Nikki Woods

Today marks the 49th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

On August 28, 1963, Dr. King stood before the Lincoln Memorial Center to deliver some of the most iconic words in our country’s history.  More than 250,000 people eagerly listened as the voices of Mahalia Jackson and Joan Baez rang throughout the Lincoln Memorial.

In a time where discrimination and hate-crimes provoked the unthinkable, Dr. King stood before America and reminded an entire nation to dream. Often known by scholars as the “most important moment in civil rights history,” his words forever pressed upon us a hope for freedom and a world united in love rather than fear.

Click here for the I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH!

It has also been 7 year’s since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Continued prayers for all those who were and still are affected.

Here are 11 facts about Hurricane Katrina you may not have known:

1. Hurricane Katrina was the second strongest hurricane ever recorded in the U.S.
2. In New Orleans, the levees were designed for category 3 but Katrina was forecasted in Category 4, which went whopping 140 miles an hour.
3. The storm surge from Katrina was 20-feet (six meters) high.
4. 705 people are reported as still missing as a result of hurricane Katrina.
5. Hurricane Katrina affected over 15 million people in different factors such as economy, evacuations, gas prices or drinking water.
6. The final death toll was at 1,836, primarily from Louisiana (1,577) and Mississippi (238).
7. An estimated 80% of New Orleans was under water, up to 20 feet deep in places.
8. Hurricane Katrina caused $75 billion in estimated physical damages, but it is estimated that the total economic impact in Louisiana and Mississippi may exceed $110 billion, earning the title of costliest hurricane ever in US history.
9. Hurricane Katrina affected about 90,000 square miles.
10. The region supported approximately one million non-farm jobs, but hundreds of thousands of local residents were left unemployed by the hurricane.
11. More than 70 countries pledged monetary donations or other assistance. Kuwait made the largest single pledge of $500 million, but Qatar, India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh made very large donations as well.