Perry H. Howard
Encyclopedia
Perry Holbrook Howard was a sociologist known for his research in the field of Louisiana
politics
. He was a long-term professor
at Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge
, from which he received his Ph.D.
in 1954. A native of Maine
, Howard served for three years in the United States Navy
in the South Pacific during World War II
. Thereafter, he attended Harvard University
in Cambridge
, Massachusetts
. In 1964, he returned to LSU a decade after his graduation and remained on the faculty for nearly thirty years.
In 1963, Howard joined William C. Havard and Rudolf Heberle in co-authorship of the work, The Louisiana Elections of 1960, which focuses on (1) the 1959–1960 gubernatorial campaign, won by Jimmie Davis
for his second nonconsecutive term, and (2) the following presidential contest, in which John F. Kennedy
and Lyndon B. Johnson
won Louisiana's then ten electoral votes. Topics covered include social and political background and socio-economic factors in voting. The authors determined, for instance, that Kennedy won in the state because he ran more strongly among the working class in South Louisiana, and Richard M. Nixon lost North Louisiana to independent electors pledged to U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd
of Virginia. Kennedy also ran considerably ahead of deLesseps Story Morrison, Davis's opponent in the gubernatorial runoff election among key Democratic constituency groups. The authors also found that several sugar-producing parishes in south Louisiana which had backed Dwight D. Eisenhower
in 1956 switched to Kennedy-Johnson in 1960.
Howard also studied Morrison's three gubernatorial campaigns, 1956, 1960, and 1964, from a sociological standpoint and found that the former New Orleans mayor improved his showing in each race but still fell short of victory, having been defeated by Earl Kemp Long, Jimmie Davis, and John McKeithen
.
In 1971, Howard published through LSU Political Tendencies in Louisiana, a 476-page scholarly study of his adopted state's political climate from statehood through 1970. Chapters include "Two-Party Politics, Louisiana Style, 1834–1852", "Another Look at Reconstruction, "The Rise of Longism
", "The Long Era, Bifactional Politics, 1928–1956", and "The Issue of Civil Rights and Presidential Elections".
In 1972, Howard wrote a review of Politics of Southern Equality: Law and Social Change in a Mississippi County (1970), by Frederick M. Wirt, an examination of how civil rights
laws passed between 1957 and 1965 changed the political, social, and cultural fabric at the local level in Panola County
, Mississippi
. In 1978, Howard published a review of John Dittmer's Black Georgia in the Progressive Era, 1900–1920 in which he noted that the spirit of the black community coupled with some interracial cooperation at the time provided the thrust for the later dismantlement of white supremacy
.
In 1975, Howard joined Mark T. Carleton
and Joseph B. Parker in the publication of the anthology
, Readings in Louisiana Politics.
Howard died at his Baton Rouge home at the age of eighty-seven. He was survived by his wife, the former Katie Parker; a son and his wife, Brook and Ann Howard, and their children, Caitlin, Chelsea, and Madeleine; a daughter and her husband, Rebecca and William Shieber, and their children, Driftwood and Alexander; a brother, Emery Howard; a sister, Carolyn Grant, and a brother-in-law and his wife, Joseph and Theresa Parker. He was preceded in death by a son, Benjamin Howard. He was a member of the Unitarian
Church in Baton Rouge, where a memorial service was held on January 9, 2010.
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...
politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. He was a long-term professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, from which he received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1954. A native of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Howard served for three years in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in the South Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Thereafter, he attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In 1964, he returned to LSU a decade after his graduation and remained on the faculty for nearly thirty years.
In 1963, Howard joined William C. Havard and Rudolf Heberle in co-authorship of the work, The Louisiana Elections of 1960, which focuses on (1) the 1959–1960 gubernatorial campaign, won by 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...
for his second nonconsecutive term, and (2) the following presidential contest, in which John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
won Louisiana's then ten electoral votes. Topics covered include social and political background and socio-economic factors in voting. The authors determined, for instance, that Kennedy won in the state because he ran more strongly among the working class in South Louisiana, and Richard M. Nixon lost North Louisiana to independent electors pledged to U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd
Harry F. Byrd
Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. of Berryville in Clarke County, Virginia, was an American newspaper publisher, farmer and politician. He was a descendant of one of the First Families of Virginia...
of Virginia. Kennedy also ran considerably ahead of deLesseps Story Morrison, Davis's opponent in the gubernatorial runoff election among key Democratic constituency groups. The authors also found that several sugar-producing parishes in south Louisiana which had backed Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
in 1956 switched to Kennedy-Johnson in 1960.
Howard also studied Morrison's three gubernatorial campaigns, 1956, 1960, and 1964, from a sociological standpoint and found that the former New Orleans mayor improved his showing in each race but still fell short of victory, having been defeated by Earl Kemp Long, Jimmie Davis, and John 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...
.
In 1971, Howard published through LSU Political Tendencies in Louisiana, a 476-page scholarly study of his adopted state's political climate from statehood through 1970. Chapters include "Two-Party Politics, Louisiana Style, 1834–1852", "Another Look at Reconstruction, "The Rise of Longism
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...
", "The Long Era, Bifactional Politics, 1928–1956", and "The Issue of Civil Rights and Presidential Elections".
In 1972, Howard wrote a review of Politics of Southern Equality: Law and Social Change in a Mississippi County (1970), by Frederick M. Wirt, an examination of how civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
laws passed between 1957 and 1965 changed the political, social, and cultural fabric at the local level in Panola County
Panola County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,274 people, 12,232 households, and 9,014 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 13,736 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. In 1978, Howard published a review of John Dittmer's Black Georgia in the Progressive Era, 1900–1920 in which he noted that the spirit of the black community coupled with some interracial cooperation at the time provided the thrust for the later dismantlement of white supremacy
White supremacy
White supremacy is the belief, and promotion of the belief, that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds. The term is sometimes used specifically to describe a political ideology that advocates the social and political dominance by whites.White supremacy, as with racial...
.
In 1975, Howard joined Mark T. Carleton
Mark T. Carleton
Mark Thomas Carleton , was an historian who specialized in political studies of his native Louisiana. From 1964 until his death at the age of sixty, he was a professor at Louisiana State University in his native Baton Rouge.Carleton received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957 from Yale University...
and Joseph B. Parker in the publication of the anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
, Readings in Louisiana Politics.
Howard died at his Baton Rouge home at the age of eighty-seven. He was survived by his wife, the former Katie Parker; a son and his wife, Brook and Ann Howard, and their children, Caitlin, Chelsea, and Madeleine; a daughter and her husband, Rebecca and William Shieber, and their children, Driftwood and Alexander; a brother, Emery Howard; a sister, Carolyn Grant, and a brother-in-law and his wife, Joseph and Theresa Parker. He was preceded in death by a son, Benjamin Howard. He was a member of the Unitarian
Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a religion characterized by support for a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning". Unitarian Universalists do not share a creed; rather, they are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth and by the understanding that an individual's theology is a...
Church in Baton Rouge, where a memorial service was held on January 9, 2010.