After Martin Luther King Jr. passed away, Aretha Franklin kept up her relationship with his family. Even though MLK is gone in body, he will never be gone in spirit. Aretha Franklin, specifically, wanted the world to know this, and worked tirelessly alongside the King family to uphold his legacy. Born to preacher and civil rights activist Clarence L. Franklin (who organized the 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom ahead of his good friend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s March on Washington) and Martin Luther King Jr., a friend of C.L. Franklin’s, delivered an early version of his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Detroit march. “He had his vision, and yes it was under his control,” Aretha Franklin and Martin Luther King Jr. had a fantastic relationship during the 1960s when civil rights movements were at their peak. The unique relationship became more evident after Martin's passing as Aretha was actively involved in the civil rights activist's affairs. Aretha Franklin and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr worked together and paved the way for many as they became a huge part of the US civil rights movement. Her Baptist minister father was the organiser behind the 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom - the largest-ever demonstration for civil rights in the US until the March on Washington later that year, when Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke all became friends of C. L. Franklin, as well. [ 24 ] [ 25 ] Ward was romantically involved with Aretha's father from around 1949 until Ward's death in 1973, though Aretha "preferred to view them strictly as friends". [ 26 ] A gospel singer who was raised in the church, she was the daughter of C.L. Franklin, pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit and a minister who marched with Martin Luther King At 18, Franklin cast off the gospel and embarked on a pop career that would span nearly six decades, spawn a legion of hits, garner countless awards, and see her enshrined as the Queen of an art Aretha Franklin lend her powerful voice not only to music — she also used it to speak out on behalf of the civil rights movement. Franklin's father, Detroit Rev. Clarence LaVaughn (C.L.), was a Did Aretha Franklin and Martin Luther King Jr know each other? Aretha Franklin was surrounded by civil rights activists from a young age, having grown up in Detroit, Michigan in the early fifties. She was raised by her father C.L. Franklin, a Baptist minister and a civil-rights activist that organized the 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom. Her Father Was a Friend to Martin Luther King and Led the First Presentation of “I Have a Dream” Speech King and C. L. Franklin (Image Source)She was born Aretha Louise Franklin on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, United States of America. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright Aretha Franklin performs "Precious Lord" at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. A Respect fact-check confirms that Aretha Franklin's father, C. L. Franklin, was a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr. and rubbed elbows with many other black icons of the day, including Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and Sam Cooke. "[Martin Luther King Jr.] and my dad were great friends," Aretha said in an interview. 2. Aretha Franklin’s performance at the funeral was a powerful and emotional moment. She sang a stirring rendition of the gospel song “Precious Lord, Take My Hand,” which was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite songs. On an even colder day in April 1968, five days after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been slain in Aretha’s birth town of Memphis, Tennessee, she stood before a crowd of black mourners at his Aretha Franklin's rendition of "Precious Lord" at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral in 1968 is considered one of the most iconic and powerful performances in Aretha Franklin. Everett. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a friend of Franklin's father; thus the singer joined the civil rights leader on tour, along with Harry Belafonte, Andrew Young and Jesse Rebecca Burns, author of Burial for a King: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Funeral and the Week that Transformed Atlanta and Rocked the Nation, writes that “In 1967, according to ‘Jet,’ [Harry] Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Aretha Franklin and Joan Baez raised more than $250,000 for King and the SCLC with a seven-city concert series.”
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