New Orleans

New Orleans began in 1718 when it was first established as a port city. People from all over the world came to the port and the city was influenced by many different cultures. New Orleans also had the highest population of free slaves in the south which already contributes to its unmistakeable uniqueness. This uniqueness continued to thrive while the cities all over America become more and more saturated with hate, fear and resentment towards blacks. However, due to economic and political changes, the very foundation of New Orleans began to dismantle and the city's progress took a major nose-dive.

Due to the industrialization happening all over America following World War II, the infrastructure of New Orleans began to change. Highways tore once peaceful, integrated neighborhoods apart. This caused there to be a literal barrier between blacks and whites. Over time, there was a great surge of white flight. The many highways and bridges allowed the establishment of suburbs in the back swamps of the city which were intended for whites only. This left blacks and their residential areas at the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain which was known to flood frequently. Although there were white ghettos in the city, they weren't as bad as the black ghettos. As Pierce F. Lewis states in "New Orleans: The Making of an Urban Landscape", "All in all, New Orleans was more segregated than it had ever been, and the inequities between the rich and the poor was as extreme as at any time since the legal end of slavery." There was a lack of funding in the black neighborhoods especially in the public school system. Because of all the poverty, there was a lot of crime, drugs and gang activity. Unfortunately, this trend is typical in the urban areas of America.

Another unique and unfortunate attribute of New Orleans is its location. It is nestled in the banks of the Mississippi River. Because of its location, New Orleans was able to prosper in the early stages of its existence; thriving financially as well as culturally. However towards more modern times, its location has just become a vulnerability. The banks often over-flooded, threatening the safety of the city's residents. In order to protect themselves, a system of levees was built. Little did they know, the only thing protecting them from the harm of masses of water would soon fail them.

There were many indicators that were chosen to be ignored that would have prepared New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina. There were many reports prior to the disaster claiming that there were levee failures and severely distressed portions of the levee system. Although Hurricane Katrina was a "natural disaster" it was also a political disaster. Government officials knew of the potential impact of the hurricane but chose to ignore it. This just shows that the government doesn't care about human lives and further adds to the distrust people already have towards the government.

New Orleans has been influenced by many different cultures. Its architecture, food, and music greatly reflects that and that is exactly why it is so unique. Although many of us have never been to New Orleans, New Orleans is all around us. From the food that we eat to the sultry sounds of jazz coming from our neighbor's open window, we are touched by New Orleans and the hardships of its history and present everyday.