In 1946, the four-year-old future Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, moved from Tennessee to Detroit, MI where her father took over the pastorship of New Bethel Baptist Church. By the time she was 14, Franklin was singing solos in the Bethel Church choir. That same year, Franklin released her 1956 debut “Songs of Faith” — which was recorded live at New Bethel Baptist Church.
In response to Franklin’s passing on August 16, 2018, her fellow Detroiters have planned tributes, memorials, and celebrations honoring the icon and her legacy throughout the city, including landmarks such as the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Cobo Hall, United Sound Systems (USS), and the Motown Museum — among many others.
To learn more about the city’s plans to commemorate their Queen, and the impact Franklin’s music had on the Civil Rights Movement, be sure to check out:
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- Detroit Curbed: Aretha Franklin memorial planned in Detroit
- The Guardian: Detroit plays Aretha Franklin’s hits and remembers its hometown queen
- Colorlines: How Aretha Franklin Lent Her Voice to the Civil Rights Movement
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Video Credit: TIME