History

Huey Long

He was hailed as a champion of the poor and reviled as a dictator. Louisiana's Huey Long rose to Governor and U.S. Senator on a platform of social reform and justice, all the while employing graft and corruption to get what he wanted. Ken Burns reveals a complex and comprehensive portrait of the man, his politics and the power he so obsessively sought.

Huey Long

1h 28m

He was a populist hero and a corrupt demagogue, hailed as a champion of the poor and reviled as a dictator. Louisiana’s Huey Long built his remarkable career as governor and U.S. Senator on a platform of social reform and justice, all the while employing graft and corruption to get what he wanted.

Episodes

  • Huey Long: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Huey Long

    S1 E1 - 1h 28m

    He was a populist hero and a corrupt demagogue, hailed as a champion of the poor and reviled as a dictator. Louisiana’s Huey Long built his remarkable career as governor and U.S. Senator on a platform of social reform and justice, all the while employing graft and corruption to get what he wanted.

Extras + Features

  • Childhood Aspirations: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Childhood Aspirations

    S1 E1 - 2m 20s

    Huey Long was born in 1893, the seventh of nine children. He grew up in Louisiana’s Winn Parish, a deeply impoverished region He showed ambition from a young age as a member of the debate team, and expressed a desire to one day fix up and bring new resources to the town he grew up in.

  • Long's Political Power: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Long's Political Power

    S1 E1 - 4m 35s

    During the era that Huey Long was running for US Senate, Long founded a newspaper of his own — the Louisiana Progress — which he used to broadcast his achievements and denounce his enemies. He served as governor and senator simultaneously, wielding a great amount of power.

  • An Introduction to Huey Long: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    An Introduction to Huey Long

    S1 E1 - 3m 4s

    Huey Long was a powerful American politician who served as governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932, and as a United States Senator from 1932 until his death from assassination in 1935.

PBS PASSPORT

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA+ and PBS Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows