The 4th Congressional District was created in 1843, the first new district in the state in 20 years. It was gained after the 1840 U.S. Census.
In 1993, Louisiana lost a congressional district and created a second majority-African American district. The 4th Congressional District was thus reconfigured as a 63-percent African American majority district stretching in a roughly "Z" shape from Shreveport to Baton Rouge. At the same time, McCrery's home, along with most of Shreveport's white residents, was drawn into the 5th Congressional District.
Name |
Years |
Party |
District residence |
Notes |
District created March 4, 1843 |
Pierre Evariste Jean-Baptiste Bossier |
Democratic |
March 4, 1843 - April 24, 1844 |
Natchitoches |
Died |
Vacant |
April 24, 1844 - December 2, 1844 |
Isaac Edward Morse |
Democratic |
December 2, 1844 - March 3, 1851 |
St. Martinville |
|
John Moore |
Whig |
March 4, 1851 - March 3, 1853 |
Franklin |
|
Roland Jones |
Democratic |
March 4, 1853 - March 3, 1855 |
Shreveport |
|
John M. Sandidge |
Democratic |
March 4, 1855 - March 3, 1859 |
Bossier City |
|
John M. Landrum |
Democratic |
March 4, 1859 - March 3, 1861 |
Shreveport |
Did not seek re-election as Civil War loomed |
Civil War and Reconstruction |
Michel Vidal |
Republican |
July 18, 1868 - March 3, 1869 |
Opelousas |
Appointed U.S. consul to Tripoli, Libya |
Vacant |
March 4, 1869 - May 23, 1870 |
Joseph P. Newsham |
Republican |
May 23, 1870 - March 3, 1871 |
St. Francisville |
Successfully contested election of Michael Ryan to the 41st Congress, Did not seek re-election |
James McCleery |
Republican |
March 4, 1871 - November 5, 1871 |
Shreveport |
Died |
Vacant |
November 5, 1871 - December 3, 1872 |
Alexander Boarman |
Liberal Republican |
December 3, 1872 - March 3, 1873 |
Shreveport |
Went on to other political involvements |
Vacant |
March 4, 1873 - November 24, 1873 |
George Luke Smith |
Republican |
November 24, 1873 - March 3, 1875 |
Shreveport |
Elected in a special election to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Representative-elect Samuel Peters |
William Mallory Levy |
Democratic |
March 4, 1875 - March 3, 1877 |
Natchitoches |
Failed to be renominated by the Democrats |
Joseph Barton Elam |
Democratic |
March 4, 1877 - March 3, 1881 |
Mansfield |
Injured in a stagecoach accident, left Congress, returned to practice of law |
Newton C. Blanchard |
Democratic |
March 4, 1881 - March 12, 1894 |
Shreveport |
Resigned, appointed to the United States Senate. |
Vacant |
March 12, 1894 - May 12, 1894 |
Henry Warren Ogden |
Democratic |
May 12, 1894 - March 3, 1899 |
Benton |
Preferred farming and went back to it |
Phanor Breazeale |
Democratic |
March 4, 1899 - March 3, 1905 |
Natchitoches |
Lost Democratic primary to John T. Watkins |
John T. Watkins |
Democratic |
March 4, 1905 - March 3, 1921 |
Minden |
Lost Democratic primary to John N. Sandlin |
John N. Sandlin |
Democratic |
March 4, 1921 - January 3, 1937 |
Minden |
Unsuccessfully sought U.S. Senate seat |
Overton Brooks |
Democratic |
January 3, 1937 - September 16, 1961 |
Shreveport |
Died |
Vacant |
September 16, 1961 - December 19, 1961 |
Joe Waggoner, Jr. |
Democratic |
December 19, 1961 - January 3, 1979 |
Benton |
Retired from Congress |
Claude Leach |
Democratic |
1979–1981 |
Leesville |
Defeated by Buddy Roemer |
Buddy Roemer |
Democratic[1] |
January 3, 1981 - March 14, 1988 |
Bossier City |
Resigned to become Governor |
Vacant |
March 14, 1988 - April 16, 1988 |
Jim McCrery |
Republican |
April 16, 1988 - January 3, 1993 |
Shreveport |
Redistricted to 5th district |
Cleo Fields |
Democratic |
January 3, 1993 - January 3, 1997 |
Baton Rouge |
Redistricted in a way adverse to Fields' continuation |
Jim McCrery |
Republican |
January 3, 1997 - January 3, 2009 |
Shreveport |
Redistricted from 5th district, Retired from Congress |
John C. Fleming |
Republican |
January 3, 2009–Present |
Minden |