Delta Sigma Theta pays tribute to soror, the Queen of Soul
DETROIT — What began as a thin line swelled into a sea of sisterhood as hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta streamed into the rotunda of the Charles H. Wright Museum on Tuesday to pay tribute to the Queen of Soul, a member of the sorority.
The moving ceremony, known as the Omega Omega Service, was the latest testament to the life and legacy of Aretha Franklin, who was remembered by her sisters as a proud black woman who demanded respect and loved her community.
“She loved Delta and its ideals … she looked for the best in others. Her life was an inspiration,” said U.S. House Rep. Brenda Lawrence, a member of the sorority who was elected the first black mayor of Southfield, Michigan, in 2001.
At least 1,000 Delta Sigma Thetas from across the country attended the service, which lasted nearly an hour and is traditionally performed for any member before her funeral. Standing in a semicircle surrounding Franklin’s family, the women filed in for nearly 10 minutes wearing black dresses, pearl necklaces, and corsages of African violets, the sorority’s official flower.