Aretha Franklin: Not Just the Queen of Soul But Also a 'Soul-Sista'

by Kenny Anderson

Aretha Franklin the legendary Black musical icon recently passed away at the age of 76 in Detroit, Michigan. From my perspective Aretha Franklin was more than a singing legend - the ‘Queen of Soul’ she was also a ‘Soul Sista’ – a talented Black woman who raised her voice and supported Black freedom.

Soul Sista Aretha learned supporting Black freedom from her father Reverend Clarence L. Franklin who was a good friend of Martin Luther King Jr. Franklin pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church (Detroit, MI) organized the 1963 ‘Detroit Walk to Freedom’ ahead of Dr. King’s March on Washington. 

Also in 1963 Reverend Franklin with the cooperation of Reverend Albert Cleage of the Shrine of the Black Madonna Church held an organizational meeting of new younger Black Power groups at New Bethel.

This new generation of younger Black leaders in Detroit demanded a much more rapid dismantling of the traditional racial hierarchy. These groups consisted of GOAL (Group for the Advancement of Leadership), UHURU (founded by Wayne State students who used this Swahili word for their organization); the Detroit chapter of SNCC (Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee) and RAM (Revolutionary Action Movement). 

These groups demanded control of the institutions that determined the fate of Detroit's Black communities. Several of their leaders, especially Robert F. Williams of RAM and the SNCC leaders advocated using violence if necessary to secure Black control of Detroit.

In 1969, Reverend Franklin allowed the Republic of New Africa (RNA) to celebrate their first organization anniversary at New Bethel Church. The RNA’s meeting was adjourning about midnight when two Detroit police officers saw a dozen or so apparently armed men in camaflogue walking in front of the church. They stopped to investigate aggressively and an encounter occurred resulting in one officer being shot to death and the other officer was wounded but managed to call for back up. 

Twenty minutes later, 50 Detroit police officers attempted to enter New Bethel; the commanding officer claimed the police were fired upon as their tried to enter the church. Once they broke down the door, the police claim they came under rifle fire from the altar and sniper fire from the loft. These claims were disputed.

The police arrested 142 inside the church, found 9 rifles, three pistols and ammunition. Reverend Franklin instantly alerted Blacks who had risen to positions of power: State Senator James Del Rio and Recorders Court Judge George Crockett. 

Judge Crockett was not certain that the Detroit police would treat the Blacks arrested well so he went to the lockup and established a temporary court room where he began releasing those who were arrested, either on small bonds or on personal recognizance. 

Judge Crockett released many but not all of those arrested, including some that had tested positive for nitrate burns. Judge Crockett also criticized police procedures and thus invalidated their right to hold those arrested at New Bethel. Reverend Franklin never apologized for the New Bethel incident. Indeed, he said that RNA would be welcome to meet at his church again, but he would prohibit guns.

Aretha Franklin and Black Freedom

Growing up with a father like C.L Franklin it’s not surprising that Aretha Franklin would often use her talents to help further the civil rights movement and Black freedom, even going so far as to tour with Dr. King and fellow singer/activist, Harry Belafonte. Reverend Jesse Jackson said:

“When Dr. King was alive, several times Aretha helped us make payroll, on one occasion, we took an 11-city tour with her as Aretha Franklin and Harry Belafonte and they put gas in the vans. She did 11 concerts for free and hosted us at her home and did a fundraiser for my campaign. Aretha has always been a very socially conscious artist, an inspiration, not just an entertainer. She has shared her points of view from the stage for challenged people, to register to vote, to stand up for decency.”

In 1967, Aretha Franklin released “Respect,” arguably one of her most famous songs that became an anthem for the racial and gendered political movements of the time. In her memoir Aretha ‘From These Roots’ she stated: 

“Respect reflected the need of a nation, the need of the average man and woman in the street, the businessman, the mother, the fireman, the teacher - everyone wanted respect. It was also one of the battle cries of the civil rights movement. The song took on monumental significance.” 

When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 Aretha Franklin sang “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” at King’s funeral. Dr. King once stated that “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” 

In 1970 one of the most prescient examples of Aretha Franklin’s character and commitment to Black freedom was her controversial support for jailed revolutionary activist and scholar Angela Davis offering to post her bail. Davis was a member of the Communist Party and accused of assisting in a courtroom takeover in Marin County California to liberate imprisoned Black revolutionary George Jackson that ended in four deaths. 

Aretha Franklin got a lot of flack from supporting Davis but she did not back down! In an interview with Jet, Franklin advocated for not only Davis but for Black liberation, Franklin stated:

“Angela Davis must go free! Black people will be free! I’ve been locked up for disturbing the peace in Detroit and I know you got to disturb the peace when you can’t get no peace. Jail is hell to be in, I’m going to see her free if there is any justice in our courts, not because I believe in communism, but because she’s a Black woman and she wants freedom for Black people. I have the money; I got it from Black people they’ve made me financially able to have it and I want to use it in ways that will help our people.”

Aretha Franklin will forever be remembered as the legendary Queen of Soul, a six decade career during which she won 18 Grammy awards and the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

The white mainstream media will blow up and reinforce Aretha Franklin’s singing legacy reducing her simply as the ‘Queen of Soul’, but the conscious Black community must promote and celebrate Aretha Franklin’s other loftier legacy as a ‘Soul Sista’ who used both her voice and celebrity platform to advocate for Black freedom.