Young, Gifted and Black: Black music icon Aretha Franklin besought ‘Jesus, Be a Fence Around’ that was answered with ‘Amazing Grace’ as a ‘natural resource’
Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, at the family home on 406 Lucy Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father was a Baptist circuit preacher from Shelby, Mississippi, and her mother was a pianist and gospel singer whom Mahalia Jackson once called one of the finest in the country.
‘Behind the polished image of the Obamas lies a deeply human story of love tested by extraordinary circumstances’
The couple’s struggles sparked rumours of a split, especially when Michelle began retreating from public appearances ahead of President Trump’s inauguration. She notably skipped significant events, including the funeral of President Jimmy Carter and Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, allegedly fuelling speculation about the state of their marriage.
