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Quick facts for kids Huey Long


United States Senator from Louisiana
In office January 25, 1932 – September 10, 1935
Preceded by	Joseph E. Ransdell
Succeeded by	Rose McConnell Long
40th Governor of Louisiana
In office May 21, 1928 – January 25, 1932
Lieutenant	Paul N. Cyr Alvin King
Preceded by	Oramel H. Simpson
Succeeded by	Alvin King

Personal details
Born	(1893-08-30)August 30, 1893 Winnfield, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	September 10, 1935(1935-09-10) (aged 42) Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Cause of death	Assassination (gunshot wound)
Resting place	Louisiana State Capitol
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Rose McConnell (m. 1913)
Children	3; including Russell
Relatives	Long family
Education	Oklahoma Baptist University University of Oklahoma Tulane University
Signature

Huey Pierce Long Jr. (born August 30, 1893 – died September 10, 1935), also known as "The Kingfish", was an American politician. He served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932. Later, he became a U.S. Senator in 1932, serving until he was killed in 1935.

Long was a member of the Democratic Party. He was known as a populist leader. This means he supported the rights and power of ordinary people. He became famous during the Great Depression, a time when many people were struggling.

He often spoke out against President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal programs. Long thought these programs did not go far enough to help poor people. As a powerful leader in Louisiana, he had many supporters. He often took strong actions to get things done.

Some people saw Long as a hero for the poor. Others called him a demagogue, someone who gains power by appealing to people's emotions and prejudices. He remains a very talked-about figure in American history.

Early Life and Education (1893–1915)

Childhood in Louisiana

Huey Long was born on August 30, 1893. His family lived near Winnfield, Louisiana, a small town. While he often said he grew up poor, his family was actually quite comfortable. Winn Parish, where he lived, was a poor area. Its people often felt left out of Louisiana's politics.

Long was homeschooled until he was eleven. He was a very smart student with a great memory. He even skipped seventh grade. In high school, he was a good debater. He won a scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU). But his family could not afford the other costs, so he did not go. Instead, he became a traveling salesman.

Studying Law and Marriage

In 1911, Long briefly studied at Oklahoma Baptist University. He then decided to study law. He attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law for a semester in 1912. He worked as a salesman to earn money while studying.

Long met Rose McConnell at a baking contest. They married in April 1913. He later told her he wanted to be governor, a U.S. Senator, and even president. They had three children: Rose, Russell, and Palmer Reid. Russell later became a U.S. Senator too.

In 1914, Long went to Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. He studied hard for a year. He then took the bar exam early and passed. He quickly got his license to practice law.

Early Political Career (1915–1928)

Starting as a Lawyer

In 1915, Long opened his own law office in Winnfield. He often helped poor people with their legal problems. He avoided fighting in World War I. He said he was not angry at anyone overseas.

Long had a bad experience with the Standard Oil company. They refused to use oil from a well he invested in. This made him dislike Standard Oil for the rest of his life.

Public Service Commissioner

In 1918, Long ran for the Louisiana Public Service Commission. This group regulated public services like railroads and telephone companies. He won the election after a close runoff.

On the Commission, Long made companies lower their rates. He also made railroads serve small towns. He pushed for Standard Oil to use more oil from Louisiana.

Long became chairman of the Commission in 1922. He won a big case against a telephone company at the U.S. Supreme Court. This led to refunds for many customers. The Chief Justice, William Howard Taft, called Long "the most brilliant lawyer" he had seen.

Running for Governor

Long first ran for governor of Louisiana in 1924. He traveled all over the state, giving speeches. He spoke out against the old political leaders and Standard Oil. He tried to get support from people in rural areas. These areas felt ignored by the state's government.

Louisiana was mostly controlled by the Democratic Party's "Old Regulars." They often helped wealthy landowners. Louisiana had very few paved roads and a low literacy rate. Long wanted to change this.

He came in third place in the election. He did not take a strong stance on the Ku Klux Klan, which was a big issue. This hurt his chances. He also did not get much support from Catholic voters in the south of the state.

Louisiana Governor (1928–1932)

First Actions as Governor

Long ran for governor again in 1927. He used the slogan, "Every man a king, but no one wears a crown." This meant everyone should have a good life. He used new ways to campaign, like sound trucks and radio ads.

He won the election in 1928. He was only 35 years old, the youngest governor Louisiana had ever had. Thousands of people came to his inauguration. His victory showed that people wanted change.

Once in office, Long quickly took control. He fired many people who opposed him. He replaced them with his supporters. These state workers were expected to give part of their pay to his campaigns.

Long pushed for new laws to keep his promises. He gave free textbooks to schoolchildren. He also sent the National Guard to stop illegal gambling in New Orleans. He even had the old Governor's Mansion torn down. He built a much larger one that looked like the White House. He said he wanted to be familiar with it when he became president.

Impeachment Attempt

In 1929, Long wanted to add a tax on oil production. This money would pay for his social programs. Oil companies and many lawmakers opposed this. Long said that any lawmaker who did not support the tax was "bought" by oil companies. This made many lawmakers angry.

They tried to remove Long from office through impeachment. They listed 19 charges against him. These included claims of misusing power. There was even a fight in the legislature, called "Bloody Monday."

The House of Representatives voted to impeach Long on eight charges. But in the State Senate, Long got 15 senators to sign a paper saying they would vote "not guilty." This stopped the impeachment process. Long was very tough on his opponents after this. He also started his own newspaper, the Louisiana Progress, to share his views.

Becoming a U.S. Senator

After the impeachment attempt, Long decided to run for the U.S. Senate in 1930. He said his election would show if the public supported his programs. He ran against Joseph E. Ransdell, who had been in Congress for a long time.

Long won the election. But he stayed as governor until January 1932. This was to make sure his lieutenant governor, who opposed him, did not take over. Long continued to control Louisiana politics even as a senator-elect. He passed many bills quickly. He put his allies in important government jobs.

Long also proposed a "cotton holiday" in 1932. This would stop cotton production for a year to raise prices. The idea gained national attention. Even though it did not happen, it made Long a national figure.

Achievements in Louisiana

Long made many big changes in Louisiana. He started a huge public works program. He built many roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. During his time as governor, paved roads in Louisiana grew from 331 miles to 2,301 miles. He also built 111 bridges. He started building the Huey P. Long Bridge over the Mississippi.

These projects created thousands of jobs during the Great Depression. Louisiana hired more highway workers than any other state. Long also built a new State Capitol building. At 450 feet tall, it is still the tallest capitol building in the United States.

Long strongly supported Louisiana State University (LSU). He increased its funding. He built new buildings, including a fieldhouse with a very long pool. He also started an LSU Medical School in New Orleans.

His night schools taught 100,000 adults to read. Free textbooks helped more children go to school. He also improved public health and mental health care. He made the first $2,000 of property value tax-free. This helped half of the state's homeowners.

U.S. Senate (1932–1935)

Senator and Critic of Roosevelt

When Long arrived in the Senate, America was in the middle of the Great Depression. He gave powerful speeches. He spoke out against the huge gap between rich and poor. He criticized both political parties for not doing enough.

In the 1932 presidential election, Long supported Franklin D. Roosevelt. He helped Roosevelt get nominated. But Long was disappointed that he was not given a bigger role in Roosevelt's campaign.

Long became a strong critic of Roosevelt's New Deal policies. He felt they were not radical enough to fix the economic crisis. He said, "Whenever this administration has gone to the left I have voted with it, and whenever it has gone to the right I have voted against it."

Long even tried to stop the National Recovery Act from passing. He spoke for 15 hours and 30 minutes in a filibuster. This was one of the longest speeches in Senate history at the time. He also criticized Social Security.

Roosevelt saw Long as a dangerous politician. He tried to weaken Long's power in Louisiana. Roosevelt had Long's finances investigated. But they could not find anything illegal about Long himself.

Share Our Wealth Plan

In 1934, Long introduced his "Share Our Wealth" plan. He wanted to take money from the very rich. He proposed capping fortunes at $100 million and limiting annual income.

With this money, he wanted to give every family a basic grant of $5,000. He also wanted to guarantee a minimum yearly income. His plan included free college, help for farmers, and a $30 monthly pension for the elderly. He believed these changes would end the Great Depression.

Long formed the Share Our Wealth Society. This was a national group of local clubs. By 1935, it had over 7.5 million members. Long's Senate office received thousands of letters each week. His newspaper, American Progress, reached over 1.5 million readers.

Some historians believe Long's popularity pushed Roosevelt to create more programs. These included the Social Security Act and the Works Progress Administration. Roosevelt reportedly tried to "steal Long's thunder."

Final Year and Assassination (1935)

Presidential Ambitions

Long's "Share Our Wealth" program became very popular. This made people think he might run for president in 1936. He gave many speeches and radio appearances across the country. He attracted large crowds.

Roosevelt's team was worried about Long. A secret poll showed Long could win about four million votes. This could split the vote and help the Republican candidate win. Some thought Long wanted to lose in 1936. They believed this would make the Depression worse. Then, he could become a powerful leader in 1940.

Increased Tensions in Louisiana

By 1935, Long had a lot of control over Louisiana. His opponents became very angry. Some even formed a group called the Square Deal Association. They were armed.

In January 1935, these armed opponents took over a courthouse in Baton Rouge. Long called in the National Guard. He declared martial law. There was a brief fight at the Baton Rouge Airport. One person was hurt, but no one died.

Long continued to pass laws that gave him more power. He took control of many state boards and commissions. He even tried to pass a tax on newspaper advertising. His opponents said he was acting like a dictator.

Assassination

On September 8, 1935, Long went to the State Capitol. He was there to pass a bill that would change the district of an opponent, Judge Benjamin Pavy. After the bill passed, Pavy's son-in-law, Carl Weiss, approached Long.

According to most accounts, Weiss shot Long once. Long's bodyguards then shot Weiss, killing him. Long ran from the building and was taken to the hospital. He had surgery, but it did not stop the bleeding.

Huey Long died on September 10, 1935, about 31 hours after being shot. He was 42 years old. Over 200,000 people came to his funeral. He was buried on the Capitol grounds. A statue of him stands there today.

Some people thought Long was killed by political enemies. But a federal investigation found no evidence of a conspiracy. Later evidence suggests Long might have been accidentally shot by his own bodyguards. They might have hit him while shooting at Weiss.

Long's death brought relief to the Roosevelt Administration. Roosevelt's close advisor, Rexford Tugwell, said Long's death was a "providential occurrence."

Legacy and Impact

Politics and Family

Huey Long's death made him a legendary figure in Louisiana. His political machine continued to run the state for many years. It was a powerful force until the 1960s. Even after his death, Louisiana politics was often divided between "pro-Long" and "anti-Long" groups.

Long's family also became important in politics. His brother Earl was elected governor multiple times. His widow, Rose Long, took his place in the Senate. His son, Russell Long, was a U.S. Senator from 1948 to 1987. Russell helped shape tax laws and supported programs for the poor. Other relatives also served in Congress.

Historical View

Historians have different ideas about Huey Long. Some compare his ideas to European Fascism. Others see him as a unique American leader. Historian Robert Penn Warren called him a "remarkable set of contradictions."

Many experts view Long negatively. They often call him a demagogue or a dictator. David Kennedy said Long's rule in Louisiana was "the closest thing to a dictatorship that America has ever known."

However, some historians, like T. Harry Williams, saw Long more positively. Williams called him a democratic "mass leader." Writer Gore Vidal also admired Long. Others, like Thomas O. Harris, said Long was "neither saint nor devil." He was a mix of good and bad.

In Media

Huey Long has inspired many characters in books and movies. He is a model for dictatorial politicians in novels like Sinclair Lewis's It Can't Happen Here (1935). He also inspired All the King's Men (1946) by Robert Penn Warren. Both of these books were made into films.

Long was also the subject of a 1985 Ken Burns documentary. Musician Randy Newman wrote two songs about Long on his 1974 album Good Old Boys. Many biographies and academic books have been written about him. More has been written about Long than any other person from Louisiana.

Works

Discography

Long worked with composer Castro Carazo on these songs:

"Darling of LSU", 1935
"Every Man a King", 1935
"The LSU Cadets March", 1935
"Touchdown for LSU", 1935

Images for kids

Card for Long's 1918 campaign for railroad commissioner
Card for Long's 1924 gubernatorial campaign
Long's impeachment was conducted at the Old Louisiana State Capitol.
Long after giving a successful five-hour filibuster, about two weeks before his death