Floodlines

About Floodlines

Some call it Hurricane Katrina. Some call it the Federal Flood. Others call it the day the levees broke. On August 29, 2005, the city of New Orleans was submerged. That story of hubris, incompetence, and nature's wrath is now etched into the national consciousness. But the people who lived through the flood and its aftermath have a different story to tell. A story of rumors, betrayal, and one of the most misunderstood events in American history. Hosted by Vann R. Newkirk II. Floodlines has been named an Apple Podcasts Series Essential.

Publisher

The Atlantic

Category

history · news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Mar 2020

Latest episode

1 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

1 of 16 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   1 Aug 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Rebirth

   Host Vann R. Newkirk II interviews Le-Ann Williams, exploring how time reshapes her role in her family and city after Hurricane Katrina.

2. 

   22 Mar 2023

   Holy Week — Part 1: Rupture

   Host Vann Newkirk II explores the forgotten revolutionary week following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, revealing how his murder shaped the narrative of the Civil Rights Movement.

3. 

   28 Feb 2023

   Introducing Holy Week

   Host Vann Newkirk II explores the forgotten, revolutionary week following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination and its lasting impact on American society.

4. 

   16 Dec 2021

   Presenting: "Some of My Best Friends Are" from Pushkin

   Harvard historian Khalil Muhammad and journalist Ben Austen explore race in America through personal anecdotes and thoughtful debate in this interview episode.

5. 

   29 Oct 2021

   Presenting: The Review, a new podcast from The Atlantic

   The Atlantic's writers and guests explore how entertainment shapes our world understanding on the new podcast, The Review.

6. 

   26 Oct 2021

   Introducing: How to Build a Happy Life

   Host Arthur Brooks interviews psychologists and experts on building a joyful life, offering research-backed tools for listeners.

7. 

   11 Feb 2021

   Introducing: The Experiment

   Vann R. Newkirk II interviews Marylin Thurman Newkirk about her life in "true democracy" and its current risks.

8. 

   12 Mar 2020

   The Wake

   Host Vann Newkirk explores how water's cyclical nature mirrors historical patterns in this episode.

9. 

   12 Mar 2020

   Destiny

   Host Vann Newkirk II explores the complex question of whether displaced communities can truly reclaim their homes after disaster.

10. 

    12 Mar 2020

    Reckoning

    Host Vann R. Newkirk II investigates the catastrophic levee failures during Hurricane Katrina, revealing systemic issues and their lasting impact.

11. 

    12 Mar 2020

    Exodus

    Part V: A hero arrives. But not the one everyone expected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12. 

    12 Mar 2020

    The Bridge

    Part IV: Rumor becomes tragedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13. 

    12 Mar 2020

    Through the Looking Glass

    Part III: A universe of rumor and misinformation plays out on television. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14. 

    12 Mar 2020

    Come Sunday

    Part II: In New Orleans, the disaster wasn’t the hurricane. The disaster was what happened after. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15. 

    12 Mar 2020

    Antediluvian

    Part I: It all started long before a hurricane named Katrina. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16. 

    3 Mar 2020

    Richard

    A preview of the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who has been a guest on Floodlines

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Le-Ann Williams
• Khalil Muhammad
• Ben Austen
• Vann R Newkirk II

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

3,441 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

306 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

16

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

94

Contact Floodlines

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Floodlines