On Friday, August 29, 2025, the Mississippi Gulf Coast gathered at the Barksdale Pavilion in Jones Park, Gulfport, to mark the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The solemn occasion honored lives lost, reflected on the devastation that reshaped our state, and celebrated two decades of resilience and renewal.
The morning ceremony began with a prayer, music by the Mississippi National Guard, and a statewide moment of silence at 8:29 a.m. A flyover by the Hurricane Hunters honored the storm’s memory and Mississippi’s enduring preparedness.
Mayor Hugh Keating: Honoring the Past, Building the Future
Gulfport Mayor Hugh Keating opened the program with personal reflections of the day Katrina struck. He recalled the surreal memory of his childhood home filling with water and noted, “Never would I have believed that 20 years later I’d be standing here representing the citizens of Gulfport on this occasion.”
Mayor Keating paid tribute to the nearly one million volunteers from across the nation who poured into Mississippi after the storm, saying they embodied the meaning of service above self. He emphasized that from “absolute total destruction has come renewed renaissance,” and urged Mississippians to pay it forward: “Let us never forget those who came to our aid. Onward and upward.”
Major General Bobby Ginn: Resilience as a Way of Life
Representing the Mississippi National Guard, Major General Bobby M. Ginn reminded the audience that the fight for resilience isn’t only abroad — it happens here at home when nature tests us. He saluted the faces of those who served during Katrina and those who stand ready today, reflecting on the courage of first responders, military convoys, firefighters, police officers, and EMTs.
“Resilience,” he said, “is the courage of the family who rebuilds, the determination of the neighbor lending a helping hand, and the bravery of first responders who run toward danger when others must flee. Together we stand unshakeable. May we always rise, rebuild, and renew — because that is what resilience demands.”
Former Governor Haley Barbour: Leadership in the Eye of the Storm
Former Governor Haley Barbour, who guided Mississippi through Katrina’s aftermath, received a standing ovation. He recognized his wife, Marsha, whom he called “the number one volunteer not from the Coast,” for spending 70 of the first 90 days after the storm on the ground.
Barbour recalled the devastation: storm surge reaching 37 feet, entire structures erased, and debris stretching as far as Pascagoula. “I will never forget the helicopter ride over the Coast — it looked like the hand of God had wiped us away.”
He recounted three top priorities of recovery:
Providing livable housing, temporary or permanent, so families could return.
Restoring jobs, with Ingalls Shipbuilding and Chevron critical to the state’s economy.
Rebuilding infrastructure, including the Barksdale Pavilion — which was restored after a donation from Jim Barksdale.
Barbour also praised Mississippi’s Legislature for working across party lines and passing measures critical to recovery, including allowing casinos to relocate onshore. “I think honestly, Mississippi’s reaction to Katrina, and the way we worked did more to improve Mississippi’s reputation than anything that’s happened in my lifetime,” he said.
Tulsi Gabbard: National Perspective on Tragedy and Renewal
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard reflected on the parallels between Katrina and disasters in her home state of Hawaii, including the Maui wildfires. She spoke of the 238 Mississippians who perished, connecting those losses to the importance of unity and leadership.
“In the face of tragedy, we are always better together,” she said. “Leadership matters all the time — but especially in the wake of disaster. The resilience we celebrate today is proof of what we can accomplish when we stand united and put service above self.”
Governor Tate Reeves: From Survival to Victory
Governor Tate Reeves delivered the keynote address, calling the Mississippi Gulf Coast “the greatest place on earth.” He reminded the audience that Katrina was five times greater in force than any previous U.S. disaster and left scars that will never be forgotten.
Yet, Reeves emphasized, the storm revealed Mississippi’s true character: courage, generosity, and resilience. “This storm changed our state but did not change who we are as a people — it brought out our very best.”
He praised the selflessness of neighbors, first responders, and service members who “ran toward danger when others had no choice but to flee.” He also honored Governor Barbour’s steady leadership, noting that “everyone knew who was in charge.”
Reeves concluded with a challenge to continue investing in Mississippi’s future: “Let today be a reminder that Mississippi’s story is not about survival — it’s about victory. God will always guide us through the storm, and regardless of the mission in front of us, Mississippi can and will accomplish it, because that’s just what Mississippians do.”
A Closing of Prayer, Music, and Remembrance
The ceremony closed with a wreath-laying, a benediction from Dr. Jimmy Stewart of First Baptist Gulfport, and moving performances including Steve Azar’s “One Mississippi” alongside students from St. James Catholic School.
Mississippi: Stronger Than the Storm
The 20th Anniversary Commemoration of Hurricane Katrina was both a remembrance and a rallying cry. From devastation came unity, from loss came resilience, and from tragedy came renewal.
As the speakers reminded us, the spirit of Mississippi is defined not by storms, but by the grit, generosity, and faith of its people.
