One of the most accomplished orators and successful politicians of his time, Huey Long was a political leader. Long was elected governor of Louisiana and then a United States senator, had he not been assassinated, he might have had a chance to take Franklin D. Roosevelt's place in the White House. From an early age, it was clear that Long was something special. A bright, intellectual child who excelled in school. There was no doubt that Long would become a very special person. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHuey Pierce Long was born in August. 30 1893, near Winnfield, Louisiana. Born into a middle-class family, Long was the seventh of nine survivors born to Caledonia Tison Long and Huey Pierce Long Sr. The Longs were wealthy, even though they lived in one of the poorest states. Most families lived in poverty, living off what they grew, with few educational opportunities; neighbors relied on each other. He learned to walk at the age of eight months and was soon discovered playing with cattle, his parents and siblings always chasing him. His father built a cover for the water well thinking that Huey would dive in, "just to see what it was like." Small for his age, Huey wasn't like the other kids in his community, who enjoyed outdoor activities like hunting and fishing. He did not like agricultural work and loved reading books, which was rare in his community. He was curious and determined to understand how things worked. When a train arrived in Winnfield, little Huey crawled underneath to get a closer look, delaying its departure until someone pulled him out. When it came to work, he preferred anything other than farm work. His job was delivering baked goods and setting newspaper type, but sales work was his favorite. In 1928, Huey Long ran for governor using the slogan "Every man a king", a phrase used by William Jennings Bryan. Huey's campaign beat the political tower. Louisiana was widely known as the most backward state in the nation. Public education was non-existent and one in four adults could not read. Most families could not afford to purchase the textbooks necessary for their children to attend these schools. Dirt roads and water obstacles made travel and trade difficult. Taxes prevented the lower classes from voting, and poor people paid high property taxes for government services they never received. Long gave hundreds of speeches to voters, showing people what he thought of Louisiana's government. He promised Louisiana citizens good roads, bridges, free hospital care, free education, and lower property taxes. In 1932 Huey continued to exercise control of the state government and made trips to Baton Rouge to try to get his bills through the legislature. Huey Long surrounded by guards in the Louisiana State Capitol. After the death threats, Huey beefed up his security, surrounding himself with bodyguards. Huey was also worried about his family's safety and feared that his children might be kidnapped. The threats only made him work harder to crush his opponents. His enemies formed an organization called the Square Deal Association. In January 1935, 200 Square Dealers went to the East Baton Rouge Parish Courthouse, telling Governor Allen to call in the National Guard. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a customized document from our experts now.