Aretha Franklin—inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame in 1997—accepts the 39th NAACP Image Awards Vanguard Award in 2008 in this touching excerpt.
Tyler Perry delivers her introduction, musical tribute performances abound, and we hear from Franklin herself.
This extraordinary artist and champion of social justice looks lovingly back at what it was like attending the very first Image Awards shows, pokes some fun at how far the production has come, and reminds us all of the ceremony’s significance.
As presenter Tyler Perry notes in his introduction of the honoree, the Vanguard Award is bestowed upon an individual whose groundbreaking work increases our understanding and awareness of racial and social issues.
And in that vein, many of Aretha’s own words take on especially great meaning, as the world mourns her passing and celebrates her glorious life.
Over the years I have watched the Image Awards annually and watched it evolve into a beautiful presentation and production ranking with the best and second to none…and this is the icing on the cake for me. I’m going home in a couple of days with wonderful memories of receiving this most prestigious and highly esteemed Vanguard Award.
I believe—and let me hurry up before I start boo-hooing—I believe, only three other people have received it.
Coming from the NAACP, I am especially proud to receive this award from such a longtime, historical organization that stands and fights for human and civil rights, justice and parity for all. I applaud their continuing struggle, honor and magnificence of the NAACP, and I would like to thank the chairman of the board and the Dean of Civil Rights, Mr. Julian Bond. (Looks to Chairman Bond in the audience.) I believe he’s a Morehouse Man, aren’t you? When the bell rings, he answers…
I accept the Vanguard Award in the name of my father, Rev. C.L. Franklin. Thank you many, many times over.
Thank you, Aretha.
— Juliana J. Bolden
