Abel Meeropol (February 10, 1903 – October 29, 1986)[1] was an American songwriter and poet whose works were published under his pseudonym Lewis Allan.
[5] During his tenure as a high school teacher, Meeropol taught author and racial justice advocate James Baldwin.
The writers David Margolick and Hilton Als dismissed that claim in their work Strange Fruit: The Biography of a Song, writing that hers was "an account that may set a record for most misinformation per column inch".
"[7] Meeropol wrote numerous other poems and songs, including the Frank Sinatra and Josh White hit "The House I Live In.
According to his adopted son Robert Meeropol, the songs "Strange Fruit" and "The House I Live In," along with the Peggy Lee hit "Apples, Peaches and Cherries," provided most of the royalty income of the family.