William Stimms stands on Peachtree St. downtown with a sticker on his hat watching the crowds go by on foot at Freaknik, Atlanta, Georgia, April 23, 1994.
Hulu has plans to bring the story of Freaknik to the silver screen. Exclusively reported by Variety, the streamer announced Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told, an original documentary chronicling how the infamous affair came to prominence and its demise.
According to the project’s synopsis, it “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,” raising the question: “Can the magic of Freaknik be brought back 40 years later?”
Capturing the true essence of Freaknik 96, Morehouse grad William Simkins (R) tries to sell Spelman student Celeste Springer a pair of Freaknik souvenir boxer shorts for $5 during the Sweet Auburn Street Freedom Festival 4/21. Simkins, partners Yusuf Spears, and David Norwood wore the shorts to promote their 1/2 price last-day special.
Executive producers for Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told include showrunner Geraldine L. Porras and director P Frank Williams, as well as Jermaine Dupri, Luther Campbell, Peter Bittenbender, Melissa Cooper for Mass Appeal, Eric Tomosunas for Swirl Films, Terry Ross, and Alex Avant. Nikki Byles and Jay Allen are producers of the project.
Freaknik was established in the mid-’80s in Atlanta as a small picnic during the spring break season for students of local Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). By the 1990s, the festival had surpassed its humble beginnings and evolved into what the event is remembered for today, inviting dance contests, concerts, parties, sporting events, rap sessions, job fairs, and more.
By 1998, the Associated Press reported Atlanta Committee for Black College Spring Break should no longer welcome Freaknik, citing “sexual assaults, violence against women, and public safety concerns.” Still, the nostalgia is evident in multiple present-day attempts to reboot the euphoric affair, from celebrities hosting Freaknik-themed birthday parties to festivals and public events.
