When Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, government response lagged, leaving many Black communities stranded. Facing starvation, death, and failing systems, folks took matters into their own hands—rescuing neighbors, sharing resources, organizing relief, and boldly speaking out on the inequities exposed by systemic neglect.
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As the 20th anniversary approaches, we’re highlighting Black Americans—from everyday neighbors to athletes and cultural icons—who rose above the flood to save countless lives amid the chaos of Katrina.
The Black Community as a Whole
Even everyday residents banded together to demonstrate remarkable leadership and courage, proving that survival often depended on the strength of their networks when official aid didn’t come to the the rescue.
Jabar Gibson: Living in New Orleans’ Fischer Projects, then 20-year-old Jabar Gibson commanded an abandoned school bus and drove it for 13 hours through flooded streets, rescuing over 70 people and transporting them to the Houston Astrodome. He accomplished the heroic move without a license or formal training, demonstrating extraordinary resourcefulness and determination. His bus was reportedly the first to arrive at the Astrodome with evacuees, per Team Rubicon.
Courtney Miles: A basketball player and fellow Fischer Projects resident—known as “Baby Magic” in 2005— sprung into action when levees broke on the morning of September 1. “Water was coming close to my knees,” Miles said, per SFGate. “People were hungry, and they didn’t have anything to drink. I was like, ‘Man, we got to do something to get out of here.’ “
Then 18-year-old, who also had no formal training, commanded a bus and returned to Fischer projects to pick up his neighbors. In the end, Miles saved 400 evacuees and brought them to the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, per the news outlet.
Mayor Nagin
With his fierce and unfiltered voice, then-mayor C. Ray Nagin, caught backlash for his “Chocolate City” speech, where he demanded Black folks come together and rebuild New Orleans. “This city will be chocolate at the end of the day” because that’s the way “God wants it to be,” he boldly stated in his 2006 speech centering Black unity.
Nagin also went on record blasting federal and state leadership for their slow response for aid and relief. While he admitted he shouldn’t have “lashed out,” he felt it may have had a positive effect, as he reported the army arrived shortly after.
“If this had been a much more affluent place, a place that was not as populated by African Americans, I am firmly convinced that it would have been a different kind of response. I’m sorry to say that as an American, but that’s the reality we dealt with,” Nagin said, per BBC.
And he wasn’t only one to call out racism for the Bush administration’s lack of response to the disaster that claimed a reported 1,833 lives.
The Hip Hop Community & Celebrities
Hip-hop artists were instrumental in providing aid and advocacy after Katrina.
Kanye West: The Chicago rapper grabbed headlines during NBC’s 2005 Hurricane Relief telethon with his infamous off-script rant. “If you see a Black family, it says they’re looting. If you see a White family, it says they’re looking for food,” West expressed.
“Bush doesn’t care about Black people,” the rapper concluded, sparking outrage instantly, and for years to come.
Master P: who also had his own home destroyed, created the Team Rescue foundation to “save the neighborhood and rebuild our communities,” per CBS. The No Limit rapper provided aid to his New Orleans hometown, in addition to residents who relocated.
Diddy and Jay-Z: Banded together to provide substantial financial contributions to relief efforts, raising $1 million in a joint donation they presented during a live telethon, per the New York Post.
Spike Lee: Acclaimed filmmaker and cultural icon, captured the grief, anger, and resilience of Black New Orleanians in his unforgettable documentary “When the Levees Broke.” The film captured the grief and anger of Black New Orleanians, amplifying voices too often ignored.
Joe Horn: In addition to visiting shelters, Horn donated $190,000 to various Hurricane Katrina victims, including $57,000 to Saints staffers to help with their moving expenses to San Antonio, per Nola.
“I will not play in Texas knowing the fans in New Orleans that loved us won’t have a team anymore and we won’t be there to rebuild that city. The best thing that you can do is to bring us back to New Orleans, help us rebuild New Orleans and the NFL will look like darlings,” Horn stated, per Canal Street Chronicles. “The next morning, on ESPN, we were awarded back to New Orleans. That was my Super Bowl,” the former player said at that time.
Common Ground Relief
Co-founded by residents Sharon Johnson and Malik Rahim with organizer Scott Crow in Algiers, New Orleans, Common Ground Relief opened its doors in the midst of the city’s devastation in September 2005. The organization provided vital relief services that the government failed to deliver, becoming a crucial source of community-based support and self-organization in the hurricane’s aftermath.
Beyond immediate relief, the team worked on long-term issues like housing rights, health care access, and community empowerment, becoming a blueprint for post-disaster organizing nationwide.
The Aftermath of the Storm
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with government aid failing many of the hardest-hit Black communities, New Orleans residents stepped in to rescue and support their neighbors. Here are more examples of how Black people came together to survive and rebuild.
Makeshift Rescues: In the absence of prompt relief, people used whatever resources they could find to navigate the flooded streets and help those stranded in their homes or on rooftops.
Sharing Scarce Resources: Many opened their homes (those that remained habitable) to neighbors and family members, and those who had managed to acquire food, water, or other necessities shared them with others, including with those experiencing homelessness.
Mental and Emotional Support: Beyond the practicalities of survival, Black residents also offered emotional support and reassurance to one another, helping people cope with the trauma and uncertainty of the situation, as reported by The City University of New York.
Advocacy and Organizing: Black activists and community leaders quickly organized to demand a more effective government response, advocate for equitable treatment of survivors, and expose the racial inequalities that were amplified by the disaster.
These stories highlight the extraordinary resilience and strength of the Black community in New Orleans during a time of immense challenge and adversity. Their actions demonstrate the vital importance of community networks and self-reliance in the face of systemic failures during disasters, according to NPR.
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