Arthur Joseph

Background

Born in New Orleans, O’Keefe was the son of Arthur O’Keefe and the former Sarah Hanley.

Education

He was educated at the Roman Catholic Saint Aloysius High School and later went into business, eventually running his own coffee import company.

Career

He was also vice-president of the American Bank and Trust Company and director of the Lafayette Fire Insurance Company and the Mutual Building and Loan Association. He served as the RDO"s Tenth Ward boss, the city’s Commissioner for Public Finance from 1925 to 1926, and after long-time mayor Martin Behrman died in office O’Keefe was elevated to serve the remainder of Behrman’s term. 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 Louisiana State University Chancellor and former National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator Sean O"Keefe.

Sean O"Keefe is a nephew of Michael O"Keefe.

Membership

Before becoming mayor, O’Keefe was a prominent member of the Regular Democratic Organization, the political machine that had dominated New Orleans for decades.

Connections

ally:

Huey Long

allies:

Service Commissioner Huey Pierce Long, Junior.