Who Was Carl Ellan Kelley? The Untold Story of Aretha Franklin’s Half-Sister
When people think of the Franklin family, the legendary Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, immediately comes to mind. Known worldwide for her extraordinary voice and cultural impact, Aretha’s personal life has been well documented in biographies, documentaries, and news features. However, few outside of the Franklin family circle know about Carl Ellan Kelley, her half-sister, whose story is both poignant and fascinating.
Carl Ellan Kelley’s life is not one of fame or musical accolades but rather one of resilience, quiet dignity, and a shadowed connection to one of the most celebrated families in American gospel and soul history. In this article, we’ll dive deep into her background, her connection to the Franklin legacy, the circumstances of her birth, her later years, and ultimately her passing.
Early Life and Background
Carl Ellan Kelley was born on November 17, 1940, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her birth came at a difficult and controversial time. She was the daughter of Rev. Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin, a Baptist preacher renowned for his fiery sermons and a figure deeply influential in the gospel music community. Her mother was Mildred Jennings, a young girl of only 12 years old when she became pregnant.
The story of Carl Ellan’s birth was one rarely spoken of publicly. Rev. C. L. Franklin, despite his reputation as a powerful preacher, had a troubled private life marked by infidelities and scandals. For Mildred Jennings, barely an adolescent at the time, motherhood was not an option she could shoulder alone.
As a result, Carl Ellan was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry, in Memphis, away from her famous father and his household. For many years, she lived apart from the Franklin family, in relative obscurity, and her connection to C. L. Franklin was largely unacknowledged.
Relationship With Her Father and Siblings
Carl Ellan Kelley’s relationship with her father, Rev. Franklin, did not truly begin until she was in her late teens. Around the age of 17 or 18, she wrote to him, expressing a desire to connect and claim her identity within the Franklin family.
Rev. Franklin did eventually acknowledge her as his daughter, albeit reluctantly. This acknowledgment allowed Carl Ellan to establish contact with most of her half-siblings: Aretha Franklin, Erma Franklin, Cecil Franklin, and Vaughn Franklin. However, she reportedly never met Carolyn Franklin, another of the Franklin sisters who was known for her powerful singing career.
For Carl Ellan, connecting with her siblings was an important but complicated chapter. The Franklin household was one of both musical brilliance and familial turbulence, with C. L. Franklin’s dominance shaping much of their lives. While Aretha and her siblings had to navigate life in the public eye, Carl Ellan remained largely in the background, carving out a life of her own.
Personal Life and Family
Despite her blood ties to one of America’s most famous musical families, Carl Ellan Kelley chose a different path. She maintained a private and low-profile life away from the spotlight.
Children and Descendants
Carl Ellan reportedly became the mother of two children, Charles G. Smith and Herman E. Wheatley III, both of whom went on to have families of their own. Through them, she left behind grandchildren and a legacy rooted not in celebrity but in the quiet importance of family.
Professional Life
Though details about her career are not as well documented as her famous half-siblings, some accounts suggest that she worked as a nurse, dedicating herself to care and service rather than the stage. This profession, if accurate, is symbolic of the kind of life she led—centered on nurturing others, committed to responsibility, and carried out away from fame.
Later Years and Passing
In her later years, Carl Ellan resided in Detroit, Michigan, close to where the Franklin family had long roots. Her life, while private, remained tied to the memory of her father and her half-siblings.
On January 30, 2019, Carl Ellan Kelley passed away at the age of 78. Reports suggest that the cause of death was linked to heart issues, with some sources specifically noting a heart attack.
Her passing was a quieter moment compared to the highly publicized death of her sister Aretha Franklin in August 2018, just months earlier. Yet within her circle of family and friends, her death was deeply felt.
Legacy and Connection to Aretha Franklin
Although Carl Ellan Kelley never sought fame or recognition, her connection to the Franklin family inevitably tied her legacy to Aretha’s story. Interestingly, Aretha Franklin’s handwritten will included a bequest of $50,000 to Carl Ellan. This gesture, though modest in comparison to the Queen of Soul’s overall estate, demonstrated a familial acknowledgment and bond that endured, despite the complicated family history.
Carl Ellan’s legacy is not marked by albums, tours, or awards, but by the resilience of a woman born into difficult circumstances who built a life of her own. She represents the quieter side of a famous family—the individuals who bear the same lineage but choose paths outside the limelight.
The Untold Story Behind Her Birth
The most striking element of Carl Ellan’s story remains the controversial nature of her birth. Her mother, Mildred Jennings, was a child at the time of her pregnancy. For decades, this part of the Franklin family history was whispered about but rarely confronted openly.
In recent years, as Aretha Franklin’s legacy has been reexamined through documentaries, biographies, and news coverage, Carl Ellan’s name has surfaced more frequently. This attention has highlighted the complexities of C. L. Franklin’s life and the lasting impact his actions had on multiple families.
By facing the reality of Carl Ellan’s birth and acknowledging her as part of the Franklin lineage, historians and family chroniclers are able to paint a more complete picture of the family’s legacy—one that blends triumph, music, controversy, and personal struggles.
Remembering Carl Ellan Kelley
It is easy to reduce Carl Ellan Kelley’s story to her relationship with Aretha Franklin, but her life deserves recognition on its own merits. She was a daughter, a mother, a grandmother, and possibly a nurse who gave care to countless individuals.
While she never sang on stage, her strength and dignity in leading a private life amidst a complicated family legacy is worthy of remembrance. Her story is a reminder that not every legacy is built on fame; some are built on perseverance and the ability to survive adversity with quiet strength.
Conclusion
Carl Ellan Kelley’s life story is one of resilience, privacy, and quiet dignity, overshadowed yet inextricably connected to the legacy of her father, Rev. C. L. Franklin, and her half-sister, Aretha Franklin.
Born into controversy, raised away from her famous family, and living a life out of the public eye, Carl Ellan represents the other side of fame—the family members who bear the weight of lineage but not its spotlight.
Her passing in 2019 marked the end of a life shaped by extraordinary circumstances, but her legacy continues through her children, her grandchildren, and the recognition she has slowly begun to receive as a vital part of the Franklin family story.
At Mating Press, we believe in telling stories like Carl Ellan Kelley’s because they remind us that history is not just about those who shine in the spotlight but also about those who endure in the shadows.
