Abstract

This essay examines the way in which the song “Strange Fruit,” as performed by Billie Holiday, employs ekphrasis in order to make appeals condemning the practice of lynching. In developing the visual aspects of a lynching scene through ekphrasis, Holiday engages audiences in a way that encourages them to experience the lynching scene with all five senses. The sensory experience of the scene and Holiday's performance creates a strong condemnation of lynching and practices of racial violence.

Journal
Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Published
2013-10-01
DOI
10.1080/02773945.2013.839822
Open Access
Closed

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. College Composition and Communication

Cites in this index (0)

No references match articles in this index.

Also cites 14 works outside this index ↓
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    Text and Performance Quarterly  
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