ignited the civil rights movement, but it also inspired students in the collegiate setting...
Videos
While the Civil Rights Movement continued to spread across the US and the feminist movement evolved, one group felt neither movement really addressed their...
Education
Bill Russell; Michael Jordan; LeBron James. Black athletes have at times been synonymous with the sport of basketball, but it wasn’t always that way....