The Queen of Soul received plenty of love at her open-casket visitation. Fans of the late Aretha Franklin lined up at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit on Tuesday, August 28, to say their final goodbyes to the legendary singer.
The body of Franklin, who died at the age of 76 on August 16 after battling advanced pancreatic cancer, arrived in a white 1940 Cadillac LaSalle hearse for the first part of a two-day public service. Hundreds of people gathered outside the museum, with many sleeping overnight on the sidewalk.
The “Respect” singer was dressed in a red lace suit and crimson satin pumps as she was laid out in a gold casket. The lining of the casket was embroidered with gold thread that spelled out the words “Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul.”