Today In History

Huey Long – “The Kingfish” Huey Long grew up comfortable on a farm in the poorest section of Louisiana. He was self-confident and compassionate and aware that many of his poor friends and neighbors had no opportunity at all. His brilliance and boundless energy motivated him to charge into politics on a mission to champion the common man. He rose to the governorship of Louisiana in 1928, thwarting each hurdle thrown at him by the powerful elite. He transformed the landscape of Louisiana, providing roads, bridges, free school books, public education, healthcare, and equal access to the voting booth for all. Halfway through his term as governor, the Great Depression swept the entire nation. He believed that his “Share Our Wealth” program was the cure for the country's ailing economy, and he quickly won a US Senate seat to take his plan to all of America's poor. Both the Democratic and Republican parties refused his program, and he was forced to position himself as a third-party challenger in the 1936 presidential election. His enemies resorted to violence and on September 8, 1935, Huey Long was shot to death in the corridors of the Louisiana State Capitol. More than 200,000 grateful mourners attended his funeral.