by Gary Rivlin
Several people told me about the emotional meeting Mitch Landrieu held at the Household of Faith in New Orleans East shortly after taking over as mayor. I would attend a couple of Landrieu’s “budgeting for outcomes” meetings myself. But my account of the Household of Faith gathering was based largely on the vivid writing of Justin Vogt, who wrote at length about that night in a Washington Monthly profile of Landrieu published in early 2011.
NPR’s Alix Spiegel reported on the high rate of suicide five years after Katrina. An article by Richard Campanella taught me the term gutter punks. For a book he is apparently writing about gentrification, Peter Moskowitz interviewed Pres Kabacoff and posted a transcript on Gawker that helped in my portrayal of the controversial developer. And last but hardly least, there’s the terrific article Nathaniel Rich wrote for the New York Times Magazine about the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority–East’s attempt to save Louisiana’s vanishing coastline by suing ninety-seven oil and gas companies. As the October 5, 2014, cover of the Times magazine asked, “Every Hour, An Acre of Louisiana Sinks into the Sea. Who Is to Blame?”
INDEX
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
ACORN, 117, 251–52, 276
Addkison, Donna, 289
Advocate, 386n, 395
Affordable Homeownership Corporation, N.O. (NOAH), 353–54
Alabama, 25, 45, 277, 303
Albrecht, Greg, 164
Alexander, Paul, 48n
Algiers, 121, 182
evacuations and, 6–8, 11
health care in, 275–76
housing in, 273–75
Algiers Point, 273–74
Allbaugh, Joe, 36–37
Allen, Thad, 108, 112, 115, 193
Allstate, 302n, 402
Alvarez, Louis, 10
American Banker, 345, 373
AmericaSpeaks, 299, 320
Amtrak, 110, 192
Andrew, Hurricane, 32, 36, 323
A. Philip Randolph Building “the barn,” 1–3, 6, 11–12
Army, U.S., 8, 17, 72, 112, 126, 272
Army Corps of Engineers, 26, 304, 308
cleanups and, 265, 290
dewatering and, 124–25
finances of, 38, 205, 325
lawsuits of, 194–95, 357–58, 366
levees and, 48, 92, 124–25, 194–95, 259, 325, 358
new flood-protection system and, 387, 399–400
Associated Press, 121n, 199, 257
Astrodome, 107, 109, 196–97, 293
Ater, Al, 189–90, 251–52
Atlanta, Ga., 24–25, 83, 114, 155–56, 189, 251, 299, 303, 319, 348, 363–64, 398, 411
McDonalds and, 25, 27–28, 139, 142, 152
Audubon Park, 50, 79, 131, 210
Audubon Place, 50, 56, 58, 172
Bagneris, Michael, 416
Bahamonde, Marty, 33–34, 40–41, 43
Bahl, Roy, 233
Bair, Sheila, 345
Baker, Richard, 191, 193, 221
Baker bill, 193, 205–6, 208, 212, 221
Barbour, Haley, 25, 39, 45, 103, 110–11, 204–5
Barnes & Noble, 284, 333–34
Barre, Stan “Pampy,” 75
Barry, John M., 400
Barthelemy, Sidney, 80
Bartlett, Dan, 107–8, 111
Baton Rouge, La., xiii–xvi, 4, 15, 34, 84, 87, 105, 120, 122, 130, 164, 179–83, 189, 191–93, 196, 246, 248, 287, 290, 297, 308, 310, 312, 319, 321, 335, 346, 361, 381, 383, 396
Brown and, 39, 41
Canizaro and, 134, 136
evacuations and, 12–13, 180, 197
Labbe and, 60–61
Liberty in, 23, 28–29, 60, 62–64, 68, 143, 152, 154–55, 279
McDonald and, xvi, 28–29, 63–66, 68, 139, 148, 153, 155–56, 173, 224, 344–45
Nagin and, 102, 136, 221, 251
Walls and, 98–100, 177, 179–82, 216, 230–32, 282–83, 347, 406
Bayou Bienvenue, 118–19, 376
Bayou St. John, 23, 344, 373, 378
Beaulieu, Paul, 79–80, 319, 328–29, 362, 364–65
Beckman, John, 209–11, 213–14
Beer, Margaret, 173
Bell, Warren, 244
BellSouth, 63, 229, 278, 374
Bender, Harvey, 214–16
Benson, Tom, 184
Berrigan, Ginger, 415
Betsy, Hurricane, 25, 35, 73, 91
Big Four, 291, 331, 395
Biguenet, John, 290
Bing, Steve, 333
blacks, 2, 29, 66, 90–96, 112–13, 125, 132, 142, 165, 173, 189, 222, 226, 246, 261, 291–93, 320, 325, 327–31, 366, 372, 390–95, 397–99, 405, 418–19
in Algiers, 273–74
Baton Rouge and, 180–81
Blakely and, 317, 319, 337, 355–56
Bush and, 106–7, 113
Canizaro and, 134–37
education and, 76–79, 118, 148, 292, 306–8, 391, 394, 399, 418
evacuations and, 6–7, 10–11, 16–17, 20, 197–98, 274, 295
Gentilly and, 27, 61, 267, 379
Gretna and, 194, 272, 274
Hill and, 49, 51–54, 56, 59
in history of New Orleans, 75–79, 233
Jordan and, 327–28
King’s birthday and, 240, 242
Landrieu and, 248, 255–56, 359–62, 364–65, 369, 382–83, 390–93, 416
Liberty and, 20–22, 61, 68–69, 93, 143, 147–52, 157, 228, 346, 404
Lower Ninth Ward and, 118, 271–72, 276–77, 306–8, 351
Nagin and, 71, 74–75, 81, 84–85, 101–2, 242–45, 254–56
New Orleans East and, xvi, 21, 46, 93–96, 99, 177, 408
race relations and, 74–80
racism and, xv, 52, 56, 71, 113, 149, 180, 187, 189, 194, 197, 237, 244, 260, 266, 272–74, 277, 302, 324, 328, 351, 355–56, 379n, 395, 408
rebuilding and, 137–38, 168, 171, 175–77, 187, 191–92, 208–9, 214–15, 217, 239, 242, 250, 271–72, 323, 329, 334
Reiss and, 57, 86
and returning to New Orleans, 56, 241, 244
Road Home and, 225, 329, 379n
and segregation and desegregation, 76–80, 91–92, 118, 148, 394
Thomas and, 83–84
unemployment and, 58, 164
violence and, 76, 84–85, 121n, 129–30, 180, 274–75, 301
Blackwater USA, 123, 127
Blake, Frank, 338
Blakely, Ed:
blacks and, 317, 319, 337, 355–56
Nagin and, 316–17, 335, 355
rebuilding and, 316–19, 322–23, 334–36, 355, 383–84
Thomas and, 321–22, 335
Blanchard, Sylvia and Anthony, 380–81
Blanco, Kathleen Babineaux, 34, 44–48, 65, 102–6, 194, 258, 282, 383
approval ratings of, 165, 244
Bush and, 46–48, 104, 109–11, 113, 221–22
evacuations and, 13, 15, 17, 19, 41, 104
gubernatorial campaigns of, 46, 105–6, 108, 110, 171, 205, 223, 314, 328
housing and, 188–89, 196
looting prevention and, 108–9
Louisiana background of, 104–5
Nagin and, 15, 44–46, 72, 102–4, 106, 110–11, 113, 115, 171
rebuilding and, 103, 144, 166, 188–89, 193, 205, 221–22, 268
rescues and, 5, 108–9
Road Home and, 222–23, 225, 281, 312–14
state finances and, 164–65
and state of emergency, 103, 111
troops requested by, 41–42
Blanco, Raymond, 13–14, 104–5
Block, Robert, 39
“Blueprint for a Better New Orleans,” 136
Bollinger, Donald T. “Boysie,” 245, 321
rebui
lding and, 158–59, 161, 166–67, 199, 201–2, 204
Bonnet Carré Spillway, 61
Borders, J. B., 94
Boston Club, 51, 145
Bourbon Street, xiii
repopulation and, 121n, 122, 124
violence on, 84–85, 121n
Bowen, Kenneth, 300n
Bowser, Betty Ann, 184
BP oil spill, 360, 400
Bradberry, Stephen, 251
Bradshaw, Larry, 17–19
Braggs, Robyn, 96–99
New Orleans East and, 97, 406
rebuilding and, 283–86
and returning to New Orleans, 181–83, 283, 406–7
Breaux, John, 156–57, 328
Brees, Drew, 297, 402, 409
Bridges, Tyler, 386
Bring New Orleans Back Commission, xvi, 144, 153, 158–62, 172–74, 176, 191, 224–26, 249–50, 282, 293, 321, 392
mandates of, 168, 199, 215, 298
meetings of, 158–61, 167–68, 172–73, 200, 214–16
plan of, 199–201, 214–16, 226, 238–39, 247, 250
selecting members of, 133, 136–38, 167
unveiling of, 138, 166
Urban Planning committee of, 208–18, 238–39
Brinkley, Douglas, 35
Broadmoor, 53, 248–49, 283
Broderick, Matthew, 39–40
Brookings Institution, 366–67
Brooks, Rick, 315
Broussard, Terrel, 176
Brown, Michael, 32, 34, 37–42, 45–46, 107–8, 111n, 194
Brown v. Board of Education, 76–77
Bruneau, Jeb, 188, 267, 408
Bruneau, Peppi, 266
Bruno, Manny “Chevrolet,” 244–45
Brylski, Cheron, 386
building permits, 310
moratorium on, 214, 216–17
rebuilding and, 212, 214, 216–20, 250
Burns, Ronnie, 28–29, 143–44, 149–50
Bush, George H. W., 47, 106, 298–99
Bush, George W., xvi, 31–39, 105, 135, 158n, 189, 193–94, 198, 258, 340–41, 372
approval ratings of, 108, 244
blacks and, 106–7, 113
Blanco and, 46–48, 104, 109–11, 113, 221–22
Canizaro and, 87, 133–35, 166, 249–50
criticisms of, 294–95
Entergy bankruptcy and, 289–90
evacuations and, 41, 104
FEMA and, 36–37, 41, 45
Iraq and, 33–35, 103
levees and, 26, 38, 116
Nagin and, 31–32, 35, 43–48, 72, 102, 111–13, 112n, 116, 166–67, 185, 216, 218, 256, 294, 325
New Orleans visits of, 32, 35, 45–48, 72, 109, 111–13, 166–67, 214, 216, 256, 294, 324–25, 403
property buyouts and, 221, 250
rebuilding and, 113, 133, 166–67, 185, 199, 201, 205, 214, 216, 218, 221, 250, 294, 322–23, 324n, 329n
businesses, 80, 106, 368, 372, 392, 396, 410
Canizaro and, 87, 133–34, 136, 207
desegregation and, 78–79
destruction of, xiii, xv–xvi, 95, 357, 366
garbage pickups and, 364–65
and history of New Orleans, 78–79
Liberty and, 149, 151–52, 156
McDonald and, 146–47, 156, 408
Nagin and, 81, 116, 121, 131–32, 138, 187, 254, 256, 288, 389
New Orleans East and, 95, 97, 363, 371, 402–3
rebuilding and, 86–87, 131, 144, 160, 163, 168, 171, 187, 191–93, 200–202, 210–11, 217, 253, 285, 329, 334n, 335
of Reiss, 57–58
reopening of, 233–34, 292–93, 342
Butler, Malcolm and Dorothy, 6–7
Byrne, Michael, 313–14
Bywater, 394, 396, 404, 417
Caffin Avenue, 304–5, 410
Calhoun, Willie, Jr., 203–4
Camille, Hurricane, 25, 91
Campanella, Richard, 292–93
Canal Street, 72, 78, 123, 134, 158n, 229, 311, 397
barn on, 1–3, 6, 11–12
rebuilding and, 159–60
Canizaro, Joe, 133–39, 172, 284
Bender and, 214–16
building permits and, 214, 216–17, 250
Major and, 137–38
Nagin and, 87, 133, 136, 216–17, 249–50, 287
property buyouts and, 208–9, 217, 250
in real estate, 87, 133–34
rebuilding and, 87, 133, 136–37, 166, 168–69, 175–76, 193, 199–200, 207–18, 235, 238–39, 250–51, 269, 321
Urban Planning committee and, 208–18, 238–39
Canizaro, Sue Ellen, 134–35, 172, 207, 212
Capote, Truman, 170n
Card, Andrew, 32, 193
Carter, Jimmy, 36, 105
Carville, James, 81, 361
Carvin, Jim, 243
CBS, 286–87, 331, 337
Cecil, Katherine, 243
Central City, 132, 281, 406
Home Depot’s plans for, 338–39
Walls and, 95–97
Charity Hospital, 74, 145, 190–91, 251, 272, 335–36
closure of, 164–65, 191, 291, 365, 367–68
Chase, Leah, 151–52, 372
Cheney, Dick, 32, 34, 87–88
Chertoff, Michael, 32, 39–40, 46, 108n
Chevron, 233, 292
City Park, 27, 161, 188, 210, 213n, 262, 265–67, 343, 379
Citywide Strategic Recovery and Rebuilding Plan, 320–21
Claiborne Avenue, 91, 203, 237, 270–71, 287, 306–8, 333, 373–75, 388, 410–11
Clarkson, Jackie, 330–31
Clear as Mud (Olshansky and Johnson), 167n
Clinton, Bill, 36, 109, 156, 198, 299, 324, 340, 415
Clinton Global Initiative, 306, 332, 340
CNN, 14, 17, 72, 99, 130, 174, 185, 234, 243, 245, 248, 356, 364
Coast Guard, U.S., 34, 40, 48n, 108
Cole, Cindy, 326
Collaborative, 392
Colton, Craig, 177–78
Columbia Parc, 401–2
Coman, Matthew, 414–15
Committee for a Better New Orleans, 135–36
Common Ground Relief Collective, 271–72, 275–77, 305, 307, 349, 374–75, 378, 412
Community Congresses, 299–300, 319–20
Compass, Eddie, 41–42, 44, 70, 128, 130
Conerly, James, 183
Congress, U.S., 38, 53, 68–69, 156–57, 243–44, 294–95, 324n, 351, 353, 361, 390
Barbour and, 110–11
emergency-relief package of, 204–5
FEMA and, 36–37
hearings of, 36, 193–94, 220–21, 379
rebuilding and, 157, 204–6, 220–21, 329n
Road Home and, 314, 379
Connick, Harry, Sr., 328
Continental Airlines, 17
Cooper, Christopher, 39, 57, 59
Couhig, Robert, 253, 255
Courage and Consequence (Rove), 35–36
Cowen, Scott, 87, 168, 208, 215, 217
Cox Communications, 74, 132, 265, 339
Craig, Larry, 205
Creative Investment Research, 280
Creoles, 68, 77–78
Crescent City Connection, 115, 273
closed to pedestrians, 7–19
evacuations and, 4, 6–19
criminal justice system, 160, 257, 327, 385–86
Cross, Pearson, 314
Culberson, John, 294
Cummings, John, 194
Cunningham, William, 280
Dade, Corey, 113
Dallas, Tex., 50, 134, 151, 198, 287, 306, 319, 404–5
Liberty and, 64, 68
Nagin and, 72–74, 86–87, 101–2, 107, 111, 114, 131, 337–38, 355, 389, 415
Danziger Bridge, 300, 327
Dashiell, Pam, 235–36, 357–58, 376
Davis, Gail and Woodrow, 9
Davis, Robert, 121n
Davis, Terry, 42
Defense Department, U.S., 112, 126
Deloatch, Curtis, 298
Democracy
Now!, 275
Democrats, 36, 46–47, 105–7, 111, 156, 250, 294–95, 324n, 328, 391
Desire housing project, 8, 272–73
Deville, Bill, 1, 3–5, 12, 230
Dewan, Shaila, 326
DeZura, Michael, 315
Dominion Resources, 234
Dorsey, Dwight, 9–10
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. school, 306–8, 375
“Drowning New Orleans” (Fischetti), 93
Dryades, 279n
DuBos, Clancy, 243–44
Duke, David, 53
Duncan, Arne, 399
Duncan, Jeff, 232n
Duval, Stanwood, Jr., 357–58, 366
Eastern New Orleans United and Whole, 176, 230, 285
East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC), 403
Eastover, 94, 96–97, 403
Ebbert, Terry, 119
EBONetworks, 293
Eddington, Wilfred, 2, 5–8, 10–11
Edison, Thomas, 125
education, 50, 73, 92, 136–37, 173, 222, 226, 260–62, 296, 304, 341, 343, 347, 355, 391, 396, 398, 405–6, 410, 418
Baton Rouge and, 180–82
Blanco and, 104, 165–66
charter schools and, 166, 229, 291–92, 294, 306–8, 325, 361, 366–67, 369, 375, 397, 399
desegregation and, 76–79, 118, 148, 394
emergency shelters and, 197–98
Hill and, 51, 53
and history of New Orleans, 76–77
layoffs and, 164, 387–88
Lower Ninth Ward and, 272–73, 306–8, 325, 375
McDonalds and, 141, 146–49
Nagin and, 74, 80, 83, 86
New Orleans East and, 94, 402
Orleans Parish and, xv, 52, 77–79, 109, 155, 164–66, 307, 366–67, 387
rebuilding and, 160, 166, 168, 217, 229, 308, 369
Reiss and, 58–59, 86
reopening schools and, 229, 306–8
and returning to New Orleans, 181–82, 262, 284
Ridgley case and, 387–88
Walls and, 96, 282–83, 406
electricity, xiv, 20, 22, 29, 31, 44, 112, 116, 130, 183, 185–86, 192, 198, 240
blackouts and, 24, 56, 290
dewatering and, 124–26
evacuations and, 9, 12
Lakeview and, 261–62, 264
Liberty and, 228–29, 278–79
Nagin and, 114–15
rebuilding and, 159–60, 163, 188, 193, 202
repair and restoration of, 65, 114–15, 123, 127, 159, 181, 188, 193, 202, 262, 278–79, 289–90
Emelle, Barbara and Robert, 155
employment, 32, 39, 50–52, 79, 104, 152, 173, 180, 231–34, 270, 272, 282–85, 293–94, 296, 304, 311, 324, 326, 343, 360, 364, 372, 395, 397–98
