JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – We’re just five months away from Hurricane Katrina’s 20th anniversary. To commemorate the aftermath of that catastrophic storm, the two Mississippi Museums created an exhibit highlighting some of those devastating moments through photography.

The exhibit is called ‘Mississippi Remembers.’

It tells the story of Mississippians’ resilience in 2005 through the lens of a photographer who spent days on the coast capturing those terrifying moments.

They are moments she and the governor at the time say they will never forget.

“About twenty years ago, this was one of the most tragic and devastating natural disasters in American history,” said Haley Barbour, the former Governor of Mississippi.

“I knew that the only way I could help was through my photography,” said Melody Golding, a photographer who documented Hurricane Katrina.

Both Haley Barbour, the former Governor of Mississippi, and Melody Golding toured the exhibit, reminiscing on history they remember all too well.

Lining the walls are photos captured by Golding through her lens of tragedy just days after August 29th, 2005.

It was that day Katrina made landfall. It devastated Louisiana and much of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“It was heartbreaking to see the devastation. However, Katrina took everything away in terms of material possessions, but the spirit of Mississippians was strong and the resilience to overcome the terrible storm shown through,” said Golding.

The cameras Golding used many years ago, along with the film, sit on display.

The exhibit also features Hurricane Katrina-related artifacts from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History collection.

“It’s very powerful. In stark reality of photography, it shows in a small part what happened. It’s black and white photography, so there’s just not a lot of confusion with color and chaos. It’s just very simple. It represents, in a small way, what happened,” Golding said.

You, too, will have a chance to see this amazing exhibit.

It officially opens to the public Saturday, March 8, at 10 a.m. and will run through Friday, November 7.

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