Voices Of Protest Huey Long Analysis

Voices of Protest: Huey Long, Father Coughlin & the Great Depression, written by historian Alan Brinkley, offers a compelling and intriguing voice to the already existing debate surrounding Huey Long and Father Coughlin. Both historical figures lived during the time of the Great Depression and, as argued by Brinkley, were important in the politics of the New Deal. Huey Long, nicknamed “the Kingfish,” was the governor and state senator of Louisiana who wielded power in the state so profoundly that popular characterizations of Long compare him to a “dictator” (p. x). Father Coughlin, a Roman Catholic priest, is best remembered for using the radio to spread his political beliefs. Coughlin can be termed an extremist during this period off time, specifically because he was an outspoken anti-Semite, as well as an admirer of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler (p. x). Together, past historiographical works on Long and Coughlin have labeled them as “demagogues.” However, Brinkley argues against this idea. Brinkley claims that Long and Coughlin anything but demagogues. In fact, Long and Coughlin “were manifestations of the most powerful impulses of the Great Depression, and of many decades of American life before it: the urge to defend the autonomy of the individual and the independence of the community against encroachments from the modern industrial state.” (p. xi) Over …show more content…
By utilizing an interesting source of records as well as masterful writing style, the book is successful in changing the history books on how the lives of Long and Coughlin will be remembered. This very success can lead the way for new studies in the field of history to change common perspectives and shed light on the influence of controversial historical figures on American