5 things you might not have known about Freaknik, from the new Hulu documentary
Hulu’s new original documentary Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told tells the story of how a 1983 picnic for Atlanta HBCU students in the meadow at Piedmont Park became, by the mid-1990s, a national Spring Break destination for hundreds of thousands of young people each April. Here’s five things highlighted in the new Hulu doc that even long-time Atlantans might not know about Freaknik’s enduring legacy.
Does Atlanta have guaranteed-income programs?
Universal basic income (UBI) isn’t a new idea, but in a dystopian world with pandemics and a growing wealth divide, the utopian concept seems more practical than ever before. Some of Atlanta’s biggest players have bought in and are investing in small-scale guaranteed-income pilot programs.
Photos: Burna Boy performs at State Farm Arena
Nigerian singer and songwriter Burna Boy brought his I Told Them tour to a sold-out State Farm Arena on March 9.
Get lost in Atlanta’s small, independent museums
Small, independent museums like the Madame C.J. Walker Museum dot Atlanta, commemorating underrepresented or unique histories and art. They operate out of storefronts or houses and largely rely on a team of one, who keeps the museum afloat through donations or their day job. At the Walker Museum, Ricci de Forest charges a $7 admission, collects donations, and will sometimes cut hair right there in the museum to help keep things running.
The competition is fierce for the AJC’s “Best-Dressed Lawmakers”
Maya T. Prabhu launched her “Best-Dressed Lawmakers” list in 2019, a year after joining the AJC as a legislative correspondent. “Best-Dressed Lawmakers” has since become a hotly anticipated event of the legislative session, with elected representatives elbowing fiercely for Prabhu’s favor.
Genius: MLK/X showrunners on behind-the-scenes motivations and how filming in Atlanta helped the show
While previous seasons of National Geographic's Genius series told the story of just one person, the most recent season, MLK/X, parallels and contrasts the life journeys of two iconic Black leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Here, showrunners Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon discuss creating the series and filming in Atlanta.
5 of the most Atlanta moments in RuPaul’s new memoir
12-time Emmy-winning global drag superstar RuPaul fondly recalls his star-making days in Atlanta in the late 1970s and early 80s in his new memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings, released this week. Here are five of the most Atlanta-centric moments recounted in the new book.
Atlanta used to have extensive public transit, actually
It may be hard to imagine today, when gridlock traffic is synonymous with Atlanta, but riding public transit was once the norm. Here, a brief look at the city's former streetcar system and why Atlanta's public transit had such a decline.
Photos: Billy Strings performs at State Farm Arena
Guitarist and bluegrass musician Billy Strings closed out his Winter Tour with two sold-out shows at State Farm Arena on March 1 and 2.
The Atlanta Center for Photography takes flight
Atlanta Celebrates Photography has recently reinvented itself, moving away from its focus on the signature festival. Rebranding as the Atlanta Center for Photography, the reimagined organization will feature a more year-round approach.