Beautifully maintained statue on the grounds of the capitol. Our guide gave us his history and some personal facts and it seemed he was very concerned about his state in this time of history.

Regarded as either a champion of the poor or, alternatively, a far-right rabble-rouser, after a short career as an attorney, Huey Pierce Long was elected, in 1928, as the 40th Governor of Louisiana, serving until 1932. Having been born in the poor north of Louisiana, he initiated many public works projects, including a modern highway system and the building of the Louisiana State Capitol Building (the tallest capitol building in America). Thousands of jobs were provided by these projects but they were costly. When he became Governor the State's debt was $11 million but, by 1935, it had risen to $150 million. Elected to the US Senate in 1932, he returned to the State Capitol Building in September 1935, to pass a bill that would change the district boundaries of a political opponent. Just after the bill had been passed, the son-in-law of the political opponent fired a shot at Huey Long. The Senator ran down a flight of stairs, crossed the capitol buildings grounds and flagged down a car to take him to hospital. Surgery closed holes in his intestines but could not stop internal bleeding and Huey Pierce Long died in the early hours of 10 September 1935, 31 hours after being mortally injured. His assassin perished at the hands of the Senators bodyguards; an autopsy showing that he was shot more than 60 times. More than 200,000 people attended the Senator's funeral on 12 September 1935. Huey Pierce Long was buried in the grounds of the capitol building and a staue of him looking towards the building he had created was later erected over his grave. In life, Huey Pierce Long was certainly a controversial figure and his statue is certainly well worth having a look at if you are visiting the Louisiana State Capitol Building.