Billie Holiday is considered one of the best African-American jazz singers of all time. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Eleanora Fagan. She started singing at a very young age, but her career only began when she started working in various groups and orchestras. African Americans were freed from the terrible conditions of slavery with the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. However, they still face discrimination, racism, inequality and mistreatment. Around the time of the Harlem Renaissance – one of the most influential movements in African American history in which African American culture spread and grew – Holiday and many others used their platforms to address some issues of inequality in America. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay African Americans were subjected to a lot of racism during this time, so it was difficult for Holiday to live in society, especially because she was a woman. Jim Crow laws were one of the primary ways that African Americans were mistreated. These laws enforced racial segregation in everyday places such as schools, hospitals, hotels, theaters, fountains, theaters, and buses. For example, if an African American were riding a bus, he or she would have to sit in the back while whites sat in the front. If anyone ever disobeyed those rules, they would most likely be arrested because they were not yet considered human. Segregation allowed racism to worsen and as racism grew, blacks were burned, bombed and had low paying jobs. Overtime, many new job opportunities available for African Americans but the only flaw was that the working conditions were messy and dangerous. Opportunities for African Americans, however, only applied to African American men. Women had difficulty finding work and were seen only for these purposes: staying at home, cleaning and taking care of children. This discrimination has been tiring for the African Americas. The realization is that, through music, Billie Holiday was able to express her feelings and talk about what was happening in this era to make these issues more aware. The first point to consider is the recording of Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit". Not only did it boost his career, but it made the problem of racism more evident in society. This song is an anti-racism song about a black man getting lynched. It was originally a poem written by Abel Meeropol, exposing the racism that occurs in America. Holiday made her own version of the song which caused a lot of controversy which made it very popular. Explain how whites and blacks should compare themselves to each other and not worry about race. Holiday was essential to jazz in being a major leader in establishing how powerful and emotional music could be, using her voice to deliver powerful, raw feelings in everything she sang. Additionally, although Holiday was having success, her career took a slight turn when she started doing drugs. Later in her life, she became addicted to heroin and was denied a cabaret card, which made it difficult for her to perform virtually anywhere. A cabernet card is a pass you have to serve alcohol or perform at places where alcohol is served. However, since she was involved in some narcotics, it was very difficult for her to find work since she did not have a card. According to the Jazztimes article, the rejection of the cabernet paper “is the embodiment of the institutional distrust aroused by musicians.