Edwards, Edwin W. (Edwin Washington), 1927-2021

Hide Profile

Edwin Washington Edwards (August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 7th congressional district from 1965 to 1972 and as the 50th Governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996), twice as many elected terms as any other Louisiana chief executive. He served a total of 16 years in office, the sixth-longest serving gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at 5,784 days.

Born in rural Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, he grew up bilingual, speaking English and Cajun French. After serving briefly in the U.S. Navy Air Corps near the end of World War II, Edwards graduated from Louisiana State University Law Center and began practicing law in Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish. Edwards entered politics through election to the Crowley City Council in 1954, remaining there until his election to the Louisiana State Senate in 1964. After serving as a state senator for less than two years, Edwards was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1965.

In the election of 1971–1972, Edwards won the governorship after finishing first in a field of seventeen candidates in the Democratic primary. His greatest support came from southern Louisiana, particularly among its large numbers of Cajun, Creole, and African-American voters. He easily bested his Republican challenger David Treen in the 1972 general election. Riding high from his success, Edwards devoted his first term to bringing about badly needed political reform. During his first term, Edwards was the driving force behind an effort to replace the state’s anachronistic and unwieldy 1921 constitution. A constitutional convention that met in 1973 redrew and streamlined the document before sending it to Louisiana voters. It was overwhelmingly approved the following year. The 1974 constitution represented a significant departure from the special interest protection and cronyism built into the previous document. It contained a strong bill of rights safeguarding the liberties of African Americans, who had suffered much in the era of Jim Crow. Edwards easily won reelection in 1975.

Limited to two consecutive terms, Edwards temporarily left politics in 1980 but made it clear he would run again for governor in 1983. Easily elected, Edwards's third term coincided with the collapse of the international oil market that sent oil prices plummeting, forcing the Governor to raise taxes. Compounding Edwards’s problems were continued allegations of political corruption that eventually resulted in federal prosecution. Edwards came up short in his bid for a fourth term in 1987.

When the 1991 gubernatorial election rolled around, Edwards's name was again on the ballot. Pitted against Republican nominee David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Edwards won his fourth and final term as Governor in a landslide. Edwards's final term proved the most controversial, as charges of corruption finally began to stick to the so-called “Teflon governor”, Edwards becoming ensnared in a federal probe into his administration. He was ultimately found guilty on seventeen of twenty-six counts, including racketeering, extortion, money laundering, mail fraud, and wire fraud, serving eight years of his ten year sentence. He remained ineligible to seek the governorship until 2027.

In 2014, Edwards ran for a Congressional seat in Louisiana’s Sixth District, losing to Republican Garret Graves in a 62-38 percent margin in a runoff, only the second defeat in Edwards’s political career. Plagued by ill health in his final years, Edwards died in Gonzales, Louisiana on July 12, 2021. He was married three times, first to Elaine Schwartzenburg, second to Candy Picou, and third to Trina Grimes Scott.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Saunders, John,. John Saunders and Larry Vidrine oral history interview, 1986. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Smith, Thelma Desselle, 1905-. Papers. 1976-1990. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Mmahat, John A.,. John A. and Arlene Mmahat oral history interview, 1986. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Duval, Claude B. (Claude Berwick), 1914-1986. Claude B. Duval papers 1822-2006 (bulk 1950-1979). Nicholls State University, Ellender Memorial Library
referencedIn Edwards, Elaine. Papers. University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Edith Garland Dupre Library
referencedIn D'Hemecourt, Robert,. Robert d'Hemecourt and Cecil Warren oral history interview, 1986. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Common Cause Louisiana. 1972-1991. Common Cause Louisiana records, 1972-1991 (bulk 1980-1990). Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Ruth Bader Ginsburg papers, 1897-2005 Library of Congress
creatorOf Ninth Ward Citizens Voter's League (New Orleans, La.). Records, 1941-1995, bulk 1966-1995. Xavier University of Louisiana, XULA
referencedIn Bridges, Tyler. Tyler Bridges papers, 1882-2001 (bulk 1992-2000). Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Connick, Harry, 1926-. Harry Connick Sr. oral history interview, 1986. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Dumas, Woody, 1917-1993. Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Dumas collection, 1965-1979. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Louisiana Folklife Program. Louisiana Folklife Program project files, 1973-2001 (bulk 1979-1998). Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Riddick, Winston W.,. Winston Riddick oral history interview, 1987. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf Edwards, Edwin W. Edwin W. Edwards : commercials , 1983. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Cook, Celestine Shannon Strode, 1924-1985. Papers. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Berry, Joe Wood. Joe Wood Berry photographs collection. McNeese State University, Lether E. Frazar Memorial Library
referencedIn NAACP Office of Field Director of Louisiana. Records. Tulane University, Amistad Research Center
referencedIn Caffey, H. Rouse (Horace Rouse), 1929-. Horace Rouse Caffey oral history interview, 1994-1995. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Berry, Joe Wood. person
associatedWith Bridges, Tyler. person
associatedWith Caffey, H. Rouse (Horace Rouse), 1929- person
associatedWith Common Cause Louisiana. 1972-1991. corporateBody
associatedWith Connick, Harry, 1926- person
associatedWith Cook, Celestine Shannon Strode, 1924-1985. person
associatedWith D'Hemecourt, Robert, person
associatedWith Dumas, Woody, 1917-1993. person
associatedWith Duval, Claude B. (Claude Berwick), 1914-1986. person
spouseOf Edwards, Elaine. person
associatedWith Ginsburg, Ruth Bader. person
associatedWith Louisiana Folklife Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Louisiana. Governor. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.) corporateBody
associatedWith Mmahat, John A., person
associatedWith Ninth Ward Citizens Voter's League (New Orleans, La.) corporateBody
associatedWith Riddick, Winston W., person
associatedWith Saunders, John, person
associatedWith Smith, Thelma Desselle, 1905- person
memberOf United States. Congress. House person
memberOf United States. Navy corporateBody
associatedWith University of Oklahoma. Political Commercial Archive. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Crowley LA US
Avoyelles Parish LA US
Baton Rouge LA US
Gonzales LA US
Fort Worth TX US
Shreveport LA US
Oakdale LA US
Subject
Advertising, political
Television advertising
Occupation
City council members
Governors
Lawyers
Ministers
Representatives, U.S. Congress
State Senator
Activity

Person

Birth 1927-08-07

Death 2021-07-12

Male

Americans

English,

French

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m43m8z

Ark ID: w6m43m8z

SNAC ID: 85554277