Huey Long Vs. The Media

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Huey Pierce Long: you either loved him, or hated him. He had thousands of adoring fans, and fearful enemies. Long went from traveling salesman to Louisiana Governor, and then US senator, through his mastery of the media. Then once in power, he waged a war against it.

He rose in popularity through his anti-establishment speeches at rallies and on the radio, and spoke directly to rural and poor people, campaigning for income caps and ‘sharing the wealth.’ His methods though, became increasingly corrupt: attempts to shut down newspapers, physical attacks on journalists, propaganda newspapers, election tampering, and all the while, strongly combatting any alternative ideas to his own. He took this as far as he could, until his own antics paid him the ultimate price.

This is the story of one of the most polarizing forces in Louisiana politics, an environment historically riddled with corruption, populism, and cult of personality types. And Huey P Long, aka the Kingfish, is like the state mascot of these theatrics. This is Huey P. Long Versus The Media.

Listen to Episode 2 of Sticky Wicket about former New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison.

Listen to Episode 3 of Sticky Wicket about former New Orleans Mayor Dutch Morial.

Listen to Episode 4 of Sticky Wicket about former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.

Read Alecia Long's article on Huey Long featured in the LEH's 64 Parishes Magazine.

Follow Sticky Wicket on instagram at @stickywicketpod.

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Sticky Wicket is part of the “Democracy and the Informed Citizen” Initiative administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The initiative seeks to deepen the public’s knowledge and appreciation of the vital connections between democracy, the humanities, journalism, and an informed citizenry. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities thanks The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for their generous support of this initiative and the Pulitzer Prizes for their partnership. This radio series and podcast runs in tandem with four articles written in the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ 64 Parishes magazine, and is also in partnership with Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Communication.