Personal Impact
Both families’ quality of life was negatively impacted from the harassment, stress, and isolation that followed the adverse publicity of the court cases.
Due to the pool issue, many neighbors stopped interacting with the Freeman family. A neighbor who worked in the same department as Dr. Freeman started getting off at a different bus stop.[1] The neighbors stopped visiting Mrs. Freeman and the Freeman children, aged 4 and 5. The children were yelled at when they went into the street.[2] Dr. Freeman wrote later in life that while the pool case got a lot of publicity, no one seemed to pay attention to the harassment his son faced.[3]
Dr. Freeman and his family were able to attend another local pool as guests. However, they were required to pay a fee each time they visited. The feeling of imposing on others and the financial cost meant they did not go to the pool as often as they would have liked. Mr. Sullivan talked about how his family traveled roughly 25 miles away to visit Timber Lake or Lake Fairfax.[4]
Freeman boys at the Hollin Hills swimming pool
Courtesy of the Freeman family
Several months into the ordeal Mrs. Freeman went to the emergency room after feeling nauseated, dizzy, and collapsing at home. The doctor believed she suffered from depression and encouraged her to get out more. She felt that this was something since, because of the harrasment, she was escorting her first grader to school.[5]
While Little Hunting Park publicly stated the denial was not due to race they refused to give a reason. Dr. Freeman worried the vague denial would call his character into question, particularly at his new job.[6] The harassment his family experienced made it difficult for Dr. Freeman to focus on work.[7]
Besides denied pool access, the Sullivan family experienced abusive and intimating night telephone calls.[8]
[1] Freeman, No. 22752, 20.
[2] Freeman, No. 22752, 33, 99.
[3] Freeman Jr., Lucky Diplomat, IX.
[4] Freeman, No. 22752, 7-8; Sullivan vs. Little Hunting Park Inc., No. 22751, 66
[5] Freeman, No. 22752, 34-35; Freeman Jr., Lucky Diplomat, IX.
[6] Freeman, No. 22752, 13.
[7] Freeman, No. 22752, 17.
[8] Klose, “Pool Bias Dispute Splits Fairfax Community."