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Hurricane Archive

Collecting and Preserving the Stories of Katrina and Rita

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The Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (CHNM) at George Mason University and the University of New Orleans organized the Hurricane Digital Memory Bank (HDMB) in 2005 in partnership with many national and Gulf Coast area organizations and individuals. HDMB was awarded the Award of Merit for Leadership in History, and is the largest free public archive of Katrina and Rita with over 25,000 items in the collection. Read More.

Items (8462 total)

I have lived right outside of New Orleans my entire life. Evacuating for hurricanes has become something that you just do. As a kid, you really don’t know any better and tend to hope that you’ll get a break from…

My story before during and after Katrina.

I was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras September 23, 1979. My father’s family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana because there are more opportunities in the United States. In June 20, 1981, I became a legal U.S. resident…

In the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina, I remember life going on just as it had regularly. The storm was out there, brewing, lurking, but that wasn’t an uncommon event during the late summer months along the Gulf…

Online Story…

Dear Nola,\r\n\r\nI never knew you before this tragedy. I never knew you serene and sluggish and pristene. When I first saw you it was night, and I was shooting through the swamps, with my best friend sitting next to me.…

Online Story…

Friday, September 2, 2005\r\n\r\nI just left New Orleans a couple hours ago. I traveled from the apartment I was staying in by boat to a helicopter to a refugee camp. If anyone wants to examine the attitude of federal…

Online Story…

I teach Psychology at the University of New Orleans and live in Metairie. We used to spend as much time as possible in Pass Christian, MS, now decimated.\r\n Our evacuations included 3 different moves from north…

Online Story…

cast of characters:\r\nme=Bridey\r\nIan=my boyfriend\r\nIan\'s mom=Ian\'s mom, Susan.\r\nhere\'s the story:\r\n.Thursday: Ian and his mom got to New Orleans the 25th.\r\n.Friday: got the house\'s central air conditioning…

Online Story…

The weekend of Katrina that Friday I was at work until five and had no idea there was another storm. I sort of stopped paying attention to the news because there seems to always be something out in the Gulf. Once my…

Online Story…

With Katrina’s eye set on New Orleans, many storm-weary residents commenced plans to evacuate. Those with the means began filling their cars with gas, and booking hotel rooms in Baton Rouge and other surrounding areas. …

Online Story…