It's been nearly a year since 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin passed away at 76, and the singer is still making history - and herstory.

Pulitzer Administrator Dana Canedy announced the recipients of the the 2019 Pulitzer Prizes at Columbia University's School of Journalism earlier today (April 15). Canedy, who has been a part of the board since 2001, said:

"The Pulitzer board is pleased to award, posthumously, a special citation to, Aretha Franklin, for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades."

A total of seven 'Arts and Letters' awards for 2019 were announced. Last year, Canedy, who also announced Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer price last year, spoke with BET to discuss the process behind deciding and distributing the highly acclaimed award.

"The pulitzer prizes are important because journalism is so essential to American democracy. And in terms of art and letters, whether it be biography or fiction, or history and certainly music and drama, those categories speak to who we are as a nation, where we are, where we've been and where we're going," Canedy stated at this year's service. Ms. Franklin is being acknowledged for "her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades," as stated in the official details of each winner's honor. 

BET sends its sincerest congratulations to the Queen of Soul for the acknowledgement.