Huey Long

Huey Long

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.

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.

Previews + Extras

  • 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.

  • 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.

Similar Shows

WETA Passport

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