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Freaknik was launched in the mid-80s by HBCU students at the Atlanta University Center and quickly grew into an annual retreat which attracted thousands of young Black Americans.
An upcoming Hulu docuseries will shed light on the untold story of “Freaknik,” the Atlanta-founded cultural phenomenon also known as “Black Spring Break.”
“Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” currently in development at Hulu, “recounts the rise and fall of a small Atlanta HBCU picnic that exploded into an influential street party and spotlighted ATL as a major cultural stage,” according to the streaming platform, per Variety.
As previously reported by theGrio, Freaknik was launched in the mid-80s by HBCU students at the Atlanta University Center, which currently includes Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College. The event quickly grew into an annual retreat which drew in thousands of young Black Americans.
By 1994, around 200,000 people were flocking to Atlanta to partake in the event. At its peak, Freaknik reportedly attracted a quarter of a million attendees, as previously reported by theGrio.
The festival, however, eventually came under scrutiny due to concerns about safety, logistics and alleged illicit activities, according to Complex.
Per the outlet, in 1998, the Atlanta Committee for Black College Spring Break told the Associated Press: “We cannot support events that bring lewd activities, sexual assaults, violence against women and public safety concerns; firetrucks not being able to reach victims, and ambulances not being able to reach hospitals in a timely manner.”
In 2010, Freaknik was officially banned by then-Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. The mayor stopped the city-wide party because it became too much of a municipal expense and required a large police force to keep activities under control, as theGrio previously reported.
After nearly a decade-long hiatus, the annual festivities returned in 2019 with a more “family-friendly” rebrand.
The most recent Freaknik event was held in October 2022 as the birthday party for rapper 21 Savage. The celebration was attended by stars such as Drake, Lizzo and Atlanta native Latto, per the event’s Twitter page.
Per Variety, “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” will be executive produced by Geraldine L. Porras, P. Frank Williams, Jermaine Dupri, Luther Campbell and Peter Bittenbender.
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