Tributes to the Soul Diva Who Inspired the Civil Rights Movement

Aretha Franklin has died at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer. The "Queen of Soul" was one of the bestselling recording artists of all time. She became famous in the 1960s as a singer with a uniquely expressive voice possessing great passion and control. Her hit songs in the late 1960s tapped into the spirit of the civil rights movement while her hit cover (and gendered re-authoring) of Otis Redding's Respect was an anthem of black female empowerment, writes Leah Kardos for The Conversation.

Aretha Franklin sings "My Country 'Tis Of Thee'" at inauguration of President Obama in Washington, D.C., in 2009.

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin wipes a tear away after being honored with the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Looking on are recipients Robert Conquest, left, and Alan Greenspan.

Image of Aretha Franklin in the July 1976 issue of Billboard.

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