Earl Kemp Long, 1895-1960. Winn Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies
120 Ted Price Lane
Winnfield, LA  71483
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Earl Kemp Long


Born August 26, 1895 at Winnfield, Winn Parish, Louisiana at the site of a
state park built in his honor and where he is buried.  Earl was the son of
Huey Pierce Long, Sr., and Caledonia Tison, and a brother to Governor and U.
S. Senator Huey P. Long, Jr., Congressman George S. Long, and District
Attorney Julius Long.  Earl attended Louisiana Tech at Ruston and Loyola Law
School at New Orleans.  His early life was spent as a salesman and campaigning
for older brother Huey.  Earl married Blanche Revere in August, 1932, yet no
children were born of the marriage.  He was a Baptist. 

Earl served as Attorney for the Inheritance Tax Collector and was an assistant
attorney general.  He also was a lobbyist for various interests.  He was
defeated for lieutenant governor in 1932, later serving in that same office
from 1939-1940 under Gov. Richard Leche.  He was defeated for governor in 1940
by reformer Sam Jones.  He was again defeated in a race for lieutenant
governor in 1944.  He was elected governor in 1948 and 1956, and was elected
to Congress in 1960 but died before taking office.  

Earl Long was Louisiana'a first three-term governor, father of the free hot
lunch program for school children, forced equal pay for black teachers, and
was active in creating the old age pension.  Earl maintained the "down home"
image his entire political career and spent more time at his "Peapatch" farm
in Winnfield.  Earl was a champion of the veterans and the poor, and actively
courted the black vote in every election.  He suffered a series of mild
strokes late in his career which led to brief mental problems, for which he
was committed to a state insane asylum while governor.  To put it mildly, Earl
was very colorful.  He was loyal to his brother Huey and was instrumental in
saving Huey from impeachment when Huey was Louisiana's governor.  In later
years, the two split and the vast majority of the Long family sided with Earl. 


Many books and articles have been written about Earl K. Long and a movie
entitled "Blaze" was filmed at Winnfield and other locations.  

(Submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, Winn Parish, LA.)