Strange Fruit

Hide caption Portrait of Billie Holiday singing at the Downbeat club in New York City on February 1947. Previous Next Library of Congress

Hide caption Harry J. Anslinger, commissioner of the Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics, poses for a photo on September 24, 1930. Previous Next AP

Hide caption Portrait of Billie Holiday with her pet dog, Mister, at the club Downbeat in New York City. Previous Next Library of Congress

Hide caption President John F. Kennedy shakes hands with former Commissioner of Narcotics, Harry J. Anslinger, upon presenting him with an outstanding record citation. Previous Next Abbie Rowe/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library 1 of 4 i View slideshow

Billie Holiday helped shape American popular music with her voice and unique style. But, her legacy extends way beyond music with one song in particular — "Strange Fruit." The song paints an unflinching picture of racial violence, and it was an unexpected hit. But singing it brought serious consequences.

In a special collaboration with NPR Music's Turning the Tables Series, how "Strange Fruit" turned Billie Holiday into one of the first victims of the War on Drugs.

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