The iconic diva | Photo: Facebook/Aretha Franklin
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is opening an exhibit dedicated to Aretha Franklin on Tuesday (25 September).
Titled Think, the exhibit includes photos, videos, and clothing of the late singer. One of the pieces is the red gown and shoes in which she was dressed during visitation of the public viewing at the museum following her death. More than 31,000 people came through for the viewing.
‘This is an opportunity for people to come back and engage, reminisce and reflect,’ said Wright museum board member Kelly Major Green.
What to expect
Franklin’s family wanted the exhibit to have a welcoming feel to it.
Green described the exhibit like ‘walking into a living room’.
That’s why most of the space is made up of a range of photos. The looks into Franklin’s life cover both her private life with family and friends, as well as her public life as one of the most well-known and respected singers.
Aretha Franklin museum exhibition called “THINK”, a “tribute to the Queen of Soul” opens in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/jgmurqun2u
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) September 23, 2018
One artifact on display other than the red gown and shoes is the original vinyl copy of the 1956 J.V.B. Records songs Never Grow Old. It was her first recording.
All of the exhibit’s materials will rotate in and out during the run.
Franklin died on 16 August from pancreatic cancer. She was 76. Several notable figures, including Ariana Grande, Bill Clinton, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder, and more, paid their respects at her funeral.
The exhibit is running through 21 January — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is also the beginning of a future long-term exhibit coordinated with the Franklin estate.
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