Abe Meeropol was a school teacher in the Bronx.  After seeing one of these pictures he put pen to paper and wrote the disturbing and undeniable poem Strange Fruit.

He convinced jazz singer Billy Holiday to lend her distinct voice to the haunting tale.  When she performed it in concert people didn’t know how to respond.  It’s beautiful but are you supposed to applaud given what the song is about.  Eventually she moved the song to the end of her performances.

After all, how do you follow strange fruit.

Even Sting has a version!