Billie Holiday vs. The Haters

God Bless the Child that tunes into Fraudsters this week! In this episode, we’re diving deep into the story of Billie Holiday. Using three pivotal arrests from her life, we explore how systemic racism and unjust drug enforcement left Billie Holiday as a public target amidst Harry Anslinger and George Hunter White’s war on drugs. From her traumatic childhood to struggles with addiction, Billie’s fight for survival reflected larger issues of government surveillance, a general sense of apathy towards addiction, and the harsh realities of being a Black artist during this era.

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Sources for this episode:

https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.62.7.995

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/drug-war-the-hunting-of-billie-holiday-114298/

https://time.com/5638316/war-on-drugs-opium-history/

National Archives: The United States vs. Billie Holiday

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