The Battle for the Ninth Ward

ACORN, whose national headquarters were located in New Orleans, was the largest grassroots community organization in the United States when the storm struck. Wade Rathke, founder of ACORN, and New Orleans ACORN members were at the forefront of the battle to save the Lower 9th Ward, an historic African American and working class neighborhood from bulldozers and green-spacing.

The Battle for the Ninth Ward details how these courageous community leaders stood up to city officials and big money developers to rebuild their homes. This book tells the story from the initial hours after hurricane Katrina up to the present and current struggle for equity and transparency in the flow of recovery dollars to African American communities. The story of what happened in New Orleans will serve as a guide for any community facing disaster, either natural or manmade, especially for poor and minority communities that face disenfranchisement and redevelopment.