The name Carl Ellan Kelley may not resonate with music lovers worldwide like her illustrious half-sister Aretha Franklin, yet her story represents one of the most poignant and overlooked chapters in the Franklin family narrative. Born into circumstances that would shape her entire life, Carl Ellan Kelley emerged from the shadows of a complicated family legacy to live a quiet yet dignified existence that deserves recognition.
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Early Life and Troubled Origins
Carl Ellan Kelley was born on 17 November 1940 in Memphis, Tennessee, under circumstances that would cast a long shadow over her life. Her birth was the result of a deeply troubling incident involving her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin, and her mother, Mildred Jennings, who was merely 12 years old at the time.
The circumstances surrounding Carl Ellan Kelley’s birth were emblematic of a darker chapter in her father’s history. C.L. Franklin, who would later become known as the “man with the million-dollar voice” and a prominent civil rights activist, had sexually assaulted young Mildred Jennings when she was a member of his congregation at New Salem Baptist Church in Memphis.
While C.L. Franklin faced no legal consequences for his actions, Mildred Jennings was punished for her victimisation. She was separated from her newborn daughter and banished from her home and church community, forced to live with relatives. Meanwhile, Carl Ellan Kelley was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry, with little contact with either of her biological parents.
A Childhood of Separation
Unlike her half-siblings who grew up in Detroit surrounded by music and celebrity, Carl Ellan Kelley experienced a childhood marked by separation and silence. She was raised knowing who her father was, but it wasn’t until she was approaching 18 that she decided to reach out to him.
According to the book “Singing in a Strange Land,” Carl Ellan Kelley wrote a letter to her father when she was close to 18, wanting to understand her identity and place in the world. She confided in A.R. Williams, a minister in Memphis who was close to her father, about her desire to make contact.
The response was telling of the complicated dynamics that would define their relationship. Rather than calling his daughter directly, C.L. Franklin contacted the minister instead. Their conversation remained a mystery, but it’s believed that Williams forced Franklin to finally acknowledge Carl Ellan Kelley as his daughter – something the reverend had been reluctant to do for several reasons.
Meeting the Franklin Family
When Carl Ellan Kelley finally visited Detroit a few months after their first contact, she was acknowledged by her father and met her half-siblings for the first time. The family was understandably shocked by the news of their father’s other child, but Rachel Franklin, known as “Big Mama,” embraced Carl with open arms.
Carl Ellan Kelley had five half-siblings from her father’s side: Erma, Carolyn, Aretha, Rev. Cecil, and Vaughn Franklin. All of them were involved in music to some degree, with Aretha becoming the legendary “Queen of Soul” that the world came to know and love.
Despite the initial shock, Carl Ellan Kelley developed relationships with her siblings. The bond was strong enough that when Aretha Franklin drafted her will in 2014, she included provisions leaving Carl Ellan Kelley $50,000. This gesture suggests that despite the complicated circumstances of their relationship, there was genuine affection and recognition within the family.
A Life Lived in the Shadows
Carl Ellan Kelley chose to live a private life, away from the media attention that surrounded her famous family. She rarely spoke about her family or her past, and few people knew about her relationship with Aretha Franklin. This discretion was perhaps a protective mechanism, given the traumatic circumstances of her birth and the scandal it represented.
She worked as a nurse for many years, dedicating herself to caring for others. Carl Ellan Kelley had two children: Charles G. Smith and Herman E. Wheatley III. By the time of her death, she had several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Alyssa, Rayden, Amaria, Herman IV, Justin, Tevin, and Detric, plus great-grandchild Ariya.
Family Relationships and Recognition
Despite the distance and complicated beginnings, Carl Ellan Kelley maintained some connection with her famous half-siblings. Her relationship with the family was complex but ultimately loving. When C.L. Franklin moved to New Orleans, he would have her by his side during church preachings, and they developed a more familial relationship when she moved to Seattle.
The fact that Aretha Franklin remembered Carl Ellan Kelley in her will speaks to the bond that existed between them, despite the challenges. In one of Franklin’s handwritten wills discovered after her death, the Queen of Soul left her half-sister a substantial sum, recognising her as part of the family legacy.
Death and Legacy
Carl Ellan Kelley passed away on 30 January 2019 at her home in Detroit at the age of 78. The cause of death was revealed to be a heart attack, following a long struggle with heart problems. Her death came just months after her famous half-sister Aretha Franklin had passed away in August 2018.
She was initially buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, where her father and some of her half-siblings are also laid to rest. Later, she was moved to Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle, Washington. Her obituary noted that she was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Aretha Franklin, Rev Cecil Franklin, Erma Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, Clark E Turner, Charles E Jennings, and her daughter Vivian Smith.
The Broader Context
Carl Ellan Kelley’s story cannot be separated from the broader context of the Franklin family’s complex dynamics and the often-hidden scandals that surrounded them. Her father’s behaviour, which resulted in her birth, was part of a pattern that has been documented by biographers and historians.
The recent surge of interest in the Franklin family story, prompted by various biographical films and documentaries, has brought renewed attention to figures like Carl Ellan Kelley. However, this attention has not always been welcomed by the family, who have criticised some portrayals as inaccurate and disrespectful.
A Symbol of Resilience
Despite the traumatic circumstances of her birth and the challenges she faced throughout her life, Carl Ellan Kelley exemplified remarkable resilience. She overcame a difficult beginning to live what those who knew her described as a decent and respectable life. Her children and grandchildren remembered her as a caring mother and grandmother who brought love and stability to their lives.
Her story serves as a reminder that behind every famous family are often untold stories of struggle, survival, and quiet dignity. While Carl Ellan Kelley never achieved the fame of her half-sister Aretha Franklin, her life had its own value and meaning, shaped by resilience in the face of adversity.
Honouring a Quiet Legacy
As interest in the Franklin family story continues, it’s important to remember figures like Carl Ellan Kelley – not just as footnotes in someone else’s story, but as individuals who lived full lives worthy of recognition and respect. Her passing in 2019 marked the end of a life that, while lived largely in private, represented resilience, dignity, and the complex realities of family relationships shaped by both love and difficult circumstances.
In the broader narrative of the Franklin family, Carl Ellan Kelley serves as a reminder that every family story has multiple chapters, some more visible than others, but all contributing to the complete picture of what it means to be human, to survive, and to find dignity in the face of life’s challenges.
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