Arthur J. O’Keefe

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Arthur J. O'Keefe bigraphy, stories - American politician

Arthur J. O’Keefe : biography

November 8, 1876 – November 14, 1943

Arthur Joseph O’Keefe, Sr. (November 8, 1876 – November 14, 1943), was mayor of New Orleans from 1926 through 1929.

O’Keefe’s term in office was marked by a controversy over whether two bridges over the Rigolets and Chef Menteur Pass would be toll-free bridges as advocated by Public Service Commissioner Huey Pierce Long, Jr., or toll bridges operated by a firm controlled by the mayor’s political allies. O’Keefe also fought a bitter battle with Huey Long over piping cheap natural gas into New Orleans; an ally of the New Orleans energy monopoly NOPSI, O’Keefe unsuccessfully opposed the plan. Under O’Keefe’s administration construction was begun on the Municipal Auditorium and plans for the Criminal District Court Building and Orleans Parish Prison were drawn up. He also served as president of the RDO’s Choctaw Club.

In July 1929, O’Keefe resigned as mayor for health reasons; he was succeeded by T. Semmes Walmsley.

O’Keefe was Irish Catholic. He is the grandfather of the former president of the Louisiana State Senate Michael H. O’Keefe and the great-grandfather of former LSU Chancellor and former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe. Sean O’Keefe is a nephew of Michael O’Keefe.

Sources

  • Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors, 1820-1980. Greenwood Press, 1981.
  • New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana Division. “Administration of Arthur J. O’Keefe.” http://nutrias.org/~nopl/info/louinfo/admins/okeefe.htm
  • Glenn R. Conrad, ed. Dictionary of Louisiana Biography. Louisiana Historical Association, 1988.

Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Mayors of New Orleans, Louisiana Category:1876 births Category:1943 deaths