Huey Pierce Long Jr., nicknamed "the Kingfish", was born on August 30, 1893 and served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and then as a United States Senator from 1932, until his assassination in 1935. Long was a populist member of the Democratic Party and rose to national prominence during the Great Depression for his vocal criticism of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal, which Long deemed insufficiently radical. As the political leader of Louisiana, he commanded wide networks of supporters and often took forceful action. A controversial figure, Long is celebrated as a populist champion of the poor or, conversely, denounced as a fascistic demagogue.

In this lesson, students will view clips depicting Long and complete a character analysis by answering short-response discussion questions. Following the discussion, teachers and students have the opportunity to extend the lesson by listening or reading a short NPR podcast episode, through which students can dive deeper into how Long used the media as an instrument for communication and attention.