“Beginning in 1939, immediately following Billie Holiday’s performance of “Strange Fruit,” Anslinger began ruthlessly targeting the singer for her purported heroin addiction. Given his undeniable racism, it’s difficult to believe that the campaign’s timing, so soon after the release of the haunting racial justice protest song, was a coincidence. From that day on, Anslinger’s agents hounded Holiday. As she was being transported to the hospital for a combination of drug and alcohol use, she said, “They are going to arrest me in this damn bed.” Holiday died not long after, and her friends blamed the stress of Anslinger’s campaign for her death.”
From the referenced article:
“Beginning in 1939, immediately following Billie Holiday’s performance of “Strange Fruit,” Anslinger began ruthlessly targeting the singer for her purported heroin addiction. Given his undeniable racism, it’s difficult to believe that the campaign’s timing, so soon after the release of the haunting racial justice protest song, was a coincidence. From that day on, Anslinger’s agents hounded Holiday. As she was being transported to the hospital for a combination of drug and alcohol use, she said, “They are going to arrest me in this damn bed.” Holiday died not long after, and her friends blamed the stress of Anslinger’s campaign for her death.”