Huey Long's Grave by grandmaR
The 1949 movie "All the King's Men", piqued my interest in Huey Long aka "The Kingfish". In 1960 when we lived in Louisiana, I read the book "Louisiana Hayride". Huey Long built 2,300 more paved roads, plus 6,000 miles of gravel roads and 12 bridges across Louisiana rivers. He provided free schoolbooks for children, free night schools for adults, a new medical school and a new system of charity hospitals and he eliminated the poll tax. That's what people remember about him.
I was fascinated to find that old Huey was buried on the grounds of the new capital.
Long was critically wounded on September 8, 1935 while he was a U.S. Senator and died two days later. At the time, it was assumed that Dr. Carl Weiss was the assassin. Long was heavily guarded with submachine gun toting bodyguards and it was never determined whose bullets entered Long's body. There is speculation that bullets from his bodyguards provided the mortal wounds after richocheting. There has been some conjecture that one of Long's bodyguards may have killed Long under the influence of supporters of President Franklin Roosevelt, who perceived Long as a threat in the 1936 election. Dr. Weiss was killed at the same time. Bullet holes are still visible in the hall of the Louisiana State Capital where Long was shot.
Huey Long's body is under a large statue of him which faces the capital.
Engraving on the back of Long statue:
HUEY PIERCE LONG
1893 - 1935
Governor 1928 -1932
United States Senator
1932 -1935
Here Lies Louisiana's Great Son
Huey Pierce Long An Unconquered
Friend of the Poor Who Dreamed Of
The Day When the Wealth of the Land
Would Be Spread Among All the People
I Know the Hearts of the People
Because I Have Not Colored My Own.
I Know When I Am Right In My Own
Conscience I Have One Language.
Its Simplicity Gains Pardon For
My Lack of Letters. Fear Will Not
Change It. Persecution Will Not
Change It. It Cannot Be Changed
While People Suffer.
Erected By The State Of Louisiana 1940
