reflection on billie holliday's strange fruit

When I was 11 years old I heard the song strange fruit on my grandfather's record player, and i really did not know what the song was about, but I knew it had something to do with death because the music was somewhat depressing. But that I am older, and I have a better understanding of the lyrics, I realized the "strange fruit" was black...african american dead bodies hanging off trees as if they were fruit. And the word play used in these lyrics just amazes me, and the history behind the lyrics of the song brings me to an understanding and somewhat of a confusion at a time. This song is apart of american history...not just black history, because when are black people are going to be classified other than americans, why do we have to distinguish our race within our own country and culture. But going back to the history of the lyrics, "strange fruit" was poem written by a jewish teacher who goes by the name Lewis Allen, and this was his reflection on how blacks were being treated in the south. And he wanted it to be a song, and somehow Billie Holliday was asked to sing it, but she was afraid for her career because during this time for her to sing about the political and civil rights issues would be risky for her career. But she sang the song anyways, and it one her best known pieces that she has performed, and it was said that every time she performed it she cried at the end.
Another reason why I decided to mention this song is because how people sometimes neglect the importance of the civil rights movement, it was not that long ago when many whites did not see the significance of black person's life, and now we have a black president. If it was not for the struggles of african american societies, the pain, the blood shed, tears, and lets not forget the music that got my people through these hard times, Obama would not be the president today.