Sing, Aretha, Sing!: Aretha Franklin,"Respect," and the Civil Rights Movement

Description

When Aretha Franklin sang, she didn't just make records-she sparked a movement. A civil rights activist known as the Queen of Soul, Aretha used her voice to uplift freedom fighters and people of color during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Her song "Respect" emerged as an anthem of identity and survival. It urged the Black community to hang on to joy and take back what was theirs, and whenever Aretha performed the powerful words, everyone sang along. "Respect" gave hope to the people who wanted to try to change the world-and continues to give hope to people today. Hanif Abdurraqib's lyrical prose and Ashley Evans's colorful illustrations demonstrate how one brave voice can give power to a community, and how the legacy of Aretha Franklin lives on in a world still fighting for freedom.

Hanif Abdurraqib is a poet, essayist, and cultural critic. His work has appeared in Muzzle, Vinyl, PEN American, The FADER, Pitchfork, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. He is the author of multiple books, including They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, which was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, and NPR, among others; and Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes To A Tribe Called Quest, a New York Times bestseller and Kirkus Prize nominee. He lives in Columbus, Ohio. abdurraqib.com Ashley Evans is the illustrator of the popular picture book Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union. Born and raised in Queens, she now lives in Charlotte, NC with her boyfriend and their daughter.

"Rather than tell Aretha Franklin's entire story, this focused biography concentrates on her trailblazing song 'Respect' and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement . . . Vibrant and expressive." --Booklist "Evans' vibrant digital illustrations highlight Franklin's beauty and vitality and the racial diversity of the people who were in her thrall . . . A sweet, upbeat testimonial to the ongoing, far-reaching impact of a dearly departed legend." --Kirkus Reviews