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Huey LongUS Senator, Governor of Louisiana
Date of Birth: 30.08.1893
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Huey Long: A Biography
- Legal Career and Political Rise
- Governorship and Senate
- Assassination and Legacy
Huey Long: A Biography
Early Life and EducationHuey Pierce Long Jr. was born in 1893 in Winnfield, Winn Parish, Louisiana. He was the seventh child of Huey Pierce Long Sr. and his wife Caledonia Palestine Tison. Long grew up as a highly capable child, excelling in school and possessing a photographic memory. However, he was not known for his meek temperament. He was expelled from school for participating in a protest against the introduction of a 12-year education system. Long also faced disappointment when he was unable to attend Louisiana State University. He worked as a traveling salesman for four years, selling books and medicines, before marrying Rose McConnell in 1913.
Legal Career and Political Rise
Long began his legal career as a lawyer in Winnfield and later moved to Shreveport, where he specialized in representing small businesses against larger corporations. He gained fame after winning a high-profile lawsuit against the Standard Oil Company. In 1924, Long ran for governor of Louisiana, campaigning against the incumbent governor and the Standard Oil Company. Although he lost the election, he gained popularity and was appointed to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.
In 1928, Long ran for governor again and won by a landslide. His campaign focused on supporting farmers and criticizing big corporations. He became known as the first candidate in the South to use radio for political campaign purposes. Long's victory set a record for the largest margin of victory in Louisiana history.
Governorship and Senate
Long served as governor of Louisiana until 1932, during which he implemented various social programs and infrastructure projects. In 1932, he was elected to the United States Senate and supported Franklin D. Roosevelt in the presidential election. As a senator, Long initially aligned with Roosevelt's New Deal policies but later became a vocal critic of the Federal Reserve System and the New Deal.
In 1934, Long proposed his own program called "Share Our Wealth," which aimed to redistribute wealth by taxing the wealthy and providing relief to the poor. He was involved in constant conflicts with big corporations and advocated for the rights of the working class.
Assassination and Legacy
Long had ambitions to run for president in the 1936 election but was tragically assassinated on September 8, 1935, by Carl Weiss in the Louisiana State Capitol building, which Long had ordered to be constructed. Long succumbed to his injuries on September 10, 1935, at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, also built under his administration.
Huey Long's life and political career inspired the novel "All the King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren, which won the Pulitzer Prize. He was also the inspiration for the protagonist in Sinclair Lewis's novel "It Can't Happen Here." Long's legacy continues to shape political discourse and serves as a reminder of his populist ideals and ambitious reforms.
