Here’s what you should check out this week:
Lady Day:
The United States vs. Billie Holiday looks at the legendary blues singer’s fight to sing “Strange Fruit.” The song’s painful and powerful response to lynching was so controversial that the government, particularly the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, harrassed Holiday to silence her from performing it. The new film, which comes out on Hulu on February 26, was written by renowned playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Lee Daniels (
Precious,
The Butler). Both Parks and Daniels will join a virtual panel discussion about Holiday and the film hosted by the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Monday 2/22 at 7 PM; Free, register here.