Franklin, 76, died last week at her home in the Motor City, surrounded by family and friends after a lengthy illness.
Tributes have been pouring in for the woman whose songs came to represent both the women’s movement and the civil rights movement. When the rainbow appeared over the baseball field while the Tigers were honoring Franklin, many on social media called it a surprising, but fitting tribute.
Franklin’s image on the field’s big screen with the letters to one of her most iconic songs R-E-S-P-E-C-T was framed by the colorful phenomenon and captured in a photo the team posted on social media.
Some pictures say it all. pic.twitter.com/abFKT7gsQM
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 21, 2018
The Queen of Soul will be laid to rest next week after several days of public viewing at the Charles H. Wright Museum for African American History in Detroit and at New Bethel Baptists Church, which her father founded. A private funeral ceremony for family and friends is scheduled at Greater Grace Temple next Friday.
Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
R.I.P. to our Queen of Soul. Even the heavens seem to agree!
— Sheryl Wragg (@sher_wr) August 22, 2018
Nature itself “bows” to a Queen!
— AdmJaneway2018 (@frmrUSMCPltSgt) August 22, 2018
A fitting tribute for the Queen of Soul!
You will be missed Aretha!
❤️🎶❤️
Surely Aretha is singing in heaven. This is proof.
— Kolegraff Venture Capital Network (@kolegraffvclink) August 22, 2018
Here is Aretha covering, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" https://t.co/AQzlPwGO7g @motown @ArethaFranklin @jmoorheadcnn @adrimaanna
— Tony Wood (@1925maroons) August 22, 2018
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