Its origins trace back to a building on Chicago's South Side, where a critical meeting was held over a century ago by a man considered the father of Black history.
<p><i>This article was published by the Congressional Research Service under the title,"Disaster Response and Appointment of a Recovery Czar: The Executive Branch’s Response to the Flood of 1927."</i></p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>In the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the press and policymakers have looked to the past for examples of federal responses to natural disasters that might serve as models for emulation today. Some Members of Congress have expressed an interest in creating a cabinet-level “czar” to administer Hurricane Katrina and Rita relief programs. Since the federal response to the flood of 1927 featured Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover as the director of the flood response and wielding immense executive powers, this episode in federal history may be of particular interest to Congress.</p>