Aretha Franklin tragically passed away last year, but her legacy lives on. The Queen of Soul has been posthumously awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prize jury.
According to the organization’s official statement following this announcement, Franklin was recognized “for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades.”
She’s not the first musician to receive this honor – the list of previous recipients includes Rodgers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, and Hank Williams. There’s still something historic about Franklin’s win – she’s the first female artist to ever be honored with this special award.
Aretha Franklin was never a stranger to breaking new grounds, and her career was filled with many firsts. Back in 1987, she became the first solo female performer to make it Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
She was also inducted to the UK Music Hall of Fame and to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and won dozens of prestigious awards over the course of her five-decade-long career.
