Huey Pierce Long | Biography

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 Huey was a bright student. He attended the University of Oklahoma and received his law degree from Tulane University. He practiced law from 1915 to 1918, when he won a seat on Louisiana's Railroad Commission. An energetic and ambitious man, he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1924; his 1928 bid, however, was successful.

Long's programs were progressive, often visionary. He provided free textbooks to all Louisiana schoolchildren, expanded Louisiana State University (he built LSU's medical school), and expanded the state charity hospital network. He provided additional funding for the port of New Orleans and built some 13,000 miles of roads through his highway program. The public was delighted with these programs, but they were less pleased when he fought to remove the state poll tax (which would give more rights to blacks and poor whites in the state).

Long wielded his executive power skillfully but relentlessly. Many called him a dictator. But the governor was undaunted. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1930 and won, but delayed taking his Senate seat for two years until he could ensure that a handpicked ally would succeed him. As a senator, Long initially supported Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, but he became disenchanted and introduced his own plan for economic reform, called "Share Our Wealth." Under this plan, the nation's wealth would be redistributed so that everyone could get a fair share. This idea was radical to many, but in a country torn part by depression Share Our Wealth also attracted many supporters. Long was expected to run against Roosevelt in the 1936 Presidential election, and many were convinced that he had a chance of winning. On September 8, 1935, those plans were dashed. Long was shot at the State House in Baton Rouge and died two days later.