Teaching Materials
Ask a Master Teacher
Lesson Plan Gateway
Lesson Plan Reviews
State Standards
Teaching Guides
Digital Classroom
Ask a Digital Historian
Tech for Teachers
Beyond the Chalkboard
History Content
Ask a Historian
Beyond the Textbook
History Content Gateway
History in Multimedia
Museums and Historic Sites
National Resources
Quiz
Website Reviews
Issues and Research
Report on the State of History Education
Research Briefs
Roundtables
Best Practices
Examples of Historical Thinking
Teaching in Action
Teaching with Textbooks
Using Primary Sources
TAH Projects
Lessons Learned
Project Directors Conference
Project Spotlight
TAH Projects
About
Staff
Partners
Technical Working Group
Research Advisors
Teacher Representatives
Privacy
Quiz Rules
Blog
Outreach
Teaching History.org logo and contact info
Home » History Content » Beyond the Textbook

Huey Long

Central Question: During the Great Depression and New Deal, Louisiana governor and U.S. Senator Huey Long (1893–1935) promised an end to poverty. How did he plan to realize this ideal, and what effect did he have on other politicians at the time?

What Textbooks Say

Textbooks routinely include brief accounts of Huey Long. They describe Long's challenge to Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) from "the left," and mention a folksy style. They neglect, however, to describe the content of Long's agenda and the meaning of his message. In that they also miss a chance to make clear the stakes in FDR's political balancing act. [...] »

What Historians Say

Historians look at Long and his political views and pushes for reform in the social and political context of the Great Depression, FDR's presidency, and the New Deal. By taking Long together with the world he campaigned in, historians avoid caricaturing Long. [...] »

What Sources Say

Primary sources reveal a charismatic man who used every method available to him to get out his message—from television to radio, from popular song to the publishing industry. Whether preparing to campaign for presidency or encouraging the public to form his "Share Our Wealth" societies, Long carefully manufactured and maintained his public image as he pursued his political goals. [...] »

Abstract

Stereograph, U.S. Senator Huey Long, c.1933, Keystone View Company

The political campaigning and positions of Huey Long can help students investigate questions pertinent to all Americans, including the gap between rich and poor, distribution of wealth, and the limits and extent of the free market.

By ignoring the actual substance of Long's plans, textbooks close off such discussion, making Long's arguments irrelevant to modern political debates about taxation, wealth, and income. The introduction of primary sources in which Long articulates his plans can allow students to draw their own conclusions on their practicality and relevance to the present day.

Read the full essay and explore the sources.   »
 
 
Content