John Julian McKeithen (May 28, 1918 – June 4, 1999) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th governor of Louisiana from 1964 to 1972.[1]
McKeithen entered the 1963 Democratic primary for Governor of Louisiana. He ran as a populist, running direct-to-camera commercials with a signature catchphrase of "Won't you he'p me?"[3] As was typical for Southern Democrats, he ran as a segregationist, insinuating that his chief rival (New Orleans mayor deLesseps Story Morrison) was an integrationist supported by the NAACP.[5] McKeithen won the Democratic nomination, which in the Deep South at the time was tantamount to election, and defeated the Republican candidate Charlton Lyons in the 1964 general election.[6][7]
Shortly after McKeithen's election, he began sending secret payments through the Louisiana State Sovereignty Commission to the Ku Klux Klan leadership, in an attempt to "buy peace" and suppress Klan violence.[8] In one incident, a confident of McKeithen's was sent to Bogalusa with $10,000 in cash to be split equally between local Klan leaders and the local chapter of Deacons for Defense and Justice.[9] These payments by McKeithen were discovered through declassified FBI records in 2016, through the Freedom of Information Act.[8]
Despite his running as a segregationist in 1963, he oversaw the beginning of school integration in Louisiana, and called out the Louisiana National Guard to protect civil rights activists marching from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge. In a speech to a Black audience in 1966, he said regarding integration: "I know I’m not leaving this state, and I don’t think you’re leaving either. So we’ve got to solve our problem."[3]
McKeithen was popular in his first term, and successfully engineered the passage of a constitutional referendum that allowed governors to run for re-election, the first time this had been allowed in Louisiana in the 20th century.[3]
Second term as governorEdit
McKeithen defeated Congressman John Rarick by a wide margin in the 1967 Democratic primary for Governor, and was elected unopposed in the 1968 general election.[10][11] During his second term, a series of articles in Life magazine alleged that he was connected to the New Orleans mafia, though definitive proof did not emerge.[3]
Later life and deathEdit
After the completion of his second term, McKeithen retired to his farm in Columbia, Louisiana and continued to practice law. He managed an oil and gas company and was appointed to the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University in 1983.[3]
McKeithen underwent heart surgery in 1997, after which his health declined. On June 4, 1999, McKeithen died at the age of 81 in Columbia.[2]
ReferencesEdit
^"John J. McKeithen 1964-1972". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
^ abcHonan, William H. (June 5, 1999). "J. J. McKeithen, 81, Governor Of Louisiana, 1964 to 1972". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^ abcdefgh"John J. McKeithen". 64parishes.org. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^"Our Campaigns - LA Lt. Governor - D Runoff Race - Feb 19, 1952". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^Mark T. Carleton (1993). "The Gubernatorial Campaigns of DeLesseps S. Morrison". Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association. 34 (3): 261–270. JSTOR 4233033.
^"Our Campaigns - LA Governor - D Runoff Race - Jan 11, 1964". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^"Our Campaigns - LA Governor Race - Mar 03, 1964". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^ abRichoux, Patrick (April 25, 2016). "Records: Former gov. set up payments to the Ku Klu Klan". Newspapers.com. The Daily Review. pp. 1, 10. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
^Patrick Richoux (April 27, 2016). "FBI: Former Gov. John McKeithen arranged payments to Ku Klux Klan to quell violence in 1960s". The Advocate. Manship School News Service. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^"Our Campaigns - LA Governor - D Primary Race - Nov 04, 1967". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^"Our Campaigns - LA Governor Race - Feb 06, 1968". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
john, mckeithen, john, julian, mckeithen, 1918, june, 1999, american, lawyer, politician, served, 49th, governor, louisiana, from, 1964, 1972, 49th, governor, louisianain, office, 1964, 1972lieutenanttaddy, aycockpreceded, byjimmie, davissucceeded, byedwin, ed. John Julian McKeithen May 28 1918 June 4 1999 was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th governor of Louisiana from 1964 to 1972 1 John McKeithen49th Governor of LouisianaIn office May 12 1964 May 9 1972LieutenantTaddy AycockPreceded byJimmie DavisSucceeded byEdwin EdwardsPersonal detailsBornJohn Julian McKeithen 1918 05 28 May 28 1918Grayson Louisiana U S DiedJune 4 1999 1999 06 04 aged 81 Columbia Louisiana U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseMarjorie FunderburkEducationHigh Point College Louisiana State University Contents 1 Early life 2 Political career 2 1 1948 1963 2 2 First term as governor 2 3 Second term as governor 3 Later life and death 4 ReferencesEarly life EditMcKeithen was born in Grayson Louisiana on May 28 1918 His father was a farmer 2 He studied at High Point College and later received a law degree from Louisiana State University in 1942 He served in the 77th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II 3 After the war he settled in Columbia Louisiana and set up a law practice 2 Political career Edit1948 1963 Edit McKeithen was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1948 Governor Earl K Long appointed him as floor leader despite his lack of experience and low profile He lost the race for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 1952 4 and in 1954 was elected to the Louisiana Public Service Commission 3 First term as governor Edit nbsp McKeithen as governor McKeithen entered the 1963 Democratic primary for Governor of Louisiana He ran as a populist running direct to camera commercials with a signature catchphrase of Won t you he p me 3 As was typical for Southern Democrats he ran as a segregationist insinuating that his chief rival New Orleans mayor deLesseps Story Morrison was an integrationist supported by the NAACP 5 McKeithen won the Democratic nomination which in the Deep South at the time was tantamount to election and defeated the Republican candidate Charlton Lyons in the 1964 general election 6 7 McKeithen s first term saw the construction of the Louisiana Superdome reforms to the state code of ethics and the Civil Rights Movement 3 Shortly after McKeithen s election he began sending secret payments through the Louisiana State Sovereignty Commission to the Ku Klux Klan leadership in an attempt to buy peace and suppress Klan violence 8 In one incident a confident of McKeithen s was sent to Bogalusa with 10 000 in cash to be split equally between local Klan leaders and the local chapter of Deacons for Defense and Justice 9 These payments by McKeithen were discovered through declassified FBI records in 2016 through the Freedom of Information Act 8 Despite his running as a segregationist in 1963 he oversaw the beginning of school integration in Louisiana and called out the Louisiana National Guard to protect civil rights activists marching from Bogalusa to Baton Rouge In a speech to a Black audience in 1966 he said regarding integration I know I m not leaving this state and I don t think you re leaving either So we ve got to solve our problem 3 McKeithen was popular in his first term and successfully engineered the passage of a constitutional referendum that allowed governors to run for re election the first time this had been allowed in Louisiana in the 20th century 3 Second term as governor Edit McKeithen defeated Congressman John Rarick by a wide margin in the 1967 Democratic primary for Governor and was elected unopposed in the 1968 general election 10 11 During his second term a series of articles in Life magazine alleged that he was connected to the New Orleans mafia though definitive proof did not emerge 3 Later life and death EditAfter the completion of his second term McKeithen retired to his farm in Columbia Louisiana and continued to practice law He managed an oil and gas company and was appointed to the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University in 1983 3 McKeithen underwent heart surgery in 1997 after which his health declined On June 4 1999 McKeithen died at the age of 81 in Columbia 2 References Edit John J McKeithen 1964 1972 Louisiana Secretary of State Retrieved February 10 2022 a b c Honan William H June 5 1999 J J McKeithen 81 Governor Of Louisiana 1964 to 1972 The New York Times Retrieved February 12 2022 a b c d e f g h John J McKeithen 64parishes org Retrieved February 12 2022 Our Campaigns LA Lt Governor D Runoff Race Feb 19 1952 Ourcampaigns com Retrieved February 12 2022 Mark T Carleton 1993 The Gubernatorial Campaigns of DeLesseps S Morrison Louisiana History The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association 34 3 261 270 JSTOR 4233033 Our Campaigns LA Governor D Runoff Race Jan 11 1964 Ourcampaigns com Retrieved February 12 2022 Our Campaigns LA Governor Race Mar 03 1964 Ourcampaigns com Retrieved February 12 2022 a b Richoux Patrick April 25 2016 Records Former gov set up payments to the Ku Klu Klan Newspapers com The Daily Review pp 1 10 Retrieved September 14 2022 Patrick Richoux April 27 2016 FBI Former Gov John McKeithen arranged payments to Ku Klux Klan to quell violence in 1960s The Advocate Manship School News Service Retrieved February 12 2022 Our Campaigns LA Governor D Primary Race Nov 04 1967 Ourcampaigns com Retrieved February 12 2022 Our Campaigns LA Governor Race Feb 06 1968 Ourcampaigns com Retrieved February 12 2022 Party political officesPreceded byJimmie Davis Democratic nominee for Governor of Louisiana1964 1968 Succeeded byEdwin EdwardsLouisiana House of RepresentativesPreceded byV E Claunch Louisiana State Representative for Caldwell Parish1948 1952 Succeeded byJohnnie W CaltonPolitical officesPreceded byHarvey Broyles Louisiana Public Service Commissioner for the former District 3 North Louisiana 1955 1964 Succeeded byJohn S Hunt IIPreceded byJimmie Davis Governor of LouisianaMay 12 1964 May 9 1972 Succeeded byEdwin Edwards Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John McKeithen amp oldid 1154663883, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
