[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 140 (Wednesday, August 22, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 615--HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ARETHA FRANKLIN 
 AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ARETHA FRANKLIN TO MUSIC, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND 
                          THE CITY OF DETROIT

  Mr. PETERS (for himself, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Brown, Mr. Carper, Mr. 
Coons, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Jones, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Sanders, Mr. 
Markey, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Warren, Ms. Smith, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Donnelly, 
Ms. Hassan, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Booker, Ms. 
Heitkamp, Ms. Klobuchar, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Feinstein, 
Mr. Scott, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Manchin, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Reed, and Mr. 
Corker) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 615

       Whereas Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in 
     Memphis, Tennessee;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin moved to Detroit, Michigan, in 
     1946, at the age of 4;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin began a career singing gospel at 
     the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin traveled with Dr. Martin Luther 
     King, Jr., across the country as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
     preached nonviolence in the movement for civil rights;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin was an active supporter of the 
     civil rights movement and her song ``Respect'' became an 
     anthem for the civil rights movement and the women's 
     movement;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin is most known for her powerful 
     songs such as ``Respect'', ``(You Make Me Feel Like) A 
     Natural Woman'', ``Spanish Harlem'', and ``Think'';
       Whereas Aretha Franklin was known as the ``Queen of Soul'' 
     and on January 3, 1987, became the first woman inducted into 
     the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin has won 18 Grammy Awards and sold 
     over 75,000,000 records worldwide;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Michigan 
     Women's Hall of Fame in 2001, the United Kingdom's Music Hall 
     of Fame in 2005, and the Gospel Music Association's Gospel 
     Music Hall of Fame in 2012;
       Whereas in June 2017 the City of Detroit honored Aretha 
     Franklin with a key to the City and renamed a segment of 
     Madison Avenue in downtown Detroit ``Aretha Franklin Way'';
       Whereas Aretha Franklin was awarded the Presidential Medal 
     of Freedom on November 9, 2005;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin received honorary degrees for her 
     contributions to the arts from Harvard University, Princeton 
     University, Yale University, Brown University, Berklee 
     College of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, 
     University of Michigan, Wayne State University, and Bethune-
     Cookman College;
       Whereas Aretha Franklin inspired a generation of artists 
     and enthralled the world with powerful music; and
       Whereas Aretha Franklin passed away on August 16, 2018, at 
     the age of 76 at her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate celebrates the life and legacy of 
     Aretha Franklin and the iconic contributions of Aretha 
     Franklin to music, arts, and civil rights.

                          ____________________