Even as an ancestor Aretha Franklin continues to make history. The Queen of Soul received the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation today, making her the first individual woman to earn the prize since it was first introduced in 1930.
Other recipients of this honor include Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk amongst others.
The committee said Franklin was given the award due to her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades.
Over the course of her career, Franklin amassed 18 Grammys, numerous Top 10 albums and a dozen million-selling singles. She also made history as the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Franklin died on August 16, 2018 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
In a tweet Barack Obama said the Queen of Soul “helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history…”
R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the Queen!