Huey Long

Huey Long, Governor of Louisiana (1928-1932) and U.S. Senator (1932-1935), was accused by his critics of being a dictator,PBS: Huey Long—"Every Man a King" but under his governance, the state saw improvements in public works, public education and public health. He also took on big companies, like Standard Oil, by establishing limits on corporate power. When he went to Washington, he challenged Franklin D. Roosevelt and advocated redistributing wealth through sharply graduated income and inheritance taxes.

Long first ran for governor and lost in 1924. He was elected in 1928 and made a number of enemies with his autocratic style. In 1929, he was the subject of a failed impeachment attempt. While governor, he built 111 bridges, started construction on the first bridge over the lower Mississippi and increased paved roads in Louisiana from 331 to 2,301 miles.

In 1930, he ran and was elected to the U.S. Senate. He did not assume his seat in the Senate until 1932, however, preferring to finish his term as governor. His time in the Senate was marked by his opposition to Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, as well as his advocacy for his "Share Our Wealth" program, which he marketed with the motto "Every Man a King".

In 1935, while in the capitol building in Louisiana, Long was shot, reportedly by Dr. Carl Weiss. Long was shot with one bullet; Weiss was shot as many as sixty times by Long's bodyguards. Long died of internal bleeding two days after being shot. Weiss' family has consistently denied he shot Long and conspiracy theories regarding Long's assassination continue to circulate. The New York Times: New Inquiry, Old Findings in Huey Long's Killing (June 6, 1992

• Louisiana Social Studies: Huey P. Long

• Wikipedia: All the King's Men