Aretha Franklin was “The Queen of Soul.” She was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She started singing from a very young age and traveled with her father and his band. When they were in New York, Aretha Franklin signed with a record label called Columbia Records. Aretha blew up, releasing tons of singles and gaining instant notoriety. She went on to win eighteen Grammy awards and was even was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Aretha Franklin was truly an empowering inspiration to so many people and groups around the world. One of those groups were filled with the activists of the Civil Rights Movement. She stood side by side with Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights period. She sang at rallies with King, empowering the people to break free. Aretha was even asked to sing at Martin Luther King Jr’s funeral. One of her most famous songs, Respect, became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement. In the famous words of Aretha Franklin, “ [It is] one of the battle cries for the Civil Rights Movement.” While that is true, it is also a battle cry for our needs as a nation: respect for everyone.
Not only was Aretha Franklin an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement, but she was also one for the Feminist movement. Respect was also the anthem song for this movement. Another anthem song for this movement is “Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves.” This song encouraged women to break free from this sexist world we have today. The song read, “The conscious liberation of the female state! / Mothers, daughters, and their daughters, too. / Woman to woman / We’re singin’ with you. / The inferior sex got a new exterior.”
Thank you, Aretha Franklin, for empowering the women of yesterday and today!
Via Giphy
Not only did Aretha Franklin use her voice to help others, but she helped out many charitable organizations including Feeding America, Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Rainforest Fund, a Christmas Album for the Special Olympics and so many more. She helped raise a lot money for such good causes.
Via Giphy
Aretha Franklin, “Queen of Soul”, thank you for empowering us as women, as black people and the nation as a whole. Rest Easy.