8th anniversary of Katrina
Along the Gulf Coast, each year we mark August 29th
as another year of progress since the storm, and we remember those who lost
their lives, either directly or indirectly, because of the disaster. Scholarly and popular publications from a
variety of sources continue to be published and collected, particularly about
the consequences of the disastrous flooding of New Orleans. August 29, 2013, will be the
eighth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Posted by Susanna Powers
Hundreds of books on Katrina are held in the Howard-Tilton
Memorial Library, many of which have copies in multiple locations (search the
catalog from the library’s home page). Another way to start finding information on Katrina is to see the research
guide to freely accessible online Katrina resources. Some of the more recent books which are held
only in the Louisiana Research Collection include:
Hurricane
Katrina poetic commemorative / edited by Miriam Chitiga. PS 595 .H87
H87 2012 LACOLL
Where
the water kept rising: a college athletic director's fight to save a New
Orleans sports institution / by James W. Miller. GV691.U565 M55 2012 LACOLL
Mere
NOLA / Chris Sullivan. PS 3620
.U44 M47 2011 LACOLL
Saint
Louis Armstrong Beach / Brenda Woods. PZ 7 .W86335 Sai 2011 LACOLL
The anthology compiled by Dr. Miriam Miranda Chitiga, of
Fayetteville State University (NC), is the result of her interdisciplinary work
devoted to social justice. In her introduction, she writes, “Overall, the
poems in this collection offer an interesting diversity of commemorative
expressions. They reflect pain, sorrow,
outcry, anger, devastation, disappointment, ambivalence, empathy, hope,
expectations, resilience and commentary.” Many of the poems were written by individuals
who would not consider themselves to be poets or literary writers; they are
pointed and clear, sometimes bitter in tone, sarcastic about the failures of the federal government to respond to the immediate needs of the people who were harmed in the disaster. Taken as a group, the poems express a
powerful sense of frustration and injustice.
The following brief, poignant poem was written by Shakenna Gray, of Georgia.
Is it Over?
In the aftermath
Is it over?
All worrying is
gone
Hardtacks are now
mended
But Confusion
stays
Lost for words
Pressuring
thoughts remain
Their hearts all
breaking
It’s not over
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