Franklin’s Eulogist Preached to the Black Family
Seven hours into the Celebration of Life Service for Aretha Franklin, Rev. Jasper Williams took 43 minutes to eulogize her by preaching to the Black family. He used as a subject from which to preach, “Aretha: The Queen of Soul.”
He defined “soul” as that essence of God in the human body.
Williams, a lifelong friend, was hand picked by Franklin to be her eulogist. He had eulogized her father, the late C. L. Franklin in August 1984.
In his eulogy, Williams made good use of his knowledge of Franklin’s commitment to the advancement of the Black community. Last week he had said that he would approach his task by addressing “the life of Franklin, the word of God and society as it is presently constituted.”
He talked about the pain Franklin endured as a child. She was raised by her father after her mother left the family home. He said that the pain of Franklin’s early childhood was evident in her first few songs.
Throughout the day long service, pulpit participants talked about Franklin’s service to the civil rights movement and the altruistic measures she freely provided to people in need of help.
Williams, in eulogizing her, put Franklin’s service to the Black community into the context of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s question; and I…
