New Orleans & Hurricane Katrina A Powerful New Sociological Metaphor for the Impacts of Racism and Systemic Inequality Richard Alba Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research

President Bush in New Orleans: September 15, 2005 ''As all of us saw on television, there is also some deep, persistent poverty in this region as well. And that poverty has roots in a history of racial discrimination, which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action. So let us restore all that we have cherished from yesterday, and let us rise above the legacy of inequality.''

Sociological metaphors for systematic inequalities & disasters The sinking of the Titanic: Mortality varied by class of berth Chicago’s 1995 heat wave: Mortality associated with poverty and race New Orleans during and after Katrina?

Source: New York Times Flooding on Sept. 2

Who suffered? Source: New York Times

Some basics about the New Orleans metro area

Racial segregation in New Orleans Index of dissimilarity=65.9 Index of isolation for whites=59.7% Index of isolation for blacks=82.1%

Transportation out of New Orleans 27.3% of New Orleans households had no car. Among whites, 14.5% of households lacked a car. Among blacks, 34.8% were in the same situation.

Predicted storm impact Source: New York Times

Estimate of housing loss More than 140,000 housing units in New Orleans suffered major damage. About 80% were affordable to low-income households. Source: National Low Income Housing Coalition (

The lower 9 th ward: The 9 th circle? Source: Slate magazine

Former First Lady Barbara Bush Commenting on the reactions of evacuees from New Orleans who were sheltered in the Houston Astrodome: "Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them."