Catherine Small Long
American politician (1924–2019)
Catherine Small Long
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Member of the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
from Louisiana 's 8th district |
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In office
March 30, 1985 – January 3, 1987 |
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Preceded by | Gillis William Long |
Succeeded by | Clyde C. Holloway |
Personal details | |
Born |
Mary Catherine Small
( 1924-02-07 ) February 7, 1924 Dayton, Ohio , U.S. |
Died |
November 23, 2019
(2019-11-23)
(aged
95)
Chevy Chase, Maryland , U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Education | Louisiana State University ( BA ) |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
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Branch/service |
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Rank | Pharmacist's mate 2nd class (PhM2c) |
Battles/wars | World War II |
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Mary Catherine Small Long (born Mary Catherine Small ; February 7, 1924 – November 23, 2019) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Louisiana's 8th congressional district , which she filled from 1985 to 1987, the remainder of the term left by the death of her husband, Gillis William Long . Until it was disbanded in 1993, the 8th district was based in Central Louisiana about Alexandria . She was the first female military veteran elected to Congress, [1] having served as a WAVE in the United States Navy .
Early life and education
Mary Catherine Small was born in Dayton, Ohio , and attended school in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania . [2] She served as a hospital corpsman in the United States Navy during World War II . Long earned a B.A. degree from Louisiana State University in 1948. [2]
Career
Long served in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist's mate. Long became a staff assistant for Oregon senator Wayne Morse and Ohio Representative James G. Polk . [2]
In January 1985, Long's husband died and left a vacancy in Louisiana 8th congressional district. [2] In 1985, when Long announced her candidacy, some of the wives of other U.S. representatives came into the district to campaign on her behalf. [3] Long won the special election , defeating candidates including Republican Clyde C. Holloway , a nurseryman from Forest Hill in southern Rapides Parish , and then State Representative Jock Scott of Alexandria, a Democrat who later switched parties. In 1986, Long declined to seek a full term as congresswoman.
In his autobiographical Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics, former lieutenant governor and education superintendent William J. "Bill" Dodd , an astute observer of Louisiana politics for a half century, describes Cathy Long, who compiled a liberal voting record in Congress, as the "perfect political wife." [4]
Personal life
She married Gillis William Long in 1947. [5] Long had two children, George Harrison Long (born October 13, 1954) and Janis Catherine Long (born March 25, 1957). [6] [2]
Death
Long died from complications of dementia at an assisted-living facility in Chevy Chase, Maryland on November 23, 2019, at age 95. [5]
See also
References
- ↑ Doris Weatherford, Women in American Politics: History and Milestones, Vo. 1, p.165.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Long, Catherine Small" . house.gov . Retrieved October 2, 2019 .
- ↑ "Gillis Long's widow seeks vacant Congress position", Minden Press-Herald , March 25, 1985, p. 1.
- ↑ Bill Dodd , Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics
- 1 2 Pope, John (November 23, 2019). "Former U.S. Rep. Cathy Long, who won a term in Congress after her husband's death, dies at 95" . The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate . Retrieved November 24, 2019 .
- ↑ "Long, Catherine Small (1924-)" . encyclopedia.com . Retrieved October 2, 2019 .
External links
- United States Congress. "Catherine Small Long (id: L000411)" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
- Appearances on C-SPAN
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by |
Member
of
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
from Louisiana's 8th congressional district 1985 – 1987 |
Succeeded by |
1st district |
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