Untold: The New Orleans 9th Ward You Never Knew

by Lynette Norris Wilkinson

Some of the first images you saw of New Orleans under water during Hurricane Katrina were the mangled houses and cars, and drowned bodies of the people from the Lower 9th Ward. Before Hurricane Katrina, few had even heard of this close-knit predominately African American community nestled just five miles form world-famous Bourbon Street. The author says, "I watched it all unfold on TV from my home near Dallas that morning. As the waters rose, my heart sank." This was my home, my neighborhood, my people. How could I not use my gifts to tell their story? "Untold" lets you: Peek into the lives of 16 residents, share their memories, see how they survived, and where they are now Find out what the area was before it became the Lower 9th Ward How the Lower 9 may be connected to an area movie producer *The Lower 9 remains devastated-still----but is struggling to survive. Proceeds from this book will be donated to organizations helping the residents of the Lower 9 recover."

Genres: Nonfiction, History

118 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2010

About the author

Award-winning writer Lynette Norris Wilkinson was born to write. From the time she won her first writing contest at the age of 11, she has always sought self-expression through writing that inspires, influences, and informs. Job titles may have changed over the years, but she considers herself first and foremost a writer. She feels she did not arrive at this point in her life by accident. Born and raised in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, she attended New Orleans public schools. At her elementary school in New Orleans, her sixth grade teacher encouraged her to write poems and essays. She entered contests in the local paper and won. For her efforts, she received a stuffed animal and a little cash. From that, she learned the value of the written word. After graduating cum laude from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas with a major in journalism and a minor in marketing, she took a job with Dun & Bradstreet as a business reporter. She gathered financial information from business owners and talked to them about the structure of their businesses. Regardless of whether they welcomed her visit, she picked up the phone or drove to the next business and moved on to the next company on her list. She learned about business, and balance sheets, and budgetsand perseverance. After moving to Dallas and working in customer service for a few years, she decided she wanted to get back into writing. Lynette volunteered with the Dallas Public Library and other nonprofit agencies and wrote articles, brochures, and manuals to build her portfolio. She had learned how to reinvent herself. This really worked in her favor because she was later hired as a technical writer. When Lynette found herself without a job in the aftermath of 9/11, she applied with a major health system in Dallas for a job as a public relations coordinator. The director at that time just wanted a strong writer. That fit Lynette perfectly because she saw where she could use her technical, creative, and business background. She learned it was possible to have a job that fits her personal style and talents, plus work with wonderful people. In August 2005, Lynette found herself with 16 family members and friends on her doorstep when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. They had nothing but the clothes on their backs and the few possessions they had in their cars. But they had their lives, and they had each other. Through this experience, Lynette learned what really matters. Seeing the devastated Lower 9th Ward, she had the God-inspired idea to write a book that celebrates hurricane survivors from that area and donate the proceeds to organizations helping the residents recover. She says, You see me as I am now, but there was where it all began. These are my roots and my people. How could I not use my gift to do what is within my power to help? And so the book, UNTOLD: The New Orleans Ninth Ward You Never Knew, was born. The author says, If this is the best and biggest thing I ever do in my life, I will be happy.
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Reviews

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this personal account of 16 people who lived in the same neighborhood as the author, Lynette Norris Wilkinson, did growing up—the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, below the Industrial Canal—Wilkinson shares with us the memories of many of her friends, former classmates, and church members regarding the time that Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. She is rightfully proud of these people, and not just because they all had to cope with the devastation wrought by the hurricane, but of how they survived the ordeal. Facing the pitiless wrath of a climatic force beyond their control, rather than succumbing to a swath of misery that could easily have swept them under, they were all, instead, buoyed up by their faith in God and in each other, which enabled them to survive this earth-shattering event. Prior to the unforeseen calamity that cut to the very core of their urban existence, they were “hard-working, family-oriented people, who owned their homes, had a sense of community, and were contributing members of society.” Hurricane Katrina served only to test their mettle, and most definitely not to dent it.

Starting out with a brief overview of the area, with which she was provided by local historian Mary White, Wilkinson shows, in Untold: The New Orleans 9th Ward You Never Knew how, despite undergoing some decline, it was, nevertheless, held together in spirit by the strong moral grounding of the local residents in “faith, family, and community.” In the pages that follow, we are introduced to a wide range of such individuals, all of whom have their version to tell of the time that nature ruled supreme and people suffered. Told as individual accounts of personal stoicism in the face of unbeatable odds, each story, recounted in the first person, shows how those concerned rose to meet the occasion, and through sheer guts and determination, aided by their unquenchable faith, managed to ride out the storm that threatened to subdue them forever.

Ranging from young to old, the men and women whose stories fill these pages can be seen to be shining examples of all that is best in the American character. The individual emotions ring out true and firm, telling not only of the fear and agony undergone by each of the families impacted by the hurricane, but also of their efforts to restore stability to their lives in the wake of the disaster. Each story is accompanied by at least one full-page black-and-white shot of a scene, once familiar to the person whose oral history, transposed into print, follows, but which, in the photo, is seen as reduced to a mass of tangled wire, caved-in wall and shattered brick, mortar and glass. Many of the stories are also preceded by a close-up of the survivor themselves, so that the reader is encouraged to relate on a personal level to those about whom they read.

With unprecedented climatic conditions causing so much devastation worldwide, one stands the chance of being overwhelmed, and of becoming resistant to the individual misery caused to countless sufferers. However, Untold, by allowing us to put a face on what all too often stands the danger of becoming just one more statistic in the barrage of grief that threatens to swamp the world, halts us in our tracks, and enables us to respond with empathy to those who have been so intimately involved with the crisis. As a story of survivors who have weathered the worst, Untold: The New Orleans 9th Ward You Never Knew should go down in the annals of New Orleans history as one that is, indeed, very much told—and one in which the local inhabitants stand up close, personal and proud.
 

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are the stories I think we all would have preferred to hear in the wake of hurricane Katrina, stories of survival, Hope, the love of family and community. Non material things that matter more than headlines of crime and corruption. Stories that encourage us to care more about each other. My thanks to the author

[Deb Yancey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this wonderful book on Goodreads.com. I loved this book because it reminds me of the strength of the human spirit but also that strength was allowed to flourish. This book reminds us that these were regular American people, who worked lived, loved, were homeowners with dreams. This book is tragic in that all that they lost and thought was hopeless but family, God and community. They had roots and the community of the Nine Ward of New Orleans was like an extended family. It reminded me of my childhood in the 70's that neighbors looked out for each other and they knew who kids were whose.. Very close knit. I felt the loss these people suffered losing that. I also felt the hope of overcoming that with in most cases extended family until other solutions could be made. These people worked hard to get back on their feet. I am glad I read this book because I, like many others, reduced these hard working Americans into an anonymous mass of poor people that only were living in trailers or the projects, living life on welfare. The media reinforced that sentiment. I am glad i got to know the Ninth Ward and hopefully someday the essence of it can be recaptured.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really interested to read about the residents in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, and see how they survived the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. So, I was thrilled to receive a free copy of "Untold" from Goodreads that contained the stories of several residents as they recounted how the hurricane impacted them. Their touching stories were inspirational, as was their hope and continued faith in God, family, and friends. But, at barely more than 100 pages, the stories of the residents were just too short and underdeveloped. The worst thing about this book was the very poor caliber of writing. It seemed that each resident wrote their own section, which gave the book a choppy and disconnected feel. Aside from that, the sentence structure was so basic it felt like a fifth grader wrote this book. I don't know how this was published, or received an award. I would not spend money or time reading this book despite the really interesting premise. What a shame.

[Rebecca Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in the Goodreads giveaway. This book literally sent chills down me as I read some of the tragic stories of these people who lost everything that they own and yet still find a way to be thankful for the things that they didn't lose. My absolute favorite chapter was "Doochie" I know that all of the stories were heartbreaking and of course just as important but he really went through the flood itself and has so much of a testimony to tell. The author had a way with words as she told the stories of all these people. I also think that it is very important to recognize that the proceeds from this book go to organizations that are helping these people in their recovery.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Untold has the feel of sitting at a church fellowship dinner and listening to family stories. These stories are the compelling personal narratives of people who lived in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans when the neighborhood was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. As time passes and Katrina becomes just a topic of a history lesson, records such as this of the experiences of real people become increasingly important reminders that the events of history are composed of the lives and emotions of people caught in events beyond their control.

[Rachel Morton Nolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won a copy from Goodreads.com. I was interested in reading the stories of survival after Hurricane Katrina. I found the stories undeveloped and a feeling like more than one person wrote this. The book is just okay.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some fascinating and voice-filled stories of Hurricane Katrina. Not a super diverse subset of stories- most of these people had similar experiences and the majority of them evacuated before the storm hit. But it was still a heartbreaking look at all the different ways it affected people's lives.

[Brett Axel · Rating 4 out of 5]

don't expect literature. this is not well written, but it is raw and honest. real people telling their stories in their own words. I cried more than once.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book on a Giveaway! I really liked the stories of how the city used to be and what it is currently. I am amazed by some of the stories of human resilience.

[Ashley Irby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this through First Reads & was super excited to read it. It DID NOT disappoint! Absolutely loved it.