Street party became its own undoing


By ERNIE SUGGS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/14/08

It was a heck of a run. From 1983 until 1999, Freaknik — the college picnic that morphed into a sprawling street party — tormented, titillated and drove Atlanta to the brink.

At its peak in 1994 and 1995, more than 200,000 mostly black college students would flock to Atlanta, causing massive traffic jams as men would literally get out of their cars to taunt, videotape or grope women.


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(ENLARGE)
A sea of people floods Auburn Avenue during Freaknik in 1999. 'It changed when it became something other than a college event,' says a founder.


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(ENLARGE)
When traffic gridlocked, people got out of their cars, like Eric Smith (left) and Shawn Fagan of the University of North Texas.

• Photos

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But by the time it ended in 1999, politicians and police had made movement in Atlanta so restrictive that for the students, Freaknik was hardly worth it anymore.

"I was disappointed by what it became," said Sharon Toomer, one of the founders of Freaknik. "Its original purpose was to be an annual event to encourage camaraderie between historically black colleges. It was a rare opportunity for black college students to get together."

During the 1982-1983 school year, Toomer was a freshman at Spelman College and a member of the D.C. Metro Club.

Toomer said that as spring break approached the club planned a small picnic on campus for students who could not afford to go home. About 50 people showed up and enjoyed barbecue chicken, Go Go music and Parliament Funkadelic.

"It was very innocent," Toomer said. "Even the name. Throughout the year, we had this thing about the Freak. There was a dance called "The Freak," Rick James had a song out called "Super Freak," and Chic had "Le Freak." So we named it Freaknik. That was it. It was a sign of the music at the time."

The picnic moved to Piedmont Park and then to John A. White Park. As it grew, students from all over the country started coming to the party. When Freaknik outgrew parks, it spilled into the streets and the vibe changed.

"It didn't register on most radars, until it spilled out," said Angelo Fuster, who worked as a spokesman and deputy chief of staff for former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell in the 1990s.

The first-ever mention of the event in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution came in October 1990 in a preview story about area colleges. In the Morehouse section of the story, "Freak-nic," was listed as the "Best party of the year."

But it became a roving and unwieldy street party, rife with images of sex, violence, drinking and aggression. Thousands of cars would cram into the streets. Stuck in traffic, revelers would simply crank up their music and party in the streets.

Peachtree, Cascade, Piedmont and Monroe were favored destinations. Sometimes it was Greenbriar, Underground or Lenox Square. By 1994, 200,000 people were showing up.

In 1995, police reported more than 2,000 crimes, from indecent exposure to looting to rape. The Rich's at Greenbriar was looted.

"It started to get out of hand in 1994 and '95," Fuster said. "It got to be a major headache. The traffic then spun other issues, like lewdness."

Fuster said Freaknik became a logistical nightmare. He said traffic jams prevented people from getting to weddings, proms and even the hospital. Some attributed the rise in crime to people who had no affiliation with colleges at all.

"It changed when it became something other than a college event. There is no reason that a 50-year-old man needed to be at Freaknik," said Toomer, who graduated from Spelman in 1986. "The crime, violence and degradation of women had gotten out of hand. I was disappointed on many fronts."

Efforts to reform Freaknik (remember the attempted name change to Black College Weekend) never worked either. A job fair drew some potential employees, but efforts to throw concerts or parties never went anywhere.

By 1999, the crackdown had become a blitzkrieg. Police arrested 350 people and towed 400 cars. The city paid more than $1 million in overtime to police officers — mostly for traffic control.

In 2000, nobody showed up. Students went to Galveston, Texas, or Daytona Beach, Fla.

"Freaknik was funny, silly and, at times, frustrating and scary," Fuster said. "I do not have terrible memories of it. In the right place, in the right venue, it would have been a great party."

Toomer, who said it was a coincidence that she moved away from Atlanta in 1999 — the same year that Freaknik died — has no regrets.

"I thought it was time. It wasn't good anymore," said Toomer, who now runs the news Web site www.blackandbrownnews.com. "But I still have fond memories. I am still glad that we created it. I am glad that it had the lifespan that it did. But I am disappointed that it turned out to be what ultimately squashed it."

• "Whatever happened to ..." is a weekly feature catching up with people in the news. Are you wondering about the fate or fortune of former newsmakers? Tell us who and e-mail dgibson@ajc.com. Put "whatever happened to" in the reference line.

I was there in 1994 the month before I graduated from college. And yeah, WE.SHUT.THAT.SHIT.DOWN!!!!

Saturday, we were in a traffic jam on Peachtree downtown from noon until 1 am. But it was the greatest time EVER. And yes, white folks going to a wedding got stuck with us and were PISSED. Which is understanble. I think what made it so bad that year was that the police went on strike so there were NO cops anywhere. But aside from some weed smoking and all the gridlocked traffic it was pretty innocent.

Boy, them were the days! I need to pull those pics out of me in my short set and French roll and my homegirls rockin' they freezes. Oh, lawd!

SCNDLS said:

lol.....I need 2 see those.

i was there in '92 and '93 and it was an incredibly fun time. but after that it just got to be too much of a hassle finding a hotel and the traffic and such. i knew that what happened to it would happen.

AnalinGus said:

Amazing the shit you'll do when you're young. I know we had six girls in our one room. One night we met some guys who hung out with us in our room and they ended up falling asleep. In the morning, I stepped over 11 snoring bodies. That experience led to me instituing a 3 person maximum in the room rule anytime me and the girls travel.

I've NEVER been to Freaknik not once in my whole life.

I kept saying I was gonna go but never did. I wish I had. But I am glad that I was able to go to the Kappa Beach Party in Galveston a couple of times though. That shit was off the hook. I stll wanna do Daytona Beach as well.

MuthaFunka said:

Yeah, I did the Kappa Beach Party my senior year in high school and the two years before I went to Freaknik. Funny how much fun crusing the strip, hanging on the streets, and people watching used to be. I don't remember going to ANY organized events on any of these trips.

SCNDLS said:

I got this pic of this chick from KBP - thick, flat stomach, ass, and tits! I may upload it so y'all can see. In fact, ANYONE with pics from Daytona, Kappa, and Freaknic should upload so we can get a "Photowhore - Black College Style Edition" on!

MuthaFunka said:

Bring it on.....

Graycap23 said:

Cool. Hold on!....

I've only heard stories about it from folks who were there when it was going on. Wish I coulda done it.

MuthaFunka said:

Oh my God! I'll be scanning pics for days. That's like 15 years ago.

MuthaFunka said:

Oh and if we're gonna go there, don't forget Memorial Day weekend in Cancun. Anybody go to this?

MuthaFunka said:

waits patiently

SCNDLS said:

Get on it then, dawg!

SCNDLS said:

Naw, haven't been there.

And now!.....

The thick chick I was speaking of! Oh lawd! She winked at a brotha and I damn near fainted LOL!:





Now the rest:

















And this sista was off the HOOK! She stayed in the same Residence Inn as we did, and I HAD to holla at her. She was from Tyler Texas and I heard they grow 'em THICK out there! me and the homies were almost falling out the window trying to see that ass!:

Keep'em coming.

Umm, is this thread not experiencing the same fate as the event itself???

Just a thought I never went, wanted to though - my dad wasn't havin' it

My only pics are in my mind.

CalhounSq said:

See, with all that T&A I'ma have post some shit for tha ladies. And BELIEVE me I got ya'll. I stepped out and I'm back so the scannin' shall commence immejetly. I don't know if ya'll ready for what I got though .

SCNDLS said:

Just post the pics of the ladies.....

Graycap23 said:

Yeah, dawg. No need to have dicks and shit all up in this piece! Keep it to the female persuasian - THANKS!

MuthaFunka said:

That's NOT fair. Do I need to start my own thread cuz I'm uploading pics as we type.

SCNDLS said:

Yes u do.....so as 2 NOT offend my eyes. lol.

:drumroll please: And presenting. . . Freaknik '94 . . . Starring SCNDLS



Me and my boyfriend at the time. Talk about bringin' your sand to tha beach.



Too many nuccas in one DAMN room!



Me and my crew in tha ATL!



Me and a bunch of Alphas stuck in traffic for 12 hours.



Let tha strip show begin. . . See, the boys can be just as bad as girls.







That's a BOOTYFUL THANG!



This was supposed to be my future baby daddy. Alas. . .



Ran into my homey from Texas, Eric Pegram, who was playing for the Falcons at the time.



Chillin' on tha Marta with my homeboy.



More to follow. . .
[Edited 4/14/08 14:29pm]
[Edited 4/15/08 18:57pm]

Graycap23 said:

Oops. . . too late.

[quote]

SCNDLS said:

And for the whorish men.



Find some in the swimsuits from the 1980s when a male swimsuit actually looked like a swimsuit rather than a man walking around in a pair of knee length shorts because he's scared his dick can't measure up to the other dicks around. That way, they don't disappoint those women with those little jalapeno peppers until they unleash them at the motel and then it's too late.