Black History Moments: What really happened to Billie Holiday? 

I discovered her nearly a week ago. Because I’m young, from another country and white I didn’t know her. I listened strange fruit and checked the lyrics to understand properly and i was so shocked and sad seeing her trying to singing this song without crying. And here i am. Here to understand what happened in the past, to her. Maybe it’s because I’m really young, i don’t understand how people can hate other people just beacuse of their skin color? LIKE IT’S LITERALLY THE COLOR?! They are still human, thinking, breathing just like you. The only difference is the color. Whatever... i’m here to get educated about racism. Thank you for making this video 💕

It’s disgusting the way the way the fed treated her because she was a black woman. Thank you for this presentation.

Very nice I'm proud to see young people get interested in our history keep up the good work... And remember BHM is AMERICAN HISTORY it's 365 days a year.

Poor Billie- Special place in heaven for those oppressed by people they've loved.

I was born in metropolitan where she died the same room my mother made sure she choose that room in the hospital. Such a sad case .

Wonderful video, you’re a great teacher. My heart breaks for the horrible injustice throughout history against the black Americans, and people of color. Billie was a trailblazer in the face of harassment, injustice, abuse, and horrible addiction to deal with her broken heart. God rest her soul. God bless you for sharing.

She was so classy its awful the way that federal government abused the law and a beautiful soul .

It wasn’t the Jazz, it was the skin, as the many white Jazz musician were not harassed. She brought attention to hangings with that Strange Fruit song, she was a black women, outspoken, living to high for them. She was a pretty lady, so are you. Her funeral at the church, was that the same church used in the movie I can do bad all by myself.

Thanks honey! I came here after watching the movie on Hulu! I had no idea such a beautiful and talented woman of her time had such a torturous life! She was big like how Beyoncé is big today during her time!

Also, Tallulah Bankhead, a one-time girlfriend of Billie's, petitioned J. Edgar Hoover to release Billie, to no avail. The intersection of black and gay life is an interesting side-light, which includes Ma Rainey and Josephine Baker. Thank you.

The best tell of Billy and Anslinger I've seen. This young woman has really done her homework and is so humble...

Very nice to see a young lady take the time out to reflect on Billie Holidays life

I wish I could give this 10 thumbs up! Well done Shaakira, as a huge jazzhead my love of jazz is not only because of the music, but of how it was born. From struggle, hardship, unfair treatment, torture, and violence. The blues is black, but it is also America. Unfortunately, this is still the cast today. But, we keep fighting. Thank you, I pray this brings her story and other trailblazers to light for your generation. Peace & be well.

I am a Billie Holliday fan, and loved the video. You asked, "you wish you knew why he hated jazz so much", well according to Timeline, Harry Anslinger his hated was a war on our culture during that time. He wanted to crush black people because we reigned in the Jazz age, and it showed our gifts and gave people like Sister Billie prosperity, fame, and fortune, but most of all freedom. Any sense of all of that, with drug use too, was a threat in his racist mind to white people and what white represented in his twisted mindset. Black people were too impressive and successful during the Jazz age and white people loved it! He was twisted!!!! She was and is forever Billie Holliday and no one can take that away, she lives on in us and your video. Blessings to you! You are wonderful at storytelling, keep it up! 💯👏🏽🙏🏽

This is such a sad sad story! Thank you for talking about Billy Holiday. I’ve heard of her name earlier in life and her association with jazz but I never knew this part of her life story. Racism is the terrible thing in America. They should stop preaching it to other Nations and start walking the Talk. 😢

I just watched her movie on Hulu I always loved Billie but I knew that they killed. Sad, she was amazing, great woman.❤🕊🙏🏾 Great review.

This was a great presentation on The Great Ms Billie Holiday 🌹

Thanks for sharing although it was very sad hearing that a so-called man would abuse to the point of killing an innocent, beautiful, struggling, talented black women utilizing her talents vocalizing against lynchings; to be met by such a demonic, unstoppable force. It’s nerve wrenching. R. I.P. Billie Holliday❤️

I loved every minute of this presentation. I generally love me some “Billie Holiday “ you really bought her to life for me. Thanks looking forward to more of your videos. And most of all thank you Billie 😘

I have read several autobiographies of Billie Holiday I was infatuated with her beauty and personality and her voice was like a mellow horn

This made me cry. To hate someone bcuz of their skin color n talent. He denied Billie of the treatment that could have saved her life, She was Beautiful n Proud n I admired her.

wow thank you for making this episode... I learned so much about what she was up against and went through

Its interesting how black people will create a particular genre of music and then later on when it becomes popular they name a white person the king of that genre of music. Louie Armstrong created swing, yet Benny Goodman is called the King of swing. Chuck Berry created Rock and Roll yet Elvis Presley was named the king of Rock and Roll. DJ Kool Herc created Rap, but Eminem is now considered best rapper of all time. The list goes on and on...

I greatly enjoyed this presentation and learned much.

I just watched the film by lee Daniels this morning but it wasn’t until listening to you that i cried bc not much has changed especially being a nurse and knowing how under treated we are in 2021 as black people health insurance or not it hurts

You are a great storyteller. I love your humility and compassion. Thank you for the story. ❤️

Thank you for helping share her story. As a musician, as an American, as a human, her music and her treatment capture so much of what is beautiful and awful about us humans. Also, I am a Fagan, her birth name, although no relation. Nearly all my heritage is Irish. My ancestors experienced racism at the hands of the British, and as immigrants in the states in the 1800's. Thankfully, our culture has grown to the point that I have not experienced the racism my ancestors did. I hope and pray that our culture continues to grow to the point where none of our descendants, regardless of skin color, religion or country of origin, experience prejudice. Have you noticed that when a Great Dane and a Dachshund meet, that they both recognize each other as 'dog'? If only we humans were that smart!

This was so well done. Thank you for sharing her story.

Thank you young Queen, for educating and providing young people with an easy way of learning Blackstory that has never made it's way into Whitestory books that are erroneously called 'history' books in school. I remember being a little girl who went to my local library every Saturday morning, desperately searching for the history of my people, because I needed more than the 2 paragraph coverage of blacks in my school history books. This was decades before the Internet and the declassification of records. So needless to say, I had little luck in finding anything substantial. Good bless you for this wonderful channel.

This was a great informative video! I enjoyed the Hulu movie as well Andra did an amazing job of transitioning into Ms. Holiday as a singer and her realistic acting performance of how BH was as a harassed, frustrated, abused, drug addicted and discriminated against blk woman of those times.

The presentation that you gave was so beautiful inspiration and very well understood that in those days a woman of Billie Holiday statue how the are the parties that disliked her won't let us use the word hated her because of who she was and what she stood for you can see it today once again but her heart and her music the song she sung will tell all of it thank you very much for your presentation may God bless you keep you safe and allow you to give us more.

I watch you on RU-vid keep the history lessons coming God-bless

No greater artist ever than Billie Holiday. Love for this story!

You did a wonderful job on this story, thank you

touching to hear the story and more affecting the true sadness in your voice when you were telling it..😭😭

I’m hooked on your podcast 🖤GREAT WORK!!

Thx 4 sharing QUEEN. Blessings🙏🏾

I love the story it was so touching and real.. Andra did a great great job being Billie Holiday.. Now she can rest in peace.. Free Free Free at last..

You did an amazing job telling her story. Thank you for this gift.

Thank you! Very Informative! Great Job! Billie Was Treated So Bad! May She Rest In Peace🙏❤

Thank you for this graceful and informational segment.❤🥰

You got it girl! Great video and information. Great research! Loved how you are telling our history. I’m about to binge watch all your vids!

Thank you, you did an excellent job of explaining Ms Billie Holliday's life. 💖🌹💖🌹💖🌹💖🌹💖🌹

Thank you, Shaakira for this amazing, informative video. I teach the History of Jazz to my year 12 music students so am really enjoying your video while I plan my Billie Holiday lesson x

Great video, Billie is one of my favorite singers and all time. I love jazz music especially during Billie’s time.

12:10 I had to back up the video. My mind couldn't even believe what I read. 😱

You missed the part when early in her singing career, Billie learned improvisation from singing at a club table to table and singing the same song differently each time, to entertain and hold the patrons' attention better. That unique skill served her quite well in her career; in fact, it's what caught the eye of a scout who happened to catch her perform, believing he'd never seen anyone improvise so well as she did.

You are an amazing archivist and historian. I love you and your work!

billie has been my idol since I was a young girl ( I am on my partners google). but her music dug into my empty shell I felt as a youth. Jazz was for me , I know a race shouldn't matter but I knew my struggle sucked but as a young white girl through emotional and sexual trauma and physical abuse, so I felt her pain as she sung and she soothed me me to sleep. I not aspiring to become a recovering junkie but also fell into drugs and pretty much lost my soul . she is where I come every time now still 38 years later to find my self and my soul. bless you billie

I grew up listening to her music (and many others, musician family). I learned a lot, thanks to you.

Great podcast! Very thorough and informative. Sad what happened to the legend Billie Holiday. Her legacy will never be forgotten.

Thanks u totally told the story may she rest is in peace she will always be heavily remembered what a great voice 🎼🎙amen

Thank you so much 😊 for your history lesson on the Great Billie Holiday!🙏🏾👍🏽

you did great

Hi. I'm a 74 yr old white guy who as a kid loved rhythm and blues, Early on I had heard of Billie Holliday and Strange Fruit but I have never gotten as many details as I have from you video. Thanks and best of luck in continuing to educate the public about our history.

Great job young lady! it's so refreshing to see a young person interested and broadcasting our history keep up the good work. I enjoyed the story and the accuracy of Ms. Billie Holiday life.

You called Ms.Holiday infamous , she was not infamous she was famous. Ms.Holiday was loved and revered for her music. That made her famous not infamous. John Dillinger was infamous.

This is great info and very appropriate for today's climate. I am 60 yo and glad Billie's story has resurfaced. Although awaare of her stardom she was an artist I never really got into her music I do appreciate the Jazz but she was a bit before my time. You've managed to really organize a perfectly documented timeline that sentiently brings her life story together in ft a concious and contientious way for one to really understand and connect to Billie as a soul, a person, a woman, an artist, a friend, an activist and unfortunately a victim to the evils of devils. Thank you. This was very well done.

Thank you for sharing young lady! I appreciate you taking the time to do your research and help to continue educating us on Black History. This was awesome! Keep up the great work! ;)

Thank you for this presentation on Billie Holiday. I learned so much You are BLACK EXCELLENCE!!

So sad Billy's story. I've been her fan since the first time I heard her sing. "Strange fruit" is a strike to my heart...heart breaking song. I didn't know these facts about her life. Thank you so much for sharing.

I strongly recommending researching Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She was born the same year as Billie Holiday. Sister Rosetta Tharpe brought gospel music to the masses and invented Rock n Roll.

You did a excellent job with this presentation.

I actually came here because I listened to her singing Strange Fruit and wanted to learn more about her. Thank you.

I admire your leaving a list of sites you used to research. Very professional.

Thanks for the beautiful lesson on Billie Holiday.

Thank you and a big hug from Germany. Very good job 👍❤️ I have just ordered the biography about Billie 'With Billie' by Julia Blackburn. I have got interested in Billie's sad story watching the movie 'Lady sings the blues' in which she is played by Diana Ross. Thank you very much for your insights and your research.

Shaakira thank U for keeping her legacy alive. The movie Lee Daniel did is phenomenal, mind blowing U may want to check it out👌.

I know billie for 15 years . And i love her so much

Thank you! Although I love the music of Billie Holiday for a long time now, and new the story behind "Strange Fruit" (there are few songs that move me to tears, but Billie´s rendition of this is among them. Cassandra Wilson comes close, but Billie has me choking up), I learned a lot of new (sad) things. Great video, very well narrated. It´s heartwrenching. How can you listen to her audition for a performance, and then have her come in the back door? How? That´s cruelty, right there. And yet, from all I read about her, many of her colleagues remarked what a sweet, kind, generous person she was. I may be wrong, but watching recordings of her singing, I get the feeling I might have liked her, had I known her. And it´s not like she was/is the onyl one suffering that abuse. There were/are so, so, so many. Again, thank you, the story needs to be kept in our collective memory

Thank you for this video! This is the stuff they don't want to teach in school

Bang up job sister. Great Presentation. You cleared up some blanks for me. Thank you.

There is a movie called Lady Sings the Blues with Diana Ross from the singing group called the Supremes. That is a dramatization about Billie's career. May have taken some liberties with drama but it still is good.

One of my favorite singers of all time. Such a tragedy.

Thank you so much for a great production. He murdered her , that evil 🤬 murdered her… she was and is a legend.? “I’ll be seeing you “ is my favorite song. “Strange fruit..” my aunt Sue brought to my attention about 30 years ago. It makes my Stomach twist, my heart wrench and tears fall…. And you listen… Thank you & great job!! I learned so much.👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

This was a great video! Thank you for doing your research and uploading!

Thank you so much for the research and delivery of Billie Holiday' bio. Thank you for creating awareness of the history of struggle and discrimination our Black people faced, and continue to face. Only through awareness can change come. Great job.

Thank you so much for taking the time to research and share this video, despite how terrible it was to hear about all the people who treated Billie so inhumanely.

You did fabulous telling her life story!!!!

Great video. I am a new subscriber. Billie Holiday...one of greatest female jazz singers.

I really I really appreciate the way you presented this documentary or autobiography of Billie Holiday. A lot of these things I never knew seeing as I was so young. Thank you for taking the time to research all of this information and share it with us.

Awesome video, I just subscribed to your channel 😀 .

I started watching your Podcast yesterday while waiting for my mother at the doctor. I was thoroughly engaged, then I had to stop to drive and went back to finish watching today because you have done a wonderful job with the History of Billie Holiday and her story. Billie Holiday is still being lifted up and her story will always be one of Shero and Iconic and civil rights advocate. She will always be loved, but the men who took her down, well, I have already forgotten their names....or they will be remembered as racist....and that's not the way one would want to be revered as. Thank you again, I appreciate you and I have subscribed to support you! Much Love!

Wow! Excellent presentation! The little nuances and side stories were so seamlessly weaved into this history lesson. Clearly, you have so much talent for presenting your analytical research in such an interesting way that I am wondering if perhaps you might be missing a higher calling? Legal, Pastoral, Author, Teacher-Professor .... you have a huge runway in front of you that can easily take you to new heights!! This is the first time I've viewed your work and am grateful to you for all of your hard work. BTW, I found you this evening as I was researching more about Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Thank you.

Thank you. I really enjoyed this video!

She is my favorite! TY so much for the upload. "Wishing On The Moon" by Donald Clarke & "Billie Holiday" by John Szwed are excellent reads on her life. What a gifted individual and her strength were phenomenal! Applause @ you!

Great presentation. I didn't fact check you but I think you did a really good, thorough job!!👏🏾

Wow, she broke up with dude and he got her set up. After having physically abused her the man gets her sent to prison because she left him. We must protect, nurture and honor our black women. This shit is unacceptable!

Wow how I would learn of her name in my late 20s but learn of her atrocities in my 50s.Its sad how she was treated

I'm here cuz my co-worker told that I was in his dream last night wearing cowboy boots and hat (which I don't do). I guess it was his dream worlds way of marking me as a U.S. American, me being in Germany and him being German. In his dream we were listening to Billy Holiday. I said I didn't know who that was and so he sang me a bit of her famous song "Strange Fruits". My co-worker has a great knowlage and good taste in music as well for a 30 year old German. Thank you for helping me fill a gap in my musical education.

Thank you sweet heart for your up date on Billie holiday!

IMAO she said "John Goodman" 😂😂😂 it's John Hammond! 💯💯

Extremely interesting video. Thanks.

Thank you for posting the REAL history of this great strong woman. She deserves to be remembered not only for her talent, but for how she was systematically tortured and murdered. RIP dear "Billy"

THKS FOR THE STORY VERY SAD!!

Thank you so much for this...never knew any of this.

Thank you so much Ms White for your work. I learned a lot today about Ms Holiday.

Hers is such a sad story. I'm nearly finished reading Lady Sings The Blues and it's heartbreaking to learn of all the trouble she had in her 44 years. She was beautiful inside and out, and her voice was amazing. RIP Lady Day x

Thanks for your overview of Billie. You might want to go back and redo the part about John Hammond. I think you might have got it crossed up with Benny Goodman.

Thanks sis I get so tired of them telling our story, from an unfamiliar & slanted perspective. Anyway great, trustworthy well researched recount of our Sister for histories-record 💪🏿!