More than 60 years after his death, Huey Long remained a controversial figure in American history. His supporters claimed that he was a latter-day Robin Hood, who wished to provide for all citizens regardless of race or color and who wanted to redistribute the wealth so that it could be shared by all rather than concentrated in the hands of a few. His detractors said that Long was nothing less than a dictator in the making. As governor of Louisiana, he ruled with an iron fist, and his admiration for Benito Mussolini made him suspect in the eyes of many. Had he run for President in 1936 instead of being assassinated a year earlier, many historians believe that he would have split the Democratic ticket; some believe he could possibly have won.

Long was born in Winnfield, Louisiana in 1893. His parents were farmers and the family was poor, but young...