By Samantha de Leon The mammoth Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast around 10:00 p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2017. Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For people living in southeastern Texas, hurricanes are guaranteed to make a few appearances. The colossal storms are inescapable and, in many ways, […]
By Nadia Abouzir Running along Buffalo Bayou, Eleanor Tinsley Park was completely submerged after Harvey’s rains. Photo courtesy of J. Daniel Escareño, Flickr. It is no secret that Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, but how did it impact the city’s individual communities? Floodplain maps offer insight into where the risk is greatest to experience a 100- or 500-year flood, but many of the affected neighborhoods surpassed these thresholds […]
By Graciela Cortez Firefighters from HFD station 49 conduct rescue operations using a highwater vehicle in the Memorial area. Nathan Lilley stands in the front with Brandon Hernandez peeking out from behind him. On the truck standing left to right are Brian Dea, Dustin Davis, and Michael de Leon. Photo courtesy of HFD Station 49. In […]
By Anna Mayzenberg Meyerland grew rapidly from its beginnings in 1955. Homes, such as this one on Valkeith Drive (1960), frequently sold before construction was completed. Photo courtesy of the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library. In the mid-1950s, the 1,200-acre Meyerland subdivision promised to be a new suburban haven for middle- and upper-class […]
By Syed Shahzeb Ayaz Using social media to locate those in need and dispatch volunteers to assist them, Mrs. Gitty Francis (far right), along with her volunteer staff, ran the Hurricane Harvey relief operations of Chabad-Lubavitch, a worldwide Jewish movement with a focus on outreach activities. Photo courtesy of Chabad of Texas Archive. During catastrophes, […]
By Christopher Kessinger Houston’s Democratic Socialists of America chapter came together to help Houstonians after Hurricane Harvey. The volunteers helped out in people’s homes and raised money, which they used for cash cards to help those in need. Photos courtesy of the Houston Democratic Socialists of America Facebook Group. Before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, Houston […]
By Christopher Kessinger Brandi Holmes and Secunda Joseph spoke to Houston History about what motivated them to help those in need during Hurricane Harvey. Photo courtesy of Resilient Houston: Documenting Hurricane Harvey. Activists with Black Lives Matter-Houston and Project Curate, Brandi Holmes and Secunda Joseph formulated their own responses to Hurricane Harvey. The two began […]
By Andrew Davis The scale of Hurricane Harvey was unfathomable. Between the nationwide volunteer efforts, the overtaxed first responders, the drone footage of I-10 looking like the Mighty Mississippi, and the sense that it affected everyone, the storm’s vast impact remains incomprehensible. Reflecting on those heady days, one of the best ways to understand what […]
By Sandra Tzul Houstonians found ways to ensure their neighbors got what they needed by cruising neighborhoods with supplies. Photo courtesy of Debbie Z. Harwell. As Houstonians rode out Hurricane Harvey the most devastating storm in Houston’s history recovery weighed heavily on their minds. Rains pounded the area in late August 2017, as residents witnessed […]
By Christina Shibu Houston Fire Department EMTs administer aid to a Hurricane Harvey evacuee in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center shelter. Emergency medical personnel and doctors treated patients for many different issues from dehydration to mental health issues and chronic illnesses. Photo courtesy of Diana J. Rodriguez. One week in the latter […]
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