Kingfish

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From 1928 until his assassination in 1935, Huey Long exercised near-dictatorial control over Louisiana, driven by a blend of ambition and vindictiveness. He manipulated elections, hired and fired at will, and used the state militia as his personal enforcers. Paradoxically, he also championed the poor and uneducated, achieving more for them than any politician before or after. In this biography, Richard D. White, Jr. presents a vivid portrait of Long, utilizing new source material to explore his rise during the Depression era. Growing up in impoverished Winn Parish, Long was determined to gain power quickly. He ruthlessly defeated opponents in the 1928 gubernatorial race, consolidating his control despite fierce opposition from the press and oil companies after implementing a controversial oil tax. Elected senator in 1930, he became unstoppable. White’s narrative captures Long’s vibrant and tumultuous political life. Labeled by President Roosevelt as one of the nation’s most dangerous men, Long spearheaded a radical movement through his Share Our Wealth Society, advocating for pensions, reduced workweeks, and free college. His efforts to improve infrastructure and education earned him the loyalty of Louisiana’s poor, while his antics in the Senate expanded his national influence. By 1935, amid corruption investigations, Long announced his presidential candidacy. Ultimately, he was a tragic hero, a power addict who nearly under