Aretha Franklin

In honor of Black History Month, every day The Cardinal will feature a prominent person who has contributed to society.

Aretha+Franklin

Martha Nunez, Staff Writer

Aretha Franklin (1942-2018), was a powerful influential woman who used both her platform and her voice to advocate for racial equality and anything she believed in. Her music would speak out during the civil rights movement and would have lyrics that would make monumental significance. In addition, since she was a young girl, she would use her talents to take action in the civil rights movement and even tour with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, alongside with singer/activist Harry Belafonte. In connection with that, Aretha would always encourage people to vote and stand up for decency. She influenced many artists, who carry her soulful passion, and inspire people through her songs. She stood up for Women’s Rights, Civil Rights, supporting access to nutritional food contributed to charity events throughout her time being. Another reason on how she made positive impacts, was that she never took her fame for granted, in fact she made sure she would always be involved in helping people, making social contributions and civic ones too. Even in her song, Respect, Franklin quoted it was a well needed song during the times of feminism and civil rights, “…everyone wanted respect. It was also one of the battle cries of the civil rights movement…”