Aretha Franklin On Monday, May 24, Aretha Franklin received an honorary doctorate of music degree from Yale University. Franklin is still celebrating this prestigious honor and is joyful and grateful. "We know royalty when we see it, and you are, without question, the Queen of Soul. A natural woman, you have been signing your whole life, learning the grace of gospel from family and faith community, tuning it with your own sometimes painful, often joyful, experiences, and creating a signature style that transcends any one musical genre," Yale President Richard C. Levin said in his introduction of the singer. "You have sung the nation's hopes at presidential inaugurations and shared your gifts with generations of music lovers. From gospel to pop, from blues to hip-hop, your voice expresses our feelings," Levin noted.

Franklin has also received honorary doctorate degrees from Berklee College of Music, the University of Pennsylvania, New England Conservatory of Music, Bethune-Cookman University, Wayne State University and the University of Detroit Mercy.

On Monday, June 14, the Queen of Soul will be inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame alongside the posthumously induction of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson at the Apollo Theater.