History

The history of New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward dates as far back as the colonial times, at which time the area consisted mostly of plantations. It was known as a place where poor African American immigrants from countries like Italy and Germany could come to find work. Slowly, the area grew more residential in the 1800's, but still consisted mostly of farmlands and swamps. In the 1920's, the Industrial Canal was built, separating the Ward into it's "upper" and "lower" sections. The building of this canal was extremely important for the development of the Lower Ninth because it increased the amount of shipping done in the area and thus created more jobs. St. Claude Avenue began to develop retail shops which brought life to the developing community. Today, however, the area is known for its poverty. A total of 36% of Lower Ninth Ward residents live below the poverty line. Unfortunately, because of its location and demographics, the Lower Ninth Ward is consistently neglected by the local government.

The Lower Ninth has seen its fair share of tragedies throughout the years. In 1965, Hurricane Betsy broke the canal which lead to severe flooding. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Lower Ninth with flooding so devastating that the water literally uprooted many of the homes and carried them down the streets. Because of the unbelievable images that were pouring out of the area, the Lower Ninth ward quickly became the "face" of Hurricane Katrina in the media.

What also attracted the media to the Lower Ninth was the less than timely relief that the area so desperately needed. In fact, the area was in such poor shape that the area-wide curfew extended more than 6 months after the storm. Since then, organizations like Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation have dedicated themselves to rebuilding the area, but progress has been slow. Brad Pitt's houses are easy to identify because they are raised substantially off the ground and, because of their modern architecture, look almost nothing like the surrounding houses, (most of which are abandoned and still missing windows or doors).

Despite the area's lingering abandoned feel, there are still, several central locations where people in the community gather. The Lower Ninth is filled with churches where whole families congregate on Sundays for worship followed by hours of socializing and a usually meal. There are also numerous benches by the levy where people congregate, often with barbeque grills and outdoor games. Today, the Andrew P. Sanchez Sr. Service Center serves as a hub for many outreach organizations in the community such as the Head Start Program and various senior citizens programs. Also, though it is not a gathering place, the Jackson Barracks should also be mentioned. These majestic buildings serve as the home to Louisiana's National Guard.

It should also be noted that many famous musicians were raised in the Lower Ninth Ward. Fats Domino and Kermit Ruffins both called the Lower Ninth Ward home.