People are honoring the life of Aretha Franklin by sharing photos and video clips of the “Queen of Soul” on social media on Friday, which marks the anniversary of her death.
Franklin, who died last year on Aug. 16 at age 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer, was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. The transformative cultural icon has made a lasting impact on music and the portrayal of the Black experience.
In 2005, Franklin received a Presidential Medal of Freedom. In April, she posthumously received the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, becoming the first individual woman to earn the prize since it was awarded in 1930.
People on Twitter shared tributes of the influential figure, whose hits like, “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” among many others, continue to be celebrated.
The official Twitter account for “The Daily Show” posted an old clip from last year on Friday, that showed host Trevor Noah sharing some of the reasons why he had long admired Franklin.
“It’s one of those examples where you see an artist who uses their platform to go beyond just making money and doing what they do,” the host said at the time, before describing examples of Franklin’s advocacy for civil rights.
Jennifer Hudson, who is slated to portray Franklin in a forthcoming biopic titled “Respect,” paid tribute to the legendary singer in a post on Instagram.
“I’m certain that you are walking around heaven singing all day!” Hudson wrote.
Franklin’s legacy continued to be celebrated on Twitter on Friday:
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