Moon Landrieu

Moon Landrieu
Name	Moon Landrieu
Birth name	Maurice Edwin Landrieu
Birth date	August 23, 1930
Birth place	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Death date	May 7, 2022
Death place	New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation	Politician, lawyer, judge
Office	Mayor of New Orleans
Term start	May 4, 1970
Term end	May 1, 1978
Predecessor	Victor H. Schiro
Successor	Ernest N. Morial
Party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Verna Satterlee
Children	Mitch Landrieu, Mary Landrieu, Madeleine, Luke

Moon Landrieu was an American politician, lawyer, and judge who served as the mayor of New Orleans from 1970 to 1978 and later as United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Jimmy Carter. A prominent figure in the politics of Louisiana, Landrieu played a consequential role in desegregation, civil rights advocacy, and urban development during the late 20th century. His career intersected with figures and institutions across municipal, state, and federal levels, including campaigns, courts, and civic organizations.

Early life and education

Maurice Edwin Landrieu was born in New Orleans and raised in the city's Audubon and Riverbend areas amid the social landscape shaped by Jim Crow laws, the Great Depression, and regional culture tied to Louisiana Creole people. He attended Jesuit High School before enrolling at Tulane University for undergraduate studies and at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law for his legal education, where he joined student activities connected to Young Democratic Clubs, local bar associations, and civic groups in Orleans Parish. During his formative years he encountered legal and political currents that included debates over the Civil Rights Movement, decisions by the United States Supreme Court such as Brown v. Board of Education, and statewide contests involving figures like Huey Long legacy politicians and reform advocates.

Legal and early political career

After passing the bar, Landrieu worked as an attorney and entered elected office on the Orleans Parish School Board and later on the New Orleans City Council, aligning with factions in the Louisiana Democratic Party and engaging with municipal issues influenced by rulings from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, policies from the U.S. Department of Justice, and initiatives from advocacy groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Congress of Racial Equality. His early political contests connected him with statewide leaders including J. Caleb Boggs-era opponents and allies who had ties to Governor Earl K. Long legacies and to reformers who later worked with members of the United States Congress from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. Landrieu's legal practice involved municipal law, civil rights litigation, and advising labor organizations affiliated with the AFL–CIO.

Mayor of New Orleans (1970–1978)

As mayor, Landrieu implemented policies on urban renewal, public works, and police reform while navigating relationships with institutions such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. His administration pushed for integration of municipal employment and contracting in a city long influenced by segregationist machines and political figures linked to the Long family. Landrieu's tenure overlapped with national leaders including Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter and regional interactions with governors like John McKeithen and Edwin Edwards. He courted collaborations with nonprofit partners such as the Urban League, with academic centers at Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans, and with federal courts overseeing desegregation orders from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. His reelection campaigns engaged media outlets, labor unions, and civic coalitions similar to those which supported urban mayors like Richard J. Daley and Katherine Harris in other cities.

Post-mayoral career and federal service

After leaving the mayoralty, Landrieu served in the Carter administration as United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1979 to 1981, working on programs related to public housing, community development, and fair housing in coordination with officials from the United States Congress, the Department of Justice, and advocacy organizations including the Fair Housing Act enforcement entities and the National Low Income Housing Coalition. He later served as a judge on the Louisiana Court of Appeals and remained active in legal practice, consulting with municipal governments, federal agencies, civil rights groups, and philanthropic organizations such as the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. His federal role placed him in policy debates with Cabinet colleagues and congressional committees including the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Civil rights and housing advocacy

Landrieu is noted for advancing racial integration in municipal hiring, contracting, and education in New Orleans, cooperating with leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, local chapters of the NAACP, clergy from institutions like St. Augustine Church (New Orleans), and civil rights attorneys who engaged litigation in the United States Supreme Court and federal district courts. He worked to implement aspects of the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and coordinated with HUD officials, community development corporations, and housing advocates such as the National Housing Law Project to expand affordable housing and minority contracting. His efforts intersected with national civil rights leaders and local activists, and with urban policy debates influenced by scholars at institutions like Harvard Kennedy School and Princeton University.

Personal life and family

Landrieu married Verna Satterlee; their family includes children who became prominent in politics and public service: Mitch Landrieu, former Mayor of New Orleans and Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana; Mary Landrieu, former United States Senator from Louisiana; and other children active in law and civic affairs with connections to state offices such as the Louisiana Public Service Commission and legal institutions including the American Bar Association. The Landrieu family engaged with cultural organizations like the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and civic institutions including the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Legacy and honors

Moon Landrieu's legacy is reflected in municipal reforms, federal housing policies, and recognitions from institutions such as Tulane University, Loyola University New Orleans, the Urban League, and municipal historical societies. He received honors and civic awards that included proclamations by the New Orleans City Council, tributes from state officials including governors of Louisiana, and acknowledgments from national organizations such as the National League of Cities and the American Bar Association. His influence is cited in studies by urban scholars at Columbia University, University of Chicago, and Yale University and in biographies and oral histories maintained by institutions like the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Category:1920s births Category:2022 deaths Category:Mayors of New Orleans Category:United States Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development Category:Louisiana Democrats