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Historians Should Help Design the Reconstruction of the Affected Communities

by Gerda Lerner
Ms. Lerner was president of the Organization of American Historians in 1981-82.

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A small group of Madison folks met over the weekend to see if we could contribute some proposals for long-range solutions for the people caught in the New Orleans horror. The attached statement is the result of our thinking. We have made appointments to see our Congress people and would like to present them with as many signatures as possible to the statement, when we see them.

If you agree, please send me an email with your signature. Please feel free to copy this statement, modify it in any way you like, and send it out to others. The important thing is to get an expression of popular opinion that offers thinking that goes beyond meeting the most immediate needs.

The short-term relief offered to the victims of hurricane Katrina will not address the major problems of the more than one million victims of this disaster. The shattered lives must be rebuilt one by one, but displaced citizens must above all have a chance to return to rebuilt communities in New Orleans and the other affected areas, if they so chose. Long-range healing will be enhanced if disaster victims can participate in rebuilding their communities.

Our country has a long history of meeting such challenges: mass unemployment and dislocation of the Great Depression were successfully remedied by WPA, CCC and other federal reconstruction programs. A million GI veterans of World War II were helped by the GI Bill of Rights, which offered them housing relief in quonset huts and trailers, paid education and a chance to rebuild their lives.

We urge you to further the reconstruction of suffering communities and the rehabilitation of displaced citizens by working for the following measures:

1. Enact a federal works program for the reconstruction of the affected communities. Give displaced citizens priority in hiring for this program.

2. Enact laws to provide a check-off box on income tax returns for donations to a rehabilitation fund for hurricane victims.

3. Create a Citizens Committee to oversee the reconstruction and rehabilitation program. Such a committee must include a significant number of displaced citizens.

4. Provide all affected victims who do not have medical insurance, with life-long Medicare insurance, including psychological and psychiatric services, as needed.

Related Links

  • HNN's Katrina Coverage