Singer Billie Holiday is born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia.
At a Glance
- Date
- 7 April 1915
- Location
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Key people
- Billie Holiday
- Category
- Music
- Source
- Recordings; Strange Fruit (1939) · Britannica
What It Meant Then
She transformed American popular singing and recorded the anti-lynching anthem 'Strange Fruit.'
What It Means Now
Holiday is regarded as one of the most influential vocalists in jazz history.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Billie Holiday Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/billie-holiday-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Billie Holiday Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/billie-holiday-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Billie Holiday Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/billie-holiday-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.