New Orleans clergy say 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, Black communities still waiting for promises to be fulfilled

By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
kmcneir@afro.com

Devastation caused by hurricanes, often resulting in extensive flooding, a massive destruction of property and the loss of life, is nothing new for those who live along the Gulf Coast. 

For those who live in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward, an historically Black section of the city, two devastating hurricanes, Betsy (Category 3, Sept. 9, 1965) and Katrina (Category 3, August 29, 2005), forced a disproportionate number of Blacks to abandon their homes with nowhere to go and little hope of returning. 

In fact, two ministers, both of whom have lived and worked in the Lower Ninth Ward for decades, said after Hurricane Katrina, the needs of Blacks often fell on deaf ears – a situation which has seen little change even 20 years later. Leaving them to wonder who benefited from the billions of federal funds which New Orleans and other Gulf Coast states received for recovery and rebuilding initiatives, and why was the Lower Ninth Ward left out?

The Rev. Willie Calhoun Jr., pastor of Fairview Mission Baptist Church, was born in the Lower Ninth Ward. Now reaching 70 years old, he serves as leader of the Lower 9th Ward Community Wellness Consortium, which he founded in 2012. 

Calhoun said he’s not happy about the progress made since Katrina and says people don’t talk about the promises made to Black people, but never kept. 

“They certainly don’t mention the corps of engineers who were hired, but failed to properly repair the levees,” he said. “I was recently speaking with Russel Honoré, who served as the commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, and he noted that we’re experiencing floods in areas where they were never reported before, so no one feels safe in the Gulf States.”

“We should have been ready for Katrina, but we weren’t. If we had to evacuate today, many Blacks would be unable to leave, find adequate shelter, much less return,” said Calhoun. 

Looking back, there are many snapshots of injustice in his mind, but one really sticks with him. 

“Before Katrina reached landfall, the ASPCA took animals from New Orleans to Houston and placed them in shelters. That was before people who lacked the funds were evacuated. There’s something wrong with that picture,” he told the AFRO.

When Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury 20 years ago on Aug. 29, New Orleans and other Gulf Coast states eventually received approximately $120 billion in federal aid, according to FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funds were earmarked for recovery efforts like rebuilding public infrastructure, providing individual assistance to residents and supporting educational institutions.

Echoing the remarks of Calhoun, the Rev. Charles Duplessis, whose church in the Lower Ninth Ward was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, said he and many others were left to their own resources when word came that a devastating hurricane was imminent. 

“I decided it was time to leave when the city’s mayor, Ray Nagin, went on the air and said, ‘if you’re going to stay, make sure you bring a hammer so you can get out in the attic,” said Duplessis, senior pastor at Mount Nebo Bible Baptist Church.

“We met at my sister-in-law’s house – more than 30 people including around 18 children – and formed a caravan of seven cars, headed for Tuskegee, Ala. It was very hot, and the going was slow. Some gas stations along the way said they could only take credit cards or that they could only serve regular clients. How could they tell who their regular clients were? And on Highway 90? No one seemed to care about us then, and they still don’t – not if you’re Black.”

Black schools failed to profit from recovery assistance

According to the National Weather Service, “in all, Hurricane Katrina was responsible for 1,833 fatalities and approximately $108 billion in damage (un-adjusted 2005 dollars).” 

Calhoun said in the aftermath of Katrina, there was a huge money grab that was part of what he considers to be an intentional takeover of public schools throughout the state by non-profit organizations. 

In 2025, New Orleans’ public education system, largely managed by non-profit organizations, is showing some positive trends with 79 percent of students graduating on time and 65 percent continuing to college, according to a Brookings report. However, Louisiana is ranked among the states with the worst school systems.

“The state legislature approved recovery school districts and convinced us that charter school management programs could do a better job than the previous school boards,” he said. “So, we went along with it, especially since most people were focused on rebuilding their homes and returning to New Orleans.” 

“Right after the storm, we had one high school and five elementary schools still standing in this area. But only one school reopened – Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary – where the principal wisely created a high school located on the same campus. The rationale behind that decision was to try to retain as many children from the community as possible – Black children. But while the state received nearly 2 billion dollars to rebuild schools, King Elementary got nothing and now stands empty. So, we don’t have a high school in our own community anymore.” 

Faith the size of a mustard seed

Duplessis said he has had to struggle at times to encourage and convince his parishioners to remain faithful, particularly after losing their church in the hurricane and, for some, still attempting to secure the funds to rebuild their homes.

“Everyone in my family who lived in New Orleans either had damage to their homes or had homes that were totally destroyed,” he said. “But the Lord laid on my heart to go back, even if we were the only ones both willing to return and to encourage others to do the same. New Orleans is our home and while it’s 20 years later, a weary few of us are still on the battlefield. And we are not going away quietly.”

Calhoun said faith means never giving up no matter how things may seem or appear. 

“Over the past 20 years, it seemed like anyone coming to New Orleans was only here to rob the area,” he said. “The Lower Ninth Ward became the poster child for Katrina. So, monies poured into the region for rebuilding efforts. A lot of that money left just as quickly.”

“Some of the projects that were proposed and were approved included things like creating green spaces and golf courses. Black families were left out and left behind. Those who proposed such plans did not know our culture,” said Calhoun. “They didn’t understand the way Blacks have lived for generations in New Orleans. They didn’t care about how we lived, played, worked and celebrated life in the ward.”

Duplessis said he can at least celebrate the fact that his church has been rebuilt and is slowly growing in members, although many of them were not in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. 

“We still haven’t reached 100 members, but we believe God is going to answer our prayers,” he said. “We have had more visitors this year than ever and we recently were able to finish our baptismal pool and have our first baptism in the church since the building was rebuilt. 

“Some families have returned, others have not. But we understand because one must do what’s best for their family. Before Katrina, we were a vibrant community with gas stations, grocery stores, cleaners, restaurants, night clubs – you name it,” said Duplessis. “Now the Lower Ninth Ward is just a shell of its former self. Very few big brand stores will even consider moving here. But we somehow find a way. And yes, we will survive – even if that takes another 20 years.”