‘A man of many firsts.’ Groundbreaking Kentucky legislator dies at 79

By: Lantern staff

Outlets: Kentucky Lantern

Published: April 27, 2026

Words: 321

Last Updated: 3 months ago

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Jesse Crenshaw, a longtime Fayette County lawyer and legislator who broke many of Kentucky’s racial barriers, died on Sunday, April 26, after a short illness, his family said. He was 79 years old.

Crenshaw grew up in Lexington, and received his undergraduate degree from Kentucky State University and a law degree from the University of Kentucky’s Rosenberg College of Law with a two year break while he served in the Vietnam War. He …

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