Last Updated on August 25, 2025
The New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) presents a powerful new exhibition, The Katrina List: An Untold Story of Hurricane Katrina, opening on August 28, 2025, in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Presented in partnership with The Katrina National Memorial Foundation (KNMF), this exhibition honors the work of KNMF founder, R. Omar Casimire, whose tireless efforts to document and memorialize the human impact of the storm have preserved stories that history nearly erased. Through this partnership, NOAAM brings forward artifacts, oral histories, and carefully preserved materials once held privately, now accessible for the public’s healing reflection.
“Seeing the stories, artifacts, and voices of those affected by Hurricane Katrina preserved and shared has been both humbling and inspiring,” R. Omar Casimire, Founder, CEO, and Chief Curator, KNMF Museum, said. “The recent relocation of the KNMF Museum archives to the New Orleans African American Museum is a monumental step forward- offering these treasured pieces a permanent home where the community, students, and visitors from around the world can experience, reflect, and honor the resilience of New Orleans and its people.”
Through a poignant assemblage of survivor testimonies, photographs, documents, and oral histories, the exhibition brings a thoughtful narrative arc to the exhibition, unveiling Casimire’s grassroots archive that chronicles the lives of over 10,000 individuals who were stranded, unprotected, and nearly forgotten in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Casimire, who remained in New Orleans during and after the storm, documented rescued survivors’ experiences, and meticulously compiled “The Katrina List”—an ambitious project seeking justice for those abandoned by systemic failures.
Extended across NOAAM’s Community Reading Room, Bayouside Gallery, and Main Gallery, the exhibition will feature the striking “Katrina List,” a compilation of 10,000 names, alongside over 100 artifacts from Casimere’s collection, including archival photos, printed flyers, handwritten letters, and salvaged objects. Visitors can also immerse themselves in A/V stations with recorded survivor stories and interactive QR code experiences, and contribute their reflections to a legacy map wall.
“At the New Orleans African American Museum, we understand that Hurricane Katrina is not just a chapter in our city’s history — it is a living testament to the endurance, creativity, and spiritual strength of our people,” Gia M. Hamilton, NOAAM CEO & Chief Curator, said. “The relocation of the Katrina National Memorial Park collection into NOAAM’s care allows us to safeguard these artifacts and stories within the cultural and historical heart of Tremé. This 20th anniversary exhibition is not only a memorial; it is a call to witness, to remember, and to honor the generations who carry forward the truth, lessons, and legacy of Katrina.”
The exhibition will offer viewers an enriching experience through interactive learning with digital access to extended oral histories and archival interviews, robust public programming including story circles, panel discussions, and youth education workshops, and meaningful legacy engagement where each visitor leaves with access to a digital archive, curated reading material, and avenues to support ongoing memory preservation.
The Katrina List: An Untold Story of Hurricane Katrina will remain on view through August 30, 2026. For more information, including public programming and special events, please visit NOAAM’s website.
About the New Orleans African American Museum
As Greater New Orleans’ only museum dedicated exclusively to African American art, history, and culture, NOAAM is committed to combining powerful storytelling with truth-telling — preserving the past while forging communities built on resilience, justice, and equity. The mission of the New Orleans African American Museum is to preserve the history and elevate the art, culture, and contributions of African Americans in New Orleans and the African Diaspora.
NOAAM is a nexus for inspiration, learning, and connection, serving our neighborhood, our city, and visitors from around the world with immersive exhibitions and public programs that weave together historical analyses and contemporary reflections about how the peoples of the African Diaspora contributed to and continue to shape the culture of New Orleans and America.
About the Katrina National Memorial Foundation
Rodney Omar Casimire is the founder of the Katrina National Memorial Charitable Foundation. The Katrina National Memorial Museum project is the result of Mr. Casimire’s vision was to create an international destination, including a memorial park to honor the lives that were lost as a result of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
