Tulane University history professor Larry Powell warned that Hurricane Katrina may be seen as a type of ethnic cleansing by white supremacists.
Powell talked to a group of Penn students and faculty about the problems New Orleans will face during its reconstruction yesterday at the Center for Africana Studies.
His book, New Masters, is about the problems of desegregation and racial conflict.
According to Powell, the culturally diverse city, which has Italian, German and black inhabitants, is also the home of open racism.
He said some residents hope that black people will not resettle in New Orleans after reconstruction, he said, adding that the group includes some of the city's richest and most influential citizens.
"New Orleans has become the focal point of some sort of white supremacist movement," Powell said.
He added that the long road of reconstruction ahead can only be traveled by those who keep the city's history in consideration.
He feels that New Orleans was decisively shaped by its black inhabitants, among others.
Studying newspapers from the last two centuries, Powell said he has become knowledgeable about the character of New Orleans.
A unifying factor in New Orleans life, for instance, has been jazz music.
"Jazz was a way of life in this fun-loving city. More importantly, the exchange of music drew the many different communities together," he said.
High school students placed higher value on rehearsing for private performances than going to soccer practice.
Besides the sporadic bursts of racial unrest, New Orleans also faces sewage problems and severe income inequality, Powell said.
Despite the issues facing New Orleans, he is confident it will resurrect itself successfully.
He feels the citizens of New Orleans share a deep bond with the city.
Tulane senior Cristina Toscano, who is spending the semester at Penn, concurred.
"I really want to go back to Tulane. I miss the university, but I also miss the city. There's something so amazing about it," she said.
