here in new york, farah jasmine griffin.ke university in north carolina, we will be joined by mark anthony neal. and then from mark's vineyard, angela davis will talk about what aretha franklin meant to her. stay with us. ♪ [music break] amy: aretha franklin. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. remember aretha franklin, the queen of soul, we're joined here by two guests. in new york, farah jasmine griffin joins us. she's a professor of english and comparative literature and african-american studies at columbia university. she's the author of a number of books, including "if you can't be free, be a mystery: in search of billie holiday" and "harlem nocturne: women artists and progressive politics in new york during world war ii." her latest article for the nation is headlined "aretha franklin -- musical genius, truth teller, freedom fifighter" and inin durham, north carolina, we're joined by mark anthony neal, chair of the department of african & african american studies where h