Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time Docuseries Debuted at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture - Streaming July 27th on National Geographic, Hulu & Disney

The HURRICANE KATRINA: Race Against Time docuseries debuted at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, where it was celebrated through panels, press, and a world premiere. The docuseries delves into the spiritual toll of survival, and the remarkable resilience of Black communities. At the Essence Festival, director Traci A. Curry, alongside contributors Shelton Alexander, Lynette Boutte, and Lucrece Phillips shared their motivations for creating a safe space for these stories to be told with accuracy, empathy, and strength.

HURRICANE KATRINA: RACE AGAINST TIME is a very powerful five-part docuseries which re-examines one of the deadliest disasters in the history of the U.S.; not just the storm, but the system that failed its people.  It depicts the untold story of Katrina, as never heard; the raw, intimate and urgently truth, as told by survivors, first responders, and leaders who lived through it. 

From Ryan Coogler’s Proximity Media and the award-winning team at Lightbox, the series premieres over two nights streaming July 27 at 8/7c, on National Geographic.  All episodes will stream July 28, on Disney+ and Hulu.

“This isn’t just about a hurricane,” say executive producers Jonathan and Simon Chinn. “It’s about systemic failure and who was left behind.”

HURRICANE KATRINA: RACE AGAINST TIME reveals the spiritual impact of survival, the resilience of Black communities, and the urgent lessons we must carry forward. It’s more than a docuseries, it’s a living archive and a call to remember, to prepare, and never forget.

_________________________________

EPISODE GUIDE:

Ep 1: The Coming Storm – Missed warnings. A city on edge.

Ep 2: Worst Case Scenario – Levees fail. People left behind.

Ep 3: A Desperate Place – Survival against the odds. Truth distorted.

Ep 4: Shoot to Kill – Rising tensions. Life and death decisions.

Ep 5: Wake Up Call – A scattered community fights to return and rebuild.