The systems meant to protect Americans failed in August 2005 — but everyday people and quick-thinking National Guard and military service members rose above the flood waters and proved that small acts of courage can save lives.
“In order to prevent something [horrible], you have to understand why it happened in the first place,” intones a voice in the trailer for National Geographic’s powerful new documentary series “Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time,” now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
From Lightbox, Executive Producer Ryan Coogler, and Oscar®-nominated director Traci A. Curry, this five-part series offers the most intimate and comprehensive telling of the Katrina story to date — told entirely through the voices of those who lived it.
One of those voices is that of Shelton Shakespear Alexander, a United States Marine Corps veteran and poet who pressed record on his personal camera as the winds started picking up in Katrina’s advance. When the levees broke, he evacuated to the Superdome, where his footage captured what it was like for the most vulnerable people during the deadly hurricane.
He showed people how to eat MREs and revealed what it was like during the hours they waited for rescue, and he lifted one another up.
“I wish more people had a chance to learn survival skills like swimming or preparedness,” he shared, reflecting on the senseless lives lost because of a lack of preparation or early warning. “They didn’t give us a fair warning. We need to do a better job of caring for our elders, our parents, and the secluded. I hated to learn about all the people who passed alone.”
As the documentary shows, the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina was exacerbated by man-made errors. When the levees broke, eighty percent of the city and ninety-five percent of St. Bernard Parish were flooded, leaving over 100,000 people vulnerable to catastrophe. New Orleans, six feet below sea level and surrounded by multiple bodies of water, was known to be at risk of flooding, which is why Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to overhaul the region’s hurricane protection system.
Yet, due to budget cuts and delays, the project was not finished by the time Katrina hit in August 2005. In the immediate aftermath, the federal response was also sluggish. Luckily, quick thinkers in the Coast Guard and other military units acted independently.
“Sarah Faulkner was a badass Coast Guard Rescue Diver who helped save 40 people in one night,” beamed director Traci A. Curry.
“What was really interesting about the Coast Guard’s response was that they acted outside of the chain of command,” Curry explained. “While the rest of the military was tied up in bureaucratic red tape, the Coast Guard could go into action right away. They went straight to New Orleans and got to work, and I thought it was so important to highlight their actions.”
When asked what Shelton is hoping this documentary will teach audiences, he emphasized the importance of uniting together as people, especially in a time when our country feels particularly divided:
“Let’s focus on coming back together. Being American. Being together. We don’t know who’s gonna get a wildfire, who’s gonna get an earthquake, who’s gonna get a storm, who’s gonna get a flood. We just need for the sake of humanity — it’s not a political thing, it’s individual — and we need to check our hearts and help out when we can.”
This five-part series premiered on National Geographic across two nights beginning July 27, 2025. All episodes are streaming starting July 28 on Disney+ and Hulu.
