Frank Fulco
Encyclopedia
Frank J. Fulco, Sr. was a Democratic
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1956–1972 and a leader of the Italian-American community in his native Louisiana
. He was a part of the Long
faction
and had once been a member of Long's popular Share Our Wealth Club
.
Fulco was a former member of the influential Democratic State Executive Committee. "He had been in politics nearly all his life. He did it to help people. He was one of the honest ones, and we're thankful for that," said Frank Fulco, II (born 1937), of Shreveport.
in Assumption Parish in south Louisiana to Rosario Fulco and the former Concetta Russo, both natives of Cefalu, Italy
. He was the twelfth of thirteen children. The Fulcos moved to Shreveport in 1909. Frank was educated in the Shreveport public schools and graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in 1928. He attended Tulane University
in New Orleans, where he was a member of the boxing
team. In 1934, Fulco married the former Josie Tritico (1914–2001) of Lake Charles
, the seat of Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana. The marriage lasted until Fulco's death.
Fulco was a co-founder of Standard Printing Company and was active after 1929 in the Shreveport business community. He published community newspapers throughout the state, including the Broadmoor News, which served a prominent Shreveport neighborhood.
recognized Fulco's efforts with a "Certificate of Appreciation" presented in the chamber of the Louisiana House of Representative in Baton Rouge. In Shreveport, Fulco was the first inductee into the Italian-American Hall of Fame. Son Frank, II, said that his father "did a lot for the Italian people. He lived his whole life doing favors for people."
in north Caddo Parish, would serve on the board for some forty years. Williamson, like Fulco, was part of the Long faction.
Fulco's legislative tenure coincided with the administrations of Governor
s Earl Kemp Long, James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
, and John J. McKeithen
. Elected in 1956 and 1960, Fulco won his third term as part of a Caddo Parish five-member at-large delegation in the general election
held on March 3, 1964. Fulco finished fourth among the five winners. Two Republicans
, Morley A. Hudson
and Taylor W. O'Hearn
led the tabulations, followed by Democrats Algie D. Brown
, Fulco, and future State Senator
and U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.. Fulco jokingly declared that "the elephant trampled us" but predicted that he could work well with both Hudson and O'Hearn despite their different parties. The Hudson and O'Hearn victories were attributed that year in part to the coattails of GOP gubernatorial nominee Charlton Lyons
of Shreveport.
Fulco regarded himself as a special legislative ally of fire fighters, educators and police
officers. During his tenure, he authored or co-authored bills which were instrumental in establishing Louisiana State University in Shreveport
, historically black Southern University at Shreveport
, and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
. He pushed for the creation of LSU for many years before it was finally authorized by the legislature in 1966 and opened in 1967. LSUS Chancellor Vincent Marasla termed Fulco "an outstanding community servant who loved Shreveport and the people of Shreveport."
, of Shreveport. Sour received 5,564 votes (53.2 percent) to Fulco's 4,886 (46.8 percent). Fulco and Sour were both Catholics and both Byrd High School graduates.
In the campaign, Fulco seemed to ignore Sour's candidacy because the Republican had lost House races in 1964 and 1968. Reports surfaced that Fulco was instead attempting to line up commitments to become the new House Speaker
, but he instead lost his seat in an unusually strong Republican year in Caddo Parish. Sour (1924–2000) benefited from the popularity of GOP gubernatorial nominee David C. Treen
, who carried Shreveport in his first race for governor. The speakership in turn went to Fulco's fellow Democrat E.L. "Bubba" Henry
of Jonesboro
, the seat of Jackson Parish in north Louisiana. The position had opened after the Democratic primary runoff in which incumbent
John S. Garrett of Haynesville
in Claiborne Parish was unseated by the businesswoman Louise B. Johnson
of Bernice
in Union Parish.
The delegates wrote the Louisiana Constitution
, which voters approved in 1974. Fulco's colleagues included future U.S. Representative and Governor Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
, then of Bossier City
, future U.S. District Judge Tom Stagg
of Shreveport, and Robert G. Pugh
, a Shreveport lawyer who advised three governors and wrote much of the section on local and state government in the Constitution. Another delegate was House Speaker E.L. Henry, the man whose position Fulco had informally sought early in the previous year.
. He went into cardiac arrest
while he was undergoing kidney dialysis. "He had diabetes, suffered several heart attacks. And two weeks ago, we put him in the hospital. His kidneys were failing," said Frank Fulco, Jr.
Services were held on August 23, 1999, at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic
Church in Shreveport, with Father Pike Thomas officiating. Interment was at Forest Park Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers included two former legislative colleagues, Algie Brown of Shreveport (Fulco's fellow 1928 Byrd classmate) and L.D. "Buddy" Napper
of Ruston
, LSUS Chancellor Vincent Marsala, and then Caddo Parish Sheriff
Don Hathaway.
In addition to his wife and son Frank, Fulco was survived by son Michael J. Fulco (born 1953) and his wife, Trilby, of Monroe
, the seat of Ouachita Parish; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and one brother, Charles R. Fulco (1922–2003) of Shreveport.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1956–1972 and a leader of the Italian-American community in his native Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He was a part of the Long
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
and had once been a member of Long's popular Share Our Wealth Club
Huey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
.
Fulco was a former member of the influential Democratic State Executive Committee. "He had been in politics nearly all his life. He did it to help people. He was one of the honest ones, and we're thankful for that," said Frank Fulco, II (born 1937), of Shreveport.
Early years, education, occupation
Fulco was born in tiny PaincourtvillePaincourtville, Louisiana
Paincourtville is a census-designated place in Assumption Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 884 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pierre Part Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in Assumption Parish in south Louisiana to Rosario Fulco and the former Concetta Russo, both natives of Cefalu, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was the twelfth of thirteen children. The Fulcos moved to Shreveport in 1909. Frank was educated in the Shreveport public schools and graduated from C.E. Byrd High School in 1928. He attended Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in New Orleans, where he was a member of the boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
team. In 1934, Fulco married the former Josie Tritico (1914–2001) of Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, the seat of Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana. The marriage lasted until Fulco's death.
Fulco was a co-founder of Standard Printing Company and was active after 1929 in the Shreveport business community. He published community newspapers throughout the state, including the Broadmoor News, which served a prominent Shreveport neighborhood.
Italian-American causes
Fulco was long active in fraternal and civic organizations, particularly the Progressive Men's Club. He traveled across Louisiana to promote good citizenship among young men of Italian descent. It was on a trip to Lake Charles that Fulco met Josie. The government of ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
recognized Fulco's efforts with a "Certificate of Appreciation" presented in the chamber of the Louisiana House of Representative in Baton Rouge. In Shreveport, Fulco was the first inductee into the Italian-American Hall of Fame. Son Frank, II, said that his father "did a lot for the Italian people. He lived his whole life doing favors for people."
Political career
In 1936, Fulco was elected for a single four-year term to the Caddo Parish Police Jury, since the Caddo Parish Commission, the governing board of the parish. Fulco, at twenty-seven, was the youngest member of the body. One of his colleagues, Earl Williamson, Sr., of VivianVivian, Louisiana
Vivian, is a town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States and is home to the Red Bud Festival. The population was 4,031 at the 2000 census...
in north Caddo Parish, would serve on the board for some forty years. Williamson, like Fulco, was part of the Long faction.
Fulco's legislative tenure coincided with the administrations of Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
s Earl Kemp Long, James Houston "Jimmie" Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
, and John J. McKeithen
John McKeithen
John Julian McKeithen was the 49th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1964 to 1972. A Democrat from the town of Columbia, he was the first governor of his state in the twentieth century to serve two consecutive terms...
. Elected in 1956 and 1960, Fulco won his third term as part of a Caddo Parish five-member at-large delegation in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
held on March 3, 1964. Fulco finished fourth among the five winners. Two Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Morley A. Hudson
Morley A. Hudson
Morley Alvin Hudson , was a Shreveport businessman, engineer, civic leader, and a pioneer of the modern Republican Party in Louisiana.Hudson was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Oscar Hudson and the former Ruth Morley...
and Taylor W. O'Hearn
Taylor W. O'Hearn
Taylor Walters O'Hearn was a pioneer in the rebirth of the Republican Party in Louisiana during the mid-twentieth century. He and Morley A. Hudson, both of Shreveport in Caddo Parish, were the first two Republicans elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives since Reconstruction. The pair...
led the tabulations, followed by Democrats Algie D. Brown
Algie D. Brown
Algie Dee Brown was a Shreveport attorney and a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1948-1972. He served under governors Earl Kemp Long, Robert F. Kennon, James Houston "Jimmie" Davis, and John J. McKeithen...
, Fulco, and future State Senator
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
and U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.. Fulco jokingly declared that "the elephant trampled us" but predicted that he could work well with both Hudson and O'Hearn despite their different parties. The Hudson and O'Hearn victories were attributed that year in part to the coattails of GOP gubernatorial nominee Charlton Lyons
Charlton Lyons
Charlton Havard Lyons, Sr., also known as Big Papa Lyons , was a Shreveport oilman who in 1964 waged the first determined Republican bid for the Louisiana governorship since Reconstruction. Lyons also made a strong but losing bid for the United States House of Representatives in a special election...
of Shreveport.
Fulco regarded himself as a special legislative ally of fire fighters, educators and police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officers. During his tenure, he authored or co-authored bills which were instrumental in establishing Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Louisiana State University in Shreveport is a branch of the Louisiana State University System in Shreveport, Louisiana. Opened in 1967, LSUS is the only public four-year university in the Shreveport-Bossier metro area....
, historically black Southern University at Shreveport
Southern University at Shreveport
Southern University at Shreveport, Louisiana or Southern University at Shreveport is a two-year campus of the historically black Southern University System. SUS, pushed to fruition by the administration of Governor John J. McKeithen, opened for instruction on September 19, 1967...
, and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport is the academic center for medicine and medical research in North Louisiana. It is located in Shreveport and is part of the Louisiana State University System. The medical school opened in 1969. One of its founders was Dr. Joe E...
. He pushed for the creation of LSU for many years before it was finally authorized by the legislature in 1966 and opened in 1967. LSUS Chancellor Vincent Marasla termed Fulco "an outstanding community servant who loved Shreveport and the people of Shreveport."
Losing to Art Sour
Fulco was defeated for a fifth term in 1972 in the newly-drawn single-member District 6 seat by the strongly conservative Republican Arthur W. Sour, Jr.Art Sour
Arthur William Sour, Jr., known as Art Sour , was a Shreveport businessman and a pioneer in developing a competitive Republican Party in Louisiana. A conservative, Sour served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972-1992. He was born in Shreveport to Arthur W. Sour and Adele Sour . He...
, of Shreveport. Sour received 5,564 votes (53.2 percent) to Fulco's 4,886 (46.8 percent). Fulco and Sour were both Catholics and both Byrd High School graduates.
In the campaign, Fulco seemed to ignore Sour's candidacy because the Republican had lost House races in 1964 and 1968. Reports surfaced that Fulco was instead attempting to line up commitments to become the new House Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
, but he instead lost his seat in an unusually strong Republican year in Caddo Parish. Sour (1924–2000) benefited from the popularity of GOP gubernatorial nominee David C. Treen
David C. Treen
David Conner "Dave" Treen, Sr. , was an American attorney and politician from Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana – the first Republican Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana since Reconstruction. He was the first Republican in modern times to have served in the U.S...
, who carried Shreveport in his first race for governor. The speakership in turn went to Fulco's fellow Democrat E.L. "Bubba" Henry
E. L. Henry
Edgerton L. "Bubba" Henry is a Baton Rouge attorney, lobbyist, and partner of the high-powered firm Adams and Reese who served as a Democrat in the House of Representatives from 1968-1980. He was Speaker from 1972–1980. Henry was Governor Edwin Washington Edwards's choice for Speaker...
of Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Louisiana
Jonesboro is a town in and the parish seat of Jackson Parish in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 3,914 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ruston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the seat of Jackson Parish in north Louisiana. The position had opened after the Democratic primary runoff in which incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
John S. Garrett of Haynesville
Haynesville, Louisiana
Haynesville is a town in northern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States, located just south of the Arkansas border. The population was 2,679 at the 2000 census....
in Claiborne Parish was unseated by the businesswoman Louise B. Johnson
Louise B. Johnson
Louise Brazzel Johnson was a little-known insurance agent in Bernice in Union Parish who rocketed to state prominence when she upset the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives in the 1971 Democratic primary...
of Bernice
Bernice, Louisiana
Bernice is a town in Union Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in Union Parish.
Constitutional convention
After his legislative defeat, Fulco rebounded to win a position as delegate to the Louisiana Constitutional Convention held in 1973.The delegates wrote the Louisiana Constitution
Louisiana Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Louisiana is the cornerstone of Louisiana state law ensuring the rights of individuals, describing the distribution and power of state officials and local government, establishes the state and city civil service systems, creates and defines the operation of a state...
, which voters approved in 1974. Fulco's colleagues included future U.S. Representative and Governor Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III
Buddy Roemer
Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991...
, then of Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
, future U.S. District Judge Tom Stagg
Tom Stagg
Thomas Eaton "Tom" Stagg, Jr. , is a Louisiana attorney, businessman, politician, and jurist who has served as a United States federal judge for the Western District of Louisiana since his appointment by President Richard Nixon in the spring of 1974...
of Shreveport, and Robert G. Pugh
Robert G. Pugh
Robert Gahagan Pugh, Sr., known as Bob Pugh , was a prominent attorney in Shreveport, Louisiana, who, as his local bar association president in 1970–1971, initiated the first prepaid legal services plan in the United States...
, a Shreveport lawyer who advised three governors and wrote much of the section on local and state government in the Constitution. Another delegate was House Speaker E.L. Henry, the man whose position Fulco had informally sought early in the previous year.
Obituary
Fulco died a week before his 91st birthday in a Shreveport hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. He went into cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
while he was undergoing kidney dialysis. "He had diabetes, suffered several heart attacks. And two weeks ago, we put him in the hospital. His kidneys were failing," said Frank Fulco, Jr.
Services were held on August 23, 1999, at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church in Shreveport, with Father Pike Thomas officiating. Interment was at Forest Park Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers included two former legislative colleagues, Algie Brown of Shreveport (Fulco's fellow 1928 Byrd classmate) and L.D. "Buddy" Napper
L.D. "Buddy" Napper
Laurice Dean Napper, known as L.D. "Buddy" Napper , is an attorney and civic figure in Ruston, Louisiana, who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1952-1964....
of Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, LSUS Chancellor Vincent Marsala, and then Caddo Parish Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Don Hathaway.
In addition to his wife and son Frank, Fulco was survived by son Michael J. Fulco (born 1953) and his wife, Trilby, of Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, the seat of Ouachita Parish; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and one brother, Charles R. Fulco (1922–2003) of Shreveport.