Unsealed FBI file proves that Aretha Franklin’s involvement in the civil rights movement was tracked
A recently declassified FBI file has uncovered that Aretha Franklin’s involvement in the civil rights movement was heavily tracked by the bureau.
Otherwise known as the Queen of Soul, Franklin passed away in 2018, aged 76. However, these files heavily focus on Franklin’s friendship with civil rights activist Martin Luther King and her involvement with the movement, with the 270-page long document following the musician across 12 different states.
The document reveals that Franklin was monitored before she was set to appear at civil rights events, which were associated with the likes of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
The FBI referred to these as “communist infiltration” events, which took place in areas such as Atlanta, Georgia, and Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1960s.
There are also references to the three death threats made towards Franklin, including one from a Cook County jail inmate, who, whilst posing as an FBI agent, attempted to extort her for $1 million.
Furthermore, Franklin is referenced in a document entitled ‘Assassination of Martin Luther King. Racial matters’. The document suggested that Franklin was involved with King’s memorial concert. However, the FBI had claimed that this “would provide emotional spark which could ignite racial disturbance this area,” thus, the show was cancelled by the SCLC.
More recent notes, dating from 2005, document a copyright infringement case that occurred between Franklin and the moderator of a Yahoo! Groups message board moderator.
Whilst the message board was described by the FBI as “the unofficial biggest Aretha Franklin fan site,” the moderator described themselves as an “anti-fanatic,” who made money from selling unofficial copies of Franklin’s live performances.
The full document is available to view here.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.