25,000 Shelter at Superdome for Five Days Without Adequate Food or Water

Approximately 25,000 New Orleans residents, predominantly Black and low-income, sheltered at the Louisiana Superdome after Katrina. They endured five days without adequate food, water, or sanitation while awaiting federal evacuation. FEMA's slow response became a defining symbol of institutional neglect. Media coverage drew criticism for racially coded descriptions of survivors.