Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and the city of Atlanta under a state of emergency.
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With the making of a new Hulu documentary about Freaknik, the roving street party is getting more attention than it has in 30 years.
Freaknik — Freaknik (/ˈfriːknɪk/; originally Freaknic) is a 1980s-90s era annual spring break party for black college students that grew into one of the largest rolling street parties in America.
The documentary is set to be released in the coming weeks, but there’s a lot to unpack.
Freaknik: How It Began
This article will provide an unofficial history of Freaknik, the famous and infamous rolling party that snared Atlanta traffic and turned highways into parking lots and dance floors.
The origins of what would become Freaknik can be traced to 1983, when dance clubs made up of students from the Atlanta University Center began throwing parties. This was the height of the pop-locking craze and a few years after aspiring filmmaker Spike Lee had left the AU Center’s Morehouse College.
One group in particular, the D.C. Metro Club, conceived of a party coinciding with spring break in April. It’s name was “Freaknic,” a play on the words “freak” and “picnic.”
Party flyer from the early 1980s.
The president of the D.C. Metro Club, Schuyla Goodson, is credited with coming up with the term “Freaknik” on the grounds of Spelman College.
There is some debate over where the inaugural Freaknic was held, but many say it was at John A. White Park near the AU Center.
The first “Freaknic” party was attended by around 150 people and became an annual event, but the D.C. Metro Club got in trouble with Spelman College. Then-President Johnetta B. Cole banned the group for the legal risk that Freaknic posed as the parties grew larger and larger.
Through the late 1980s, AU Center officials tried to sanitize the event, renaming it “Black College Spring Break,” with an obvious appeal to HBCUs in the MEAC, SWAC and various small black colleges and universities scattered around the South.
As the number of visitors to Atlanta began to swell each year, the behavior of the attendees began to worsen. As does everything in the South, the discussion began to take on racial undertones and then overtones.
“Most of the white establishment wanted Freaknik to end pronto,” said Fred Richard, a Grambling State University alumni, who now lives in suburban Atlanta after going to grad school at Clark. “We partied so hard in Atlanta because we didn’t want to go to Daytona Beach; we wanted to have fun here like they were doing in Florida.”
Race Becomes A Factor
Atlanta’s African-American lawmakers, all the way from council-men and -women to others in high positions around the city’s mayor, tried to balance their obligations to keep law and order by extending a welcome mat to the party-goers, which were overwhelmingly black.
But news broadcasts would often lead with the arrests and images of rowdy behavior from the crowds of students in town for the raucous weekend. Resentment from residents in Atlanta’s top neighborhoods slowly began to boil as negative news reports about Freaknik began to circulate.
The issue was illustrated best by then-Councilwoman Carolyn Long Banks, who told the Times, “There is a fear of the congregating of more than one or two black people in any given area. It has become a racial issue for some of the neighborhoods. These kids are the black cream of the crop, and if they are not treated well, there is little hope for the rest of us.”
In the early 1990s, the AU Center dance clubs, fraternities and sororities all tried to milquetoast the “Freaknik” name — downplay it and rebrand it “Freedom Fest was one attempt) — but it was too late. College officials, engaged in feeble attempts to refocus the then-highly sexualized party weekend, tried bonding it to a job fair, step shows and other collegiate events, but to no avail.
Music And More Began To Change
In 1990 and 1991, Freaknik was still just another black spring break function, the likes of which students at Winston-Salem and Norfolk, Virginia, were used to.But by the end of 1991, a wave of misogyny would sweep through rap and hip-hop music. Instead of the conscious, pro-black vibes that came to characterize much of the popular music, the tunes turned to darker themes, often fueled by weed smoke.“The music definitely played a role in how people started acting,” Wilson said. “Instead of bumping Public Enemy or listening to some words by Sistah Soulja, gangsta rap exploded. Everybody was on that NWA, West Coast, all that stuff.”But it wasn’t just gangsta rap. Florida’s Miami bass, New York’s lyrical hip-hop and the South’s own SouthernPlayalistic vibes were all contributing. You can’t have a party without the music.Another culprit was the mob mentality: A common scene for Freaknik was to see a jam -packed street with people on the hoods of the cars and loud music. Women would be dancing on the cars or next to one and they would be surrounded by ogling and touchy-feely men with video cameras.“In a lot of ways, what set Freaknik off in the early 1990s was the videotape footage. Like the videotape beating of Rodney King that set off riots, when people from all these different cities came back home and showed their friends the video footage of Freaknik, it exploded.”
According to media estimates, about 100,000 people attended Freaknik in 1993. The next year, that numbered had doubled to 200,000 although arrests were cut in half.As Olympics Neared, Atlanta Wrestled With Its Image
At the crux of many civic debates, was this question: What kind of city was Atlanta trying to be? A party city or one that was brand-safe for big business?
“You have to understand,” said Tony Robinson, a barber from Atlanta, who went to Clark Atlanta in the late 1980s. “In the early 1990s, Atlanta was in the midst of remaking itself for the Olympics.”
In 1994 and 1995, the city was being flooded with new money and was trying to put on its best face. But this rolling black street party would churn through every year and make national headlines for all the wrong reasons.
A New York Times article from that time says, “Young people showing off their late-model luxury cars in caravans tied up major arteries for about five miles north of downtown. But the police managed to channel most of the impromptu motorcades out of residential areas. Mayor Campbell acknowledged that “there were no streets which could contain the cars and the young people’s determination to stay in their cars and to see and be seen.”When visitors began to pour into Lenox Square, the mall of Atlanta’s wealthy, the affluent residents began to complain about the traffic outside the structure. Instead of a place to shop, the weekend brought thousands of people-watchers and rowdy behavior.Atlanta’s City Council and Mayor Bill Campbell, who was elected in 1994, began to get criticized for allowing the city to be overrun with “hoodlums” and party-goers who would go inside stores to gaze but wouldn’t shop.
Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell in 1996.
Tug Of War: Atlanta Politics Meets Freaknik
The city’s white business leaders began to push for an all-out ban on Freaknik, putting tremendous pressure on Atlanta’s black leadership, which was starting to feel the heat.In front of the microphones, Atlanta’s black leaders were politically correct when asked questions about Freaknik and public safety.“We welcome anybody coming to this event who is law-abiding,” said Atlanta Police Chief Beverly Harvard. “We will not tolerate the violation of this city.”
Privately many of them wondered how long they could last as political piñatas.
“If our event goes poorly as a result of the Freaknik crowd, it would seriously jeopardize my ability to come back,” Campbell said in March 1995, one month before the event. “So Atlanta does have a lot riding on the success of this.”
Freaknik: Business and Residential Resistance
One neighborhood, Inman Park, even sued the city to keep it off-limits from visitors. Spurred by Atlanta’s business elite, the City of Atlanta began to turn against Freaknik at least to some degree. Some Atlanta students said race was a major factor.Quoted by the Washington Post at the time, Samuel Bell Jr., who was student body president at Clark Atlanta University, said, “These students are, supposedly, the future leaders of our nation, and what are they saying, that we’re going to loot and pillage the village? It’s an atrocity.”The city responded by denying permits to party organizers and offering underwhelming support to the few activities that happened to be sponsored. Police officers blocked entry into whole neighborhoods and made some streets one ways around the AU Center.“Remember, this wasn’t Miami. This wasn’t Jacksonville or even Galveston, where there’s a beach. Atlanta is all asphault,” said Robinson. “Half of the city — and you know which half — just couldn’t understand what all these black people were doing down here.”Inside City Hall, leaders tried to soften the mayor’s stance, saying that the students should be welcomed by the city, but that their energy should be channeled into a more positive direction.C.T. Martin, an elder statesman on the city council, said then, “I understand the mayor’s predicament, but this is the home of Martin Luther King and six black institutions of higher learning, and we owe it to the parents of these young people to cradle their children while they are here.”Atlanta Turns On Freaknik
“There is nothing for people to do,” Lori Dodson, a Spelman student at the time, told the Times. “We had events scheduled but we had to cancel them because of the city.”While there was sporadic violence connected to the event each year, Atlanta officials touted the success of letting students flock to the city, but kept them driving in circles by routing them to the highways and away from prestigious areas. Faced with no where to go, many revelers congregated in parking lots and just partied in their cars and on the streets.To save face, Atlanta officials stopped providing the press with crowd estimates, which would only fuel the naysayers. Still, the police would shut down around 200 blocks of city streets to curtail cruisers during the three-day weekend.“They tried to stop it before it got started,” Corey Griffin, a reveler from Dalton, Georgia, told the Times at the time. “I think it’s nice to come down here and spend some money. But I felt I was unwanted.”Soon Campbell and city officials made it ther mission to deny any permit associated with the words “Freaknik” or “Freaknic.”As the 1990s closed, Freaknik became a shadow of itself and all but died out except for the occasional brash party promoter.“Few issues in the city of Atlanta have been as divisive in the last 10 years,″ Campbell told the Associated Press in 1998. “It is a very difficult weekend even under the best of circumstances.″“In Atlanta, Freaknik became a curse word,” said Monica Wilson, who traveled to the annual party each year from 1993 to 1996 as a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.With no public safety support, sponsors or organizers, Freaknik, seen as a headless monster, began to unravel and die out.Final Word
What began as a party for collegians quickly morphed into a weekend of unabashed street partying. Among the city’s business leaders, the sentiment was that Atlanta was built for a lot of things, but it wasn’t built for that.Crowds particularly gathered around city landmarks like Underground Atlanta, Piedmont Park, Old National Highway, the AU Center and Peachtree Street, the city’s main vein.All but dead, now the name “Freaknik” still pops up every now and then, but it’s in reference to its heyday, circa 1994 and ’95. It is the party that time forgot. -
Do you enjoy springtime vibes, a good meal and live music outdoors? The Atlanta R&B Wine Food & Music Festival is happening once again.The fest is designed to take guest on an epic journey through the ATL. Showcasing Great People, Local Wines, Amazing Bands and a variety of Vendors.When Is The Atlanta R&B Wine, Food & Music Festival?
The Atlanta R&B Wine, Food and Music Festival takes place on Saturday, May 25, 2024. The event will feature live bands, wines and vendors.
All you have to do is bring an appetite for great music, wines and food, enjoy the fresh air, and the amazing sounds of R&B/Neo Soul Music. This is a 21+ event, Chairs & Blankets welcomed.PAID Admission Include:
*LIVE BANDS
* Wine Tasting
*Souvenir Glass
*Wine Education
Where is The Atlanta R&B Wine, Food & Music Festival Taking Place?
The event is taking place at The Center at 3951 Snapfinger Decatur, GA 30035. Here’s a map to help you find it.
Final Word
Want to know about more events? Check out AtlantaFi’s Atlanta Festival Guide, which features all you need to know about local festivals including the Dogwood Festival, Fried Chicken Fest, Shaky Knees, Music Midtown and more.
Here are more articles from AtlantaFi.com you might like:
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The Atlanta Jewish Life Festival is returning for a fifth year to the world-famous Georgia Aquarium. Tickets are on sale now for the March 3 event scheduled from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. entering through the Ocean’s Ballroom entrance at 246 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30313.
When Is the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival?
The Atlanta Jewish Life Festival is March 3, 2024. It takes place this year at Georgia Aquarium™ the Ocean’s Ballroom located on the first level of the Aquarium parking deck at 246 Ivan Allen Jr.
Here’s a map to help you find it.
The event, founded by the Atlanta Jewish Times, is Atlanta’s largest single-day festival promoting and celebrating Jewish and Israeli arts, food, music, and culture while connecting the community to local synagogues, nonprofits, and social action groups with the hope to further strengthen the bonds and understanding of Jewish beliefs, traditions, and family.
This year, they are adding a splash of March Mitzvah Madness. This timely event calls for a “Hoop Contest.” Got game? Prove it and compete in the Hoops Contest. They’ll be giving away cash prizes to the Star Players in each of their four age groups.
To cheer on the March Mitzvah Madness event is the Atlanta Hawks’ dancers and “Harry the Hawk” himself. Even the Atlanta Braves will be sponsoring and providing signed baseballs and four pack tickets to be awarded to hoops and raffle winners.
“We are excited to be back a fifth year, and I want the community to know that safety measures are in place,” said Michael Morris, owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times. “We are always excited for this unique opportunity to bring thousands of Jewish families together for kosher food, entertainment and a chance to meet informally with Jewish community service organizations.”
Festivalgoers can expect a variety of kosher foods, music, entertainment for the kids, a Purim costume contest, and the opportunity to meet the organizations and institutions that make up the Jewish community here in Atlanta.
Tickets for the event are $22 each, and $11 for children ages 3-12 (tickets for children under 3 are free). A Family Pass for two adults and four children is also available for $75. All tickets include entry to the Georgia Aquarium for the day.
Tickets can be purchased at atlantajewishlifefestival.com. The website is also being updated regularly with information on the schedule, vendors and partners who will be participating in the 2024 event.
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Black Tech Nation Ventures (BTN.vc), a Pittsburgh-based venture firm, recently announced the close of a $50 million inaugural fund that would help ease the disparities faced by overlooked founders and entrepreneurs.
BTN.vc is investing in high-potential founders in Atlanta’s tech scene and other U.S. cities. At at the seed and pre-seed stage who are building companies with technology that is driving innovation in fintech, edtech, health tech, climate tech, and AI and machine learning.
“We set up BTN.vc to equip and train a new generation of more diverse entrepreneurs and investors,” said David Motley, one of three general partners. “We are committed to providing intellectual as well as financial capital to help our founders navigate growing a successful company and opening up opportunities for future venture capitalists who are Black or diverse to participate in the industry.”
The firm has already invested in 10 companies in cities including Atlanta, Boston, District of Columbia, Indianapolis, New York, and Pittsburgh. These include; EMTECH, a fintech infrastructure company; Goodfynd, an enterprise solutions provider for food truckers and mobile vendors; The Folklore, an e-commerce platform connecting brands from the African continent to premium retailers in the US; and Kloopify, provider of supply chain sustainability analytics. Multiple investments have already secured up-round follow on funding.
BTN.vc expects to back 20-30 companies from its inaugural fund, typically seeking entry at the pre-seed and seed stages with checks in the $250,000 to $1M range. The firm has led, co-led and or helped complete funding rounds. The team has built a unique deal funnel to match its investment focus, which includes diverse professional development groups, top tier research universities, and historically Black colleges and universities.
- Kelauni Jasmyn is a former software developer and the founder and CEO of Black Tech Nation, which is building community and resources to bridge the gap between the Black community and the tech community in Pittsburgh and across the US.
- David Motley brings extensive experience with technology and innovation driven companies having led a corporate venture fund and co-founded a prior private venture fund. He also co-founded the African American Directors Forum (AADF), which strives to increase representation of African American executives at the public company board level.
- Seán Sebastian previously founded Birchmere Ventures, a $300m AUM seed-stage investor that led investments in almost 100 portfolio companies attracting more than $4bn in follow-on capital and achieving over $18bn in market value. Included in that portfolio were 25 diverse-led startups and some of the firm’s strongest performers.
BTN.vc is backed by a range of blue chip LPs including Alphabet, First National Bank (FNB Corp), Mark Cuban, First Close Partners, and Bank of America.
Final Word
Atlanta is a the black tech capital of America, with several active pipelines and networks helping to create innovative solutions across many sectors. If you’re looking for a good company to work for or want to do your own thing, Atlanta is the place to be.
Got an event or know of something opening in and around Atlanta? Holla: CJ@AtlantaFi.com. See what’s poppin’ in the ATL! Subscribe to our news alerts here, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
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Believe it or not, you can travel on a budget and do so in style without depriving yourself. All it takes is a strategy that you can put into practice before and during your trip.
This article will show you some real-life ways to save on travel this year. This steps are easy, simple to follow and money-saving.
5 Ways To Save On Travel This Year
The way to go about it is to really prioritize what you’re really trying to get out of your vacation. Are you trying to go snorkeling? Are the best bars and restaurants what’s important?
1. Make A List
Yes, make a list of your priorities and what you’re trying to do. This is the only true way that you’re going to be on a trip that makes YOU happy.
Put on the list what you expect and want in a hotel. Also include what you want to experience when it comes to nightlife, breakfast, lunch, etc.
Don’t travel without this essential list.
2. Search For Cheap Airfare
Photo by Juliano Ferreira from Pexels The key to cheap travel is to find flights that are affordable. All it really takes is for you to subscribe to sites that do all the hard work for you.
The sites that put extensive time into researching cheap flights are these:
Once you start getting flight deals emailed to you from these sites and those like these, you’ll be able to see the possibilities of where you can go for cheap.
But here’s what you’re going to need to do when you start looking at these flights and your schedule:
Be Flexible: The best travel deals are only as good as your availability.
Avoid Vacation Season: Airfares are highest during these times. Straight up.
Jump On It: If you see a great deal, do not procrastinate. It won’t last forever. It might even be a mistake fare. So you better jump on it.
Here’s how to get cheap flights out of Atlanta.
3. Don’t Be Picky
A major way that airlines and hotels make their money is by charging for upgrades and upselling you on things you don’t really need.
If you can fly in a Basic Economy seat, then that’s what you need to do. Remember, your goal ultimately is to save money.
Once you’ve selected a cheap flight, it’s time to turn your attention toward where you’ll stay. Again, you want a place that’s as cheap as possible.
4. Find A Place To Stay
Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash The goal here is to find as cheap a hotel as you possibly can. The way to go about that is to sign up for sites that show you deals on lodgings.
These Sites Offer Hotel Deals
These Sites Let You Stay For Free
Nothing’s cheaper than free. Believe it or not, there are some great ways that you can stay in a place completely free of charge.
If you’re familiar with international housesitting, here are some sites to look at:
5. Eat Cheap In Another Country
Photo by nappy from Pexels Now comes perhaps the most difficult part: Eating cheap. You may want to splurge on food when you travel to a foreign country, but it’s best to be conservative.
What you DO want to do is make sure you experience the cultural cuisine (No McDonalds).
Instead of looking to try the fancy restaurants at a particular destination, make a day of trying nothing but street food and other outdoor vendors.
Another day you can try whatever the fast food is (hint: It’s healthier than the U.S.) or you could eat the country’s staple food, which is always cheaper.
Remember to drink plenty of water. In fact, that should be your primary beverage for most of your trip.
Final Thought
Airfares continue to rise at your favorite airlines, but that doesn’t mean you can’t save money on travel.
The main thing you want to do when it comes to cheap travel is that you want to live on their terms. It would be impractical to do otherwise.
Why not visit the city’s tourism office and get coupons? Inquire about special deals for tourists and other things that will help your wallet.
That way, you’ll be able to enjoy your cheap travel knowing that you saved money.
Once you get your passport, you should be ready for your trip. Make sure you have found the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale.
To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interesting in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
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Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
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The Virginia-Highland Summerfest is once again taking place in Midtown Atlanta this weekend. The festival is shaping up to be a very nice event in the middle of the city. Keep reading to find out some key things to know about the event, which is one of Atlanta’s best festivals. The Virginia-Highland Summerfest runs at the following times:- June 7, Friday Night Kick-off: 6pm – 9 pm
- June 8: Saturday Festival: 10am – 10pm
- June 9: Sunday Festival: 11am-5pm
Virginia-Highland Summerfest: Everything To Know
The Summerfest will include a lot of cool things to see, eat and enjoy this year, from arts and crafts from some of the best artists and makers in the Southeast to live entertainment.5K Race
For more than 30 years, Summerfest has included one of the best races in Atlanta, the 5K Race, which is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier. The 5K race begins at the eastern end of the festival just one block east of the intersection of Virginia and N. Highland. Want to cheer on the runners? The gun goes off at 8 a.m. Saturday.Live Music
As always, there will be live music made up with some of the most eclectic bands you should know about.Fine Art Market
Features artwork from some of the best artists in the southeast and beyond. It is not juried this year and there will be no awards.Makers’ Market
Includes handmade items such as soaps, lotions, candles, pet items, plants and delicious consumables such as nuts, chocolate, jams, honey, etc. These vendors are not allowed to sell t-shirts, clothing, crafts of any kind or home objects such as furniture or decorative objects, drinks, non-packaged food or toys.Where Will Virginia-Highland Summerfest Be Located?
The Virginia-Highland Summerfest will take place at Virginia Ave. between Barnett St. and Arcadia St. at John Howell Park. Here’s a map to help you find it. Festival organizers say to use “Virginia Avenue at N. Highland Avenue 30306” as the destination for the festivalFinal Word
Atlanta has plenty of things to do this weekend. Don’t sit this one out. While it’s warm, take advantage of the outdoors. Don’t miss these awesome festivals. The fun is just starting. Are you a beer drinker? You also may want to visit a craft brewery in the city. Here are more articles from AtlantaFi.com: -
It’s been said that searching for jobs can be a full-time job in itself. One way to slim back much of your time and make money is to consider a side hustle.
This article is going to break down some hobbies to turn into side hustles so that you can earn extra income. All you need is a little confidence in yourself and you can make it happen!
How To Turn Your Hobbies Into Side Hustles
Now I want to make this perfectly clear: Nobody’s saying you’ll get rich. And you certainly won’t get rich quick. These hobbies are just ways to earn supplemental income.
What Is A Side Hustle?
First of all, a side hustle is a job that is usually done in your spare time and outside of the traditional 9 to 5 working hours of corporate America.
Many people do side hustles at night or on the weekend. Still, others do side hustles online in their spare time.
1. Drive For Uber or Lyft
One of the easiest ways to make some easy money on the side is to become an Uber and Lyft driver. All you need is a clean driving record and dependable car.
Here is the Uber signup | Here is the Lyft signup
There are other rideshare companies you can work for to like…
2. Resell Your Clothes On Poshmark
Poshmark is one of the best sites to resell your clothes online. Poshmark takes 20% of your cut though. Watch this Poshmark review to learn more.
In addition to Poshmark, you can sell your items on:
Here are some other places you can sell your clothes.
3. Start Blogging
One of the most popular things to do today is blog, so you might as well make some money doing it. All you need to do is come up with a domain name, register it and pick a blogging platform.
The two best blogging platforms are:
4. Sell Your Crafts On Etsy
I know you’ve heard of Etsy makers pulling in $30,000 a month selling knitted monkey caps and it sounds easy, but it’s not. You’re going to have to dedicate yourself to spending a lot of time crafting things that people want to buy.
Etsy is just a marketing platform at the end of the day. If you have great product, the sales will come.
Here are some other places you can sell your wares.
5. Rent Your Home On Airbnb
I know, I know. No way, right? There are many people who rent their homes on Airbnb only when they’re going out of town. That way, they make money while they’re enjoying a getaway somewhere spending money.
Before you begin, you’ll need to make sure of a few things like:
- Confirm that your neighborhood allows Airbnb rentals
- Make sure to screen the person before you agree to rent
- Always create a set of house rules to protect your property and the peace of your neighbors
Airbnb is easy to sign up and you can choose the available dates. What’s not to like?
6. Start Babysitting Or Petsitting
If you love babies, perhaps you’re the perfect person to start a small babysitting business. Child care runs into the hundreds of dollars per week for most families.
If you like dogs or cats, you could become a petsitter on the weekends.
Here are the best petsetting sites to get business:
7. Become A House Sitter
It may sound strange, but people will pay you good money for you to stay in their homes for an extended weekend. The home sitting market is ripe for more workers.
All you need are some stellar references and some time on your hands. You can advertise on Nextdoor or at your local church.
8. Become A Movie Extra
If you live in a movie city like Atlanta, Charlotte or New Orleans, it’s pretty easy to show up for a casting call. All you have to do is meet the needs of certain films and TV shows and you’re in.
Here are some national databases that hire extras:
Here’s more on how to become a movie or TV extra in Atlanta.
9. Rent Your Home To A Film Production
It’s easier than ever today to rent your home to a movie or TV production. In Atlanta, they use real people’s homes and they let you negotiate what it’s worth to you.
This can work out especially well if you plan on leaving your home for an extended period of time.
10. Become A Virtual Assistant
Working with small companies remotely as a virtual assistant may be the way to go for you. All the terms and payscale is up to you.
These one-person virtual assistant companies make good money by doing clerical or administrative work on a flexible schedule.
Here’s the ultimate guide to becoming a virtual assistant.
11. Do Social Media For A Company
If you’re always on IG or Twitter, you might as well get paid for it. Approach a company and see if they need any “marketing” help on social media.
Before you know it, you could be handling thousand-dollar campaigns and making some of that money for yourself.
Some great social media management platforms include:
12. Open A Kitchen Pop-up
One Saturday or Sunday, run an ad on Nextdoor or Craigslist that you’re baking pies or making your favorite recipe. This kitchen pop-up can be a one-time thing that people will come to try.
You can charge $10 a plate and sell until you run out. Who knows? You might be the next Paula Deen!
13. Become A Photographer
Shooting for a living takes great training, expensive equipment and a lot of time and money. I’m not talking about shooting weddings or documentaries.
I’m talking about approaching real estate companies and asking to shoot homes and commercial properties. These companies need great photos to advertise real estate.
Here’s how to turn your old photos into cash money.
14. Become An English Tutor
One job that you can do online is to teach English to foreign students. There are many websites that facilitate this by means of education programs.
All you really need is a computer, a firm grasp of the English language — and a lot of patience!
Here are some of the top online companies to work for that specialize in hiring English tutors:
15. Delivery Food & Groceries
If you have a car and a phone, you can sign up to work for Instacart, Grubhub or DoorDash to deliver food to homes and businesses.
You can work for one of them are all three, if you have the time. The best thing about these types of jobs is that they’re flexible.
Final Thoughts
Making money today is perhaps easier than ever, especially if you have a computer and internet connection.The side hustle is as important today as the regular 9 to 5 because it offers more flexibility and tends to keep you more motivated. No matter what, don’t rest on your laurels. Think of some creative ways you can make money today.Metro Atlanta has a hot economy and that means employers are hiring at a rapid pace. We currently have job articles that show you high-paying jobs, those close to downtown and even side hustles you might like.If you’re looking to get hired in Atlanta right now, there’s a very real possibility that you can land your dream job. -
The family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is known throughout the world for their sacrifice for peace and non-violence during the civil rights movement and beyond.
What is not as widely known is the life and death of Alberta Williams King, the mother of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the wife of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Sr.
More than a family matriarch, Mrs. King was quite possibly the glue of the civil rights movement.
“She was just a remarkable human being,” her grandson Martin Luther King III told Atlanta TV station 11Alive. “There’s no question. She was a remarkable human being. Literally maybe who walked with kings and queens, but retained the common touch.”
MLK Jr., an illustrious speaker and orator, was very close to his mother and would often write her when he was out of town. In one letter, he said, “Mother Dear, one day I’m going to turn this world upside down.”
Alberta Williams King: What To Know About The Mother Of MLK Jr.
Mrs. King was born September 13, 1904 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Adam and Jennie Williams.
She went to Spelman Seminary for high school before earning a teaching certificate from Hampton Normal and Industrial Institute, which later became Hampton University in Virginia.
She and Michael King, then a young preacher, married on Thanksgiving Day in 1926. They moved into Williams’ home on Auburn Avenue and stayed in an upstairs bedroom.
Despite her new role as a wife and church mother, she continued to further her education at Morris Brown College, receiving a BA from the Atlanta school in 1938.
Mrs. King was a high achiever by any standard. She founded the Ebenezer choir, serving as organist there for 40 years and was a member of the YWCA, NAACP and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
Who Shot Alberta Williams King?
On June 30, 1974, a religious extremist arrived from Ohio and took a taxicab to Ebenezer Church. Marcus Chenault, a diminutive 21-year-old who had attended classes at Ohio State University, was armed with two pistols.
Before his bus ride to Georgia, he told friends that he was going to Atlanta “to meet destiny.”
During Sunday service, Mrs. King was sitting at the organ when she was struck with a bullet. “She was playing, ironically, the Lord’s Prayer when she was killed,” King III told the TV station.
According to testimony from the trial, Chenault, who was seated about 4 feet from the organ, fired his gun at Mrs. King. A deacon who witnessed the shooting said that Mrs. King exclaimed “Oh!” after the blast and that he saw Chenault standing up with a pistol exclaiming, “I am taking over this …” He shot more people, including a deacon, Edward Boykin, who was killed, and Mrs. Jennie Mitchell, who survived.
Among family members who witnessed Mrs. King’s shooting was her grandson, Derek Barber King. During the commotion, King said that Chenault took aim at Mrs. King again, who was on the floor screaming and bleeding. He shot her again.
Mrs. King, 70, died later that day.
There was never a clear motive as to why Chenault killed Mrs. King, although it is public record that during his trial he said, “All Christians are my enemies.” It was also brought out that Chenault, an African-American, sought to kill other black members of the clergy, as he saw them as a threat.
Chenault followed the tenants of the Black Hebrew Israelites, particularly the teachings of the Rev. Hananiah E. Israel of Cincinnati, who said that he had met the young man and tutored him in his teachings.
“He said that [he] was a college kid who didn’t know anything,” Israel told the New York Times a week after Mrs. King’s murder. “The boy was brilliant. All I had to give him was the key to open his mind.”
Israel said that he was “shocked and flabbergasted” when he found out that Chenault had gotten arrested for the shooting, which he didn’t denounce.
During his trial, Chenault was sentenced to death, even though two psychiatrists testified that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had “delusions of grandiosity” at the time of the murders.
In 1995, Chenault’s sentence was commuted to life. He died of natural causes on August 3, 1995.
Final Word
Mrs. King’s death just six years after her son’s was yet another blow to the King family and those who knew them.
Her quiet strength exemplified the confidence she had in herself and instilled in her grandchildren. There is no doubt that her daughter-in-law, Coretta Scott King, learned much from Mrs. King, a piece Larry to the end.
Read These Inspired Quotes From The Late Coretta Scott King.
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If you’re an animal lover, you know that Zoo Atlanta offers an oasis of creatures from around the globe. In the United States, plenty of zoos have many of the same types of animals, except for one: pandas.
As of now, you can see pandas in the United States only at Zoo Atlanta.
Where Can I Find Pandas in the U.S.?
- Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia: Zoo Atlanta is currently the only zoo in the U.S. that houses giant pandas. They have a famous pair of pandas named Yang Yang and Lun Lun.
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.: The National Zoo has had a long history of caring for giant pandas and has been home to pandas since 1972. However, the pandas were returned back to China in late 2023.
- The San Diego Zoo May receive a male and a female panda from China this summer, but the plan is still in the works.
- The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., May get some pandas as well.
These plans may or may not come to fruition, so Atlanta is your only sure bet. Why need spend an Atlanta weekend with your wild friends at the zoo?
An American Zoo, Panda History
The history of pandas in U.S. zoos dates back to 1936 when the first giant panda, Su Lin, arrived in California.
Pandas became popular in the U.S., with zoos clamoring to host them. However, by the early 1950s, the number of pandas in America had dwindled to zero.
In 1972, following President Nixon’s visit to China, the U.S. received two pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, who lived at the National Zoo. Over the years, the pandas at the National Zoo became a symbol of cross-cultural collaboration between the U.S. and China.
Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing had five cubs, but none survived more than a few days. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived at the National Zoo in 2000 on loan from China.
The panda program at the National Zoo ended in 2023 when Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji returned to China.
How To See Pandas at Zoo Atlanta
To see the pandas at Zoo Atlanta, you’ll have to purchase a ticket and make your way to the zoo exhibit.
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Delicious food and live music are on deck in North Fulton County. The Taste of Alpharetta is happening in May and it promises to be a feast for the senses.
Taste of Alpharetta features scores of chefs and restaurants. Rain or shine, this event is going to be one of those must-attend festivals in Atlanta.
The event will have live music performances by Adam Patterson, DejaBlue Grass, The Platonics, Sami Michelson and more.
When Is The Taste Of Alpharetta?
The 31st annual Taste of Alpharetta festival – May 9, 2024 in downtown Alpharetta.
Where Will The Taste of Alpharetta Be Located?
The Taste of Alpharetta is located at 50 Canton St, Alpharetta, GA 30009. Here is a map to help you find it.
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