Aretha Franklin’s Family Speaks Out About Her Eulogist: “At No Time Did He Properly Eulogize Her”

Not only are people upset with Aretha Franklin’s pastor at her funeral, but also her eulogist, who apparently was never asked to speak by Aretha.

Although the queen of soul passed away on August 16th, 2018, her funeral took place on August 31st. Her funeral was a send off fit for the queen she was, from the singers, to her final outfit; the queen’s celebration of life was a true fitting.

However, members off her family, and the public, has criticized the eulogist, Rev. Jasper Williams Jr., who is the senior pastor of the Salem Baptist Church. Rev. Williams used his time to speak on black on black crime and essentially condemning ingle mother hood.

“If you choose to ask me today ‘do Black Lives Matter?’ let me answer like this: No, black lives do not matter,” Rev. Williams stated referencing black on black crime.” Black lives will not matter. Black lives ought not matter. Black lives should not matter, black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves, black lives can never matter,”

Rev. Williams on black motherhood in America. “A black woman cannot raise a black boy to be a man,” he starts. “Right in your own neighborhoods, where your church is, there are struggling single moms, that don’t know what to do. That needs a man in the house through mentoring programs and parenting our children, we can turn black America around,” he said. “The Queen of Soul has spoken now, time now for black America to come back home.”

Since a little time has passed for grieving, Franklin’s family has spoken out about the eulogist. “He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her,” Vaughn Franklin, Aretha’s nephew, told the Associated Press Monday. Vaughn stated that he was speaking for the family. Vaughn also said that Williams was only picked because he had spoken at the funeral for Aretha’s father, C.L. Franklin, 34 years ago. The family had not been in recent contact with him prior. Aretha did not specifically ask him to speak at her funeral.

Franklin went on to say that “my aunt did not ask Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. to eulogize her before she passed away because dying is a topic that she never discussed with anyone. However, there were several people that my aunt admired that would have been outstanding individuals to deliver her eulogy including Dr. William J. Barber, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Rev. James Holley and Pastor E.L. Branch.”

Ap also states that Williams stands by his statements and said he respects the family’s opinion. “I understand it,” he said. “I regret it. But I’m sorry they feel that way.”