Floodlines

Some call it Hurricane Katrina. Some call it the Federal Flood. Others call it the day the levees broke. On August 29, 2005, the city of New Orleans was submerged. That story of hubris, incompetence, and nature's wrath is now etched into the national consciousness. But the people who lived through the flood and its aftermath have a different story to tell. A story of rumors, betrayal, and one of the most misunderstood events in American history. Hosted by Vann R. Newkirk II. Floodlines has been named an Apple Podcasts Series Essential.

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Episodes

Rebirth

Part IX: After Hurricane Katrina and the breach of the levees in 2005, Floodlines examined what went wrong in New Orleans and what those errors meant for the people left behind. Now, 20 years later, the host, Vann R. Newkirk II, revisits New Orleans to meet up with Le-Ann Williams again and learn more about how time has shaped the role she holds in her family and her city. You can support this work, and the work of all Atlantic journalists, when you subscribe to The Atlantic at TheAtlantic.com/L...

Aug 01, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 9

Introducing Holy Week

Holy Week: The story of a revolution undone. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, is often recounted as a conclusion to a powerful era of civil rights in America, but how did this hero’s murder come to be the stitching used to tie together a narrative of victory? The week that followed his killing was one of the most fiery, disruptive, and revolutionary, and is nearly forgotten. Over the course of eight episodes, Holy Week brings forward the stories of the activists ...

Feb 28, 2023•6 min

The Wake

Part VIII: Water, like history, repeats itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 12, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 8

Destiny

Part VII: People try to come home. But does home want them anymore? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 12, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Reckoning

Part VI: How could the levees have failed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 12, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Exodus

This episode details the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, focusing on Mayor Nagin's desperate pleas and the pivotal arrival of General Honore. Honore's no-nonsense leadership dispelled dangerous rumors and redirected the response towards humanitarian aid, contrasting with initial fears of military confrontation. The episode also explores the profound personal and societal impact of the disaster, including mass displacement and the struggle of evacuees like Alice and Leanne to cope with their new realities and the prospect of a forever-changed New Orleans.

Mar 12, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 5

The Bridge

This episode delves into the breakdown of order in post-Katrina New Orleans, focusing on the NOPD's struggles, the spread of official misinformation, and its tragic consequences. It details instances of police violence, including the infamous Danziger Bridge massacre and subsequent cover-up. The episode concludes with a harrowing account of one family's miraculous escape, underscoring the profound human cost and moral dilemmas faced during the crisis.

Mar 12, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Through the Looking Glass

The episode delves into the "two parallel universes" of Hurricane Katrina: the lived experience of New Orleans residents like Alice, and the distorted, sensationalized reality broadcast on national television. It highlights the media's fixation on looting and unverified rumors of violence, which slowed rescue efforts and solidified a public perception blaming victims. Through personal accounts and government responses, the episode reveals how systemic racial biases informed the delayed and inadequate aid, validating fears that some lives were deemed less worthy of saving.

Mar 12, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 3

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