HUEY P. LONG, JR. (1893-1935) was Louisiana's legendary populist Governor, U.S. Senator and favorite son.
Long transformed Louisiana politics and society during the Great Depression, launching a vast program of modernization and reform. Known as “the Kingfish,” Long was poised to challenge FDR for president on his “Share Our Wealth” platform when he was assassinated in 1935 at the age of 42.
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Huey Long speaks at a stadium in Nashville, TN
Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections
Children thank Huey Long for free school books.
Courtesy of the State Library of Louisiana
Sen. Huey Long speaks with reporters during an informal press conference
Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections
Huey Long shakes hands with constituents on the courthouse steps
Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections
Huey Long campaigns on the courthouse steps
Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections
Huey Long sifts through the bundles of mail received daily in his U.S. Senate office.
Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections
Huey Long was known as "the Kingfish", a take-charge problem solver who delivered immediate relief to the suffering and powerless. As Governor, he used strong-arm tactics to break political gridlock and cut red tape. He took Washington by storm as the most outspoken U.S. Senator.
Life & Times
Huey Long launched a vast program of modernization and reform in Louisiana — building roads, bridges and vital infrastructure, providing free public education to children of all races, expanding LSU, expanding voting rights and healthcare, and lowering taxes on the poor majority.
Programs
A vocal critic of corporate greed and government incompetence, Huey Long's "Share Our Wealth" political movement swept the nation during the Great Depression, garnering millions of supporters and threatening the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Share Our Wealth
Huey Long believed that government should protect and uplift its most vulnerable citizens and provide opportunity for everyone, regardless of race or class. He broke the monopoly on power held by the ruling elite and their corporate backers and transformed Louisiana politics.
Perspectives
Huey Long transformed the public's perception of the role of government in a democratic society. Some of our most cherished government institutions — from social security to veterans benefits, student financial aid to public works projects — were causes championed by Huey Long.
Huey Long's Legacy
My voice will be the same as it has been. Patronage will not change it. Fear will not change it. Persecution will not change it. It cannot be changed while people suffer.
Huey Long, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, March 5 1935
Huey Long on CBS Radio, with pamphlets and circulars promoting Share Our Wealth. Courtesy of LSU Libraries Special Collections, Baton Rouge and the State Library of La.
A vocal critic of corporate greed and government incompetence, Huey Long's "Share Our Wealth" political movement swept the nation during the Great Depression, garnering millions of supporters and threatening the re-election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Promising to cap personal fortunes, guarantee every family a minimum income, and provide pensions, jobs, and free education, the program struck a chord with struggling Americans.
Long’s vision challenged the economic status quo, forcing Roosevelt to adopt New Deal policies that echoed some of his proposals. Though he was assassinated before he could run for president, Huey's Share Our Wealth movement left a lasting impact on American politics.
Sign promoting Huey Long's road-paving program: 3,000 miles of paved roads in Louisiana by 1932 without any increase in taxes. Courtesy of the State Library of Louisiana
Huey Long implemented an unprecedented program of modernization and reform in Louisiana – building roads and bridges, providing free public education, expanding voting rights to all citizens, and creating economic opportunity for a majority trapped in poverty.
Under Long's leadership, the state built 9,700 miles of paved roads and 111 bridges, constructed new hospitals and schools, and abolished poll taxes that had suppressed poor voters.
He expanded access to higher education by making textbooks free for every child and growing Louisiana State University (LSU). Long’s sweeping reforms transformed Louisiana, laying the foundation for a more connected, educated, and economically mobile population.
