Earl Long
Earl Kemp Long ( born August 26, 1895 in Winnfield, Winn Parish, Louisiana; † September 5, 1960 in Alexandria, Louisiana ) was an American politician and 1939-1960 three-time governor of the state of Louisiana.
Early years and political rise
Earl Long was the younger brother of Huey Pierce Long, who had been 1928-1932 Governor of Louisiana and then until his assassination in 1935, U.S. Senator. Earl Long attended Tulane University and then studied at Loyola University New Orleans Jura. Like his brother was also Earl Member of the Democratic Party. Between 1928 and 1932 he was head of the tax office in Orleans Parish. At this time he had with his brother, who was the most powerful and influential politician in Louisiana at that time, divided. When Earl Long in 1931 ran for the office of Lieutenant Governor, he was defeated mainly because of the lack of support of his brother. Later, the two were then together again.
After the murder of his brother in 1935, Earl Long gradually took over the leadership of the Democrats in Louisiana. In 1936 he became vice governor and representatives of Governor Richard W. Leche. After this resigned under pressure from corruption allegations on 26 June 1939 by his office, Earl Long fell to this place as reigning vice-governor.
Governor of Louisiana
First, Long had to finish the opened his predecessor's term. This ran until 14 May 1940. Long but competed for the upcoming 1940 gubernatorial elections to its own term in office. But he could in the primaries of his party not prevail against Sam H. Jones and therefore had to leave office in May of this. In 1944, Long competed unsuccessfully for the office of lieutenant governor. On April 20, 1948 Earl Long was elected governor of Louisiana yet. His second term began on May 11 in 1948 and ended on 13 May 1952. During this period, the teacher salaries were increased to make the career more attractive. Various taxes were raised and the civil service was reformed.
Due to a constitutional clause Long 1952 could not stand straight again. But in April 1956 he was again elected to the office of governor, which he then took on 8 May and held until 10 May 1960. In his last term in office free lunches were introduced in schools. The salary of the African American teachers was adapted to the white teachers. Long also called for an improvement of the electoral law in favor of a black population. This created an opposition from conservative forces, with whom he had to deal. Regardless of his final term in office was overshadowed by increasing health problems. So he had to be temporarily admitted even in a mental hospital. Due to his powers as governor, he dismissed himself from the hospital and fired the head of the prison, which was replaced by a partisan.
End of life
Despite his health problems, Long was in 1960, after the end of his governorship, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. But he could not take this mandate, because he died before. Earl Long was married to Blanche B. Revere.