Aretha Franklin died yesterday at the age of 76. Raised in Detroit, her career spanned decades and genres, from gospel to jazz to her signature sound as the Queen of Soul. 

Chuck Reece is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of magazine The Bitter Southerner.

After hearing of Franklin’s passing, he published an essay called “Aretha Goes Home.”

Reece recorded an excerpt for us, beginning with the struggle for Civil Rights in the 1950s and 60s.  

 
The Bitter Southerner's Chuck Reece reads an excerpt of his essay "Aretha Goes Home" about the late Aretha Franklin and her relationship to the South.

This story was produced by GPB's Stephen Fowler.

 

Tags: Queen of Soul  Aretha Franklin  Black history  The Bitter Southerner  Chuck Reece  Atlanta  Georgia